Treble bleed modification

Setup, repair and restoration of Rickenbacker Instruments

Moderator: jingle_jangle

Post Reply
maxwell
Member
Posts: 361
Joined: Sun Dec 04, 2011 4:14 pm

Treble bleed modification

Post by maxwell »

Has anyone done this, say, to the neck (bass) volume potentiometer? I’m considering it; seeking your experience and advice. I have no experience with this; been reading on the Internet.
User avatar
lumgimfong
Intermediate Member
Posts: 704
Joined: Fri Jan 13, 2017 4:57 pm

Re: Treble bleed modification

Post by lumgimfong »

Nope. Mine is CTs 250k volume with toaster. No tone knob just a Tonestyler. No caps or resistors needed! I keep it in true bypass setting for maximum brightness. If you roll it off, the highs go but you keep your mids! I would not want to reduce my bass’s treblability.
So you want to remove the high end off the bass?
maxwell
Member
Posts: 361
Joined: Sun Dec 04, 2011 4:14 pm

Re: Treble bleed modification

Post by maxwell »

I don't have a bass and was referring to my 325's neck ("bass") pickup. Unless my volume is turned up to max, its tone control provides little to no treble; rapid drop-off of treble. So, for my bedroom playing situation, the work-around, I discovered, is to turn up both volume controls on the guitar all the way and then adjust the amp to a suitable decibel level. It works OK; both tone controls are pretty responsive like this. Anyway, yesterday I received a variety of caps and resistors I ordered from Mouser to experiment (with allegator clip leads) with different combinations just to see what happens; retain my treble as I roll off the volume. I can sculpt the response curve with different combinations of caps and resistors. Should be fun.

Bass players: Who plays this? I've liked this... always. I bought a couple of cheap bass guitars to see if I could play well enough to play along with this song. I am a dismal failure:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bh4se9YMV3A
User avatar
lumgimfong
Intermediate Member
Posts: 704
Joined: Fri Jan 13, 2017 4:57 pm

Re: Treble bleed modification

Post by lumgimfong »

Lewis Elliott, according to the wikipedia page for that song (and his obituary), was the bassist on that track for this version.
https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituar ... t-10800534

Bass playing sure was more interesting pre-1970! Arpeggios approach, walking, and leading tones!
maxwell
Member
Posts: 361
Joined: Sun Dec 04, 2011 4:14 pm

Re: Treble bleed modification

Post by maxwell »

Thanks for the info. However, I guess I was far too assuming and "homey" in my question. I was really asking, "Which of you guys here play this intro?" If I played bass, I'd warm up playing this. I'm not sure what percentage of (old) guys here are familiar with the song; probably most. I suppose many never heard/heard of it (young guys). I bought a short-scale cheap bass at my local Guitar Center as well as a used Fender bass combo/amp. I mentioned this song and its bass intro to my youngish (20s?) sales guy and played that intro (on my iPhone) for him. He was not familiar with it.
Post Reply

Return to “"Vibrola" Rickenbacker Technical Forum: By Paul Wilczynski”