Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

with one pick-up, what does the switch do?

it is a tone switch. Or it should be according to theory.

Mateybob wrote:with one pick-up, what does the switch do?

I think it acts like the switch on an Esquire, different capacitors and such altering the tone.

Mateybob wrote:with one pick-up, what does the switch do?

This is the way I understand it - with the switch up, you get the full-on sound of the pickup. With the switch down, bass and output is decreased dramatically, which leads me to believe that it engages a bass cut capacitor.

But isn't there already a tone knob?

Mateybob wrote:But isn't there already a tone knob?

Re-Esquire

I'm not sure about the reissues, but I have a '63 900 (single pickup short scale) with V, T, and a 2-way switch. It's some kind of bass boost. Not quite a mud switch. I have a '67 900 with a 3-way: Tone knob in use, Equivalent of Tone at 10, Equivalent of Tone at 1 (mud).

Edit: late 50's early 60's these had a 3 way rotary knob instead of a bat switch.

So is it a 'useful' switch?

I guess most folks just leave it on the brightest setting?

it is just bit of learning curve that is all, it is nice to go from dark tone to bright and back without rotation required.

I had a 425FG in the early 80s, and found the toggle to be quite usefull. It does a pretty good job of giving you 3 good tones, as well as the flipping the toggle thing that Townshend made so popular. Wish I still had that guitar.