Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Can someone tell me how to.....

Wire the pickup selector switch on my 4003 to have a shunt or bypass killing BOTH pickups when the switch is engaged on just one position?

99% of the time, I play with BOTH pickups on, so if I could wire ONE position to just SILENCE the bass and allow me to leave my volume controls set, that would be great! In a church, this really would be a great help. Then, when I'm ready, I'm not rushing to get my volume knobs back to where they were and not miss the first two bars and playing catch up!

Also, can anyone think of ANY warnings of why I shouldn't do so?

Thanks in advance.

I have a volume pedal I used to use for that purpose, now I just reach back and hit standby on the SVT!

Hi Tony,

Can't help you with your original question, but I have a thought, which is always trouble.

A 4003, using the Ric-o Sound jack, will go dead when switched to the bridge pup. It would limit you to your neck pup when playing, but allow you to quiet her down with a flick of the switch between songs.

If you ever see a Trace AH500X head for sale cheap, they have a built in noise gate. Stays nice & quiet until you touch the strings. Trouble is the thing weighs a ton.

Okay, I'll be quiet now and let someone with a good idea help you.

Just off the top of my head....

Take the p/u wire from one side of the switch, remove it and solder to the other side (contact). The volume/tone controls should be unaffected. The center and up or down (whichever you chose) would both be the same....both p/u's on and the other position would be "off". I'm sure if I'm wrong someone will correct me (be kind though).

Gary....your option is fine but the same could be accomplished with just leaving one volume down. That way either p/u could be used. Not trying to be an ***......just sayin'.

Yea, okay, going to start that old high score on the civil service test are ya?!!!

I thought of wiring up something like that once. Instead I learned to get used to the following alternative: Flip to the bridge pickup and turn the treble volume down. You just have to learn one knob with the quick reflex and throw your switch towards the floor and you're muted.

I second the volume control method. I have a Ernie Ball VP Jr. which has a tuner out that is always active. Push the pedal back to silence your output and you can still tune up.

What's wrong with the pedal idea? I thought it was slick, and I had the added bonus of varying volume a bit while playing, depending on the tune.

Tony...Here's the simplest method I can offer: make a kill switch box. This is a basic stomp box device with an on/off 2 way foot switch. It is very simple..If you have an old box you done use, take every thing out of it except the foot switch and the 2 jacks. From the foot switch run a wire on each side, one to ground and the other to the positive side of the output jack. When the foot switch is activated it grounds out the signal giving you a dead silence, this is better than modifying your Bass, or as Charley suggests, get a volume pedal, works the same way just cost less.

I've developed a technique of reaching below both volume knobs with the edge of my picking hand, and rolling both knobs to off. Works for me and looks kinda cool! LOL!

I use this, pressing MUTE kills the signal to the amp, and sends it to a tuner. TOGGLE switches between two basses. Doesn't need a battery.

Go for the volume pedal....but dont do what I do..back off the volume press mute on the SVT while the keyboard player does his solo and then FORGET the mute switch!..OOPS!
If this happens shake your guitar lead as if its faulty so no one guesses that the bass player is in fact a clown .

Thanks everyone,

I really appreciate the ideas.

I was hoping to have a self contained solution. I have to move from church to church and I just wanted the lazy man's way out.

I just thought there was some QUICK FIX to the problem I ALWAYS play with both pickups on so I really never use the switch.

I'm too chicken to go into the the wiring without not having some direction.

Thanks again everyone!

i play a 4003 jg in church and had the same problem. a volume pedal works fine. but the a-b box i got from carvin ($20.00) did the trick !

Interesting. I ALWAYS play the bridge alone for the faster stuff. I vary for the slow between both and neck only. It all has to do with the speed of the tune. I want ROUND for slow, CLANK for fast, and both for in between!