Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

weemac wrote:Paul, is the lightshow circuit frequency triggerd or dynamicaly triggerd?
If the bass was strung BEAD would the light circuit work fine?
Does the bass have the same circuit as the guitar?
Eden.

Well, now, Eden, this is where it gets interesting...

The circuits are triggered both dynamically AND according to frequency. The lowest frequencies show up blue, mid are yellow, and high are red. There are 5 LEDs per circuit, for a total of 15. The most aggressive attack will trigger all 3 of one or more frequencies. A light attack will only trigger one LED of one or more frequencies (why more than one? Overlap in the frequencies coupled with overtones will trigger more than one color group). So, there's a bit more action than in a Rick 331, which lights up all bulbs of one color. Both the RIC and the Waterstone have adjustable sensitivity, with a pot right on the guitar's face.

The circuits for the guitar and bass are slightly different to accommodate different frequency spectra. It should work with a BEAD due to overtones triggering the LEDs; I've not tried it as yet.

You'll notice some random flashing in the video. Part of it is due to YouTube synch problems; this seems to not be as obvious with the DVD I have at home (which, incidentally, sounds killer through a 5.1 or higher processing setup). The rest has to do with hypersensitivity in the circuits which is being designed out, and a good deal of EMF interference at the Tiki Shack...flying saucers nearby, I'm convinced, judging by the brothers and sisters who planted themselves in the vicinity of the cameras...

Final LS output should be crisper in the production models.

Are they hooked up the same as your LS conversions--where you can hook a stereo or whatever into them and the lights go off? I think that's a pretty cool feature, I was checking it out on Dan's LS.

Great, one's on my list. I would like a strat like vibrato bar however!

Yeah, I'm in!

Eden.

collin wrote:Are they hooked up the same as your LS conversions--where you can hook a stereo or whatever into them and the lights go off? I think that's a pretty cool feature, I was checking it out on Dan's LS.

Production units, as well as my latest LS conversions, have eliminated this feature due to EM interference through the long cord (which is shielded, but combines signal and power in one jacket bundle). However, it is easy to add this feature should it be desired--one 1/4" jack and four solder joints. I'll publish this mod as soon as someone here needs it.

Bob Spector of the Brittany Shane Band uses his Rick version, which along with mine has been a sort of development mule, for Brit's signature song and show-closer, "Over Your Shoulder". Here he is at Cafe du Nord in SF, last April 14:

Hey Paul, just wondering where you and Bob are at on these.

I think we're still looking at late Spring, John. Heads up here when the first shipment is on its way...

Fantastic! Keep up the good work.

Well they have one up on Ebay now (one of the production prototypes) I think the price came out a little higher than most were hoping for...
Unless this is one of Pauls hand built ones...

http://cgi.ebay.com/Waterstone-Lightfir ... 439eaa1387

emac.

It's one of my handbuilt ones. They're testing the waters.

Gosh I wish that you hadn't said that, now I want it!

emac.

This one and the rest of the 6 prototypes that Bob has (one each of the 6 string geetar and 4 string bass in each of the three colors) have production circuit boards and bodies, but handmade lenses and Rowlux. Additionally, each is hand-wired and has 9V battery power to the circuits, with a flip-out battery box in the back of each instrument.

I did not paint these; finishes are ex-factory.

No serial numbers on these, but I can provide provenance.

Production units arrive onshore in short order.

Great news Paul...can't wait!

jingle_jangle wrote:This one and the rest of the 6 prototypes that Bob has (one each of the 6 string geetar and 4 string bass in each of the three colors) have production circuit boards and bodies, but handmade lenses and Rowlux. Additionally, each is hand-wired and has 9V battery power to the circuits, with a flip-out battery box in the back of each instrument.

I did not paint these; finishes are ex-factory.

No serial numbers on these, but I can provide provenance.

Production units arrive onshore in short order.

Are the necks factory or ones that you have built?

emac.

The necks are factory, but they are unusual in that they're ambered maple with maple fretboards and black clay dots, per my specs, not the typical Chinese/Korean weird ""rosewood" species. In terms of feel, the bass ones feel to me somewhere between a P and a J. They're CNC, hence consistent.