Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Know anything about these guitars? What does the 6 position knob do?

I believe it is a varitone switch. It adds caps to the circuit for a thinner sound. The same as ones used on ES 355's. If I am not mistaken this guitar also features a dummy coil that makes the P90's operate in humbucking mode.

I think you're right on both counts, Jim. Another classic example of a neat idea from Gibson spoiled by things like the proprietary bridge, and in the case of the original Nighthawks, weird pickup configurations that could never be upgraded. Nice guitar otherwise - really versatile, playable, and much more comfortable than the lumpen Les Paul. I fell for one back in the late '80s, but the CFO prevailed.

Last time I saw one of these in action was in the hands of the appropriately named Carolyn Wonderland on Austin City Limits a year or two ago.

Those are smoking little guitars, and yes, it's a varitone of sorts with all kinds of things hooked up to it.