Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I would add that the effects of the cap seem to work best with toaster pickups, and then really only for 12-string guitars. Then again, all those early The Jam, The Smiths and R.E.M. records use high-gain 6-string Rics equipped with the cap. Just sayin'...

stsang wrote:I would add that the effects of the cap seem to work best with toaster pickups, and then really only for 12-string guitars....

Actually, the cap works great with magnetic (and otherwise) horseshoe pickups, too, for bass.

I find it's best to have the cap on a pushpull pot so you have a choice. I also have found what works best for me, when using the cap, is to think of the guitar as only having a middle position, and roll in the neck to taste with the fifth knob. I find the bridge pickup by itself to be very lacking with the cap on. I have a 360-12 with toasters in it.

[quote="paologregorio]. . .to the lower output 3 ohm neck pickup.[/quote]

That's a different pickup entirely, one we call the "Low Gain".

johnhall wrote:[quote="paologregorio]. . .to the lower output 3 ohm neck pickup.

That's a different pickup entirely, one we call the "Low Gain".[/quote][/quote][/quote]
So Paulie's off by a factor of 1000, no big deal, right?

(Ironically, I was looking at results last week from an outside lab that were 300 times greater than what we've gotten in house ... )

johnhall wrote:[quote="paologregorio]. . .to the lower output 3 ohm neck pickup.

That's a different pickup entirely, one we call the "Low Gain".[/quote][/quote]
Lower than a Lace too.

whojamfan wrote:I also have found what works best for me, when using the cap, is to think of the guitar as only having a middle position, and roll in the neck to taste with the fifth knob. I find the bridge pickup by itself to be very lacking with the cap on. I have a 360-12 with toasters in it.

Totally agree. I did try the cap in my 620 that had hi gains and didn't really like it, but then again I'm not a big fan of the hi gains. Not that they are bad, just not my taste. But in my 330/12 with toasters and my 480's I love it.

From observing all the comments, it looks like folks fall into one of two camps:

1. Janglers / 60s vintage sound lovers / 12-string users: prefer the cap with toasters and use the middle switch position + 5th knob to blend in the neck PU
2. Hard drivin' rockers / 6-string users / high gain PU folks / pedals/effects lovers: hate the cap and think it is the worst thing ever to happen to their guitar

I'm definitely in camp #1, but I have no problem with those in camp #2. The great thing is Rickenbacker can deliver to both camps!

stsang wrote:From observing all the comments, it looks like folks fall into one of two camps:

1. Janglers / 60s vintage sound lovers / 12-string users: prefer the cap with toasters and use the middle switch position + 5th knob to blend in the neck PU
2. Hard drivin' rockers / 6-string users / high gain PU folks / pedals/effects lovers: hate the cap and think it is the worst thing ever to happen to their guitar

I'm definitely in camp #1, but I have no problem with those in camp #2. The great thing is Rickenbacker can deliver to both camps!

3. Other / My guitar is set up like camp 1 but I push and play it like camp 2!

johnhall wrote:[quote="paologregorio]. . .to the lower output 3 ohm neck pickup.

That's a different pickup entirely, one we call the "Low Gain".[/quote][/quote]

It's a very sweet sounding neck pickup.

I used the guitar tonight to re-record the 12 string track for one of the songs on our new recording; the guitar sounds amazing.

stsang wrote:Without the cap, the center position sounds quite different from either the neck or the bridge pickup on its own. The best I can describe it is a little bit 'bubblegum' or 'quacky' (sorry it's hard to describe in words). With the cap, the center position sounds more like a blend of the two pickups rather than a different sound.

That's interesting. I've noticed that Rickenbackers I've had (mostly vintage, all with the cap) didn't do the quacky thing in the middle position. So it's the cap. next time I have a Rickenbacker, I'm going to do the push-pull pot for the cap.

Hi! This is my first participation here in the forum. I have a '78 Ric 4001 and recently I took off the 0047 capacitor. In fact, without the cap, when in the center position the bass really sounds different. It's really hard to describe. In my opinion, the tone reminds me an active bass, and since of that every time I play I prefer to set the bridge pickup volume control with a little less volume, which, I suppose, increase the main volume of the bass. What do you think about? And about the basses produced from 1984 to the present day, which don't have the cap anymore? There is any difference between the tone of these and older basses? I'm really not sure whether to put the capacitor back. Thanks and congratulations for the forum, really useful!

I guess I'm still not entirely clear on how the cap changes the function of the fifth (blend) knob. The blend knob on my 360/12 usually stays in about the middle or slightly counterclockwise from the middle position. My guitar is equipped with 7.4K toasters, so I find that if I push the guitar, I can reach treble overload. For that reason, I suspect the cap probably wouldn't be good for me. How exactly does the cap change the way the fifth knob works? (I'm sorry if this question has already been answered here, but I'm still a little confused.)