620-12 Modded Controls

Vintage, Modern, V & C Series, Signature & Special Editions

Moderators: rickenbrother, ajish4

Post Reply
User avatar
aoresteen
New member
Posts: 57
Joined: Thu Dec 22, 2005 2:46 pm

620-12 Modded Controls

Post by aoresteen »

I love my 620-12 Mapleglo w/black hardware. It's a 1989 that I've owned since Jan 2000.

Image

One thing that I have never been comfortable with are the separate vol/tone & blend controls. Over the last 6 years I've migrated to guitars that have a single vol and a single tone control for multiple pickups. I find it much easier to control the guitar when playing live to just have one vol that controls all the pickups. Most of my Strats have only two controls. I decided to simplify my 620-12 controls.

I pulled the lower pick guard and sent it to Tony Dudzik at Pickguardian.

http://www.pickguardian.com/

He made a copy with holes for one vol, one tone, and the pickup switch. They do fantastic work - highly recommended!

I used a typical wiring scheme like this:

http://www.seymourduncan.com/support/wi ... h_1v_1t_3w


It was quite easy to do. Here's the underside of the pick guard:

Image

With the extra space I was able to orient the pickup switch so that it travels left to right (not up and down) which I find more logical - put the switch left toward the neck and the neck pickup is selected. Push it right toward the bridge and the bridge pickup is selected. Of course in the middle both are selected.

Image

Detail:

Image

Note that stereo output is not possible with a single set of controls. Since I never use stereo that was not an issue for me.

This mod is fully reversible. I have the original bottom pick guard and the other pots, cap, & knobs safely stored away.

I'm in the process of doing this to my 650D Dakota guitar as well. For me, it makes sense and makes playing my Ricks a lot more enjoyable.
______________
Tony
Newnan, GA
USA
Post Reply

Return to “Rickenbacker Guitars: by John Simmons”