Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

What could cause a stock unmodified 4003 to have a very low and thin volume in all switch positions (compared to another 4003 through the same rig), with both the bass and treble tone controls acting as volume controls (instead of tone controls), and the push-pull switch not to work? Both of the volume controls and the 3 way switch seem to be working ok. Both pickups are giving sound, but I can't tell much more than that about them.

I would pull both pickguards off the basses and compare the wiring.

VRICKY63 wrote:I would pull both pickguards off the basses and compare the wiring.

+1 Sounds like there's something different about the wiring.

Sure sound like the wiring must be different. Carl, are you sure the thin sounding 4003 has not been modified or worked on by someone else?

Agree. Here's the schematic minus the tone switch: http://www.rickenbacker.com/pdfs/19507.pdf

Here's how the switch should be wired: http://rrf.mcx.net/tech/RIC-Bass-Cap-Mod.jpg

Thanks for the advice everyone. The bass was new old stock from a dealer, so I don't think it had been modified. Since I don't own the bass, I can't take the pickguard off to investigate further. I am curious as to what caused this, but will probably never find out.

The wiring is either different, or something is shorting out where it's not supposed to.

johnallg wrote:Agree. Here's the schematic minus the tone switch: http://www.rickenbacker.com/pdfs/19507.pdf

Here's how the switch should be wired: http://rrf.mcx.net/tech/RIC-Bass-Cap-Mod.jpg

The diagram is gone!!! It seems I have a phase issue with my push/pull tone knob (old, inital RIC version). The pull is of considerably lower output. Somebody please help!

You mean this one?
http://files.rickresource.com/tech/RIC-Bass-Cap-Mod.jpg

Thanx CJ!!! I'm trying to follow the diagram. Let's see what turns out...

...wiring was correct, so I changed the cap from .002 to .0047, that helped a bit. However now I realized, that in the PU-switch middle position, each Tone-knob influences both PU's tone! Is there something wrong now?

heinpete wrote: However now I realized, that in the PU-switch middle position, each Tone-knob influences both PU's tone! Is there something wrong now?

Nope, that bit is correct! However looking at the pic of the wiring it is evident that there has been some cowboys in there......

Eden.

weemac wrote:... However looking at the pic of the wiring it is evident that there has been some cowboys in there......

Eden.

... that's the way I got it back from Jingle-Jangle, wiring is obviously not his Art, but it worked so far...
I did the copper shielding, the wiring was bad even before I sent it to him...

Just a minute while I stick another foot in my mouth!

Eden.

Sounds like wiring. Pickups out of Phase? I had a fender that acted like that. I believed i switched the hot and ground wires on one of the volume pots. Something like that. just reversed the two wires. For me they were out of Phase.