Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Looks like I have to ship her back to Santa Ana for some repairs to the bridge pickup. Tone knob really wasn't working up to spec.
JimK

Don't worry, Jim. They'll take good care of her.

JimK,

I hope the warranty repair goes smoothly.

Best,

Robert

What was the problem Jim?

Good Luck Jim, as Kira said, They'll take good care her.

sloop_john_b wrote:What was the problem Jim?

First of all, you have to bear in mind that this is the first electric guitar I've ever owned. That means I'm still finding my way around, even after two and a half years.

I have been constantly experimenting with tone and volume settings on both guitar and amps. I usually utilize the Rick-O-Sound set up on stage. For quite a while I had been playing with both volume and tone controls full on, and making any adjustments or changes on my amps.

Then I got to wondering why not do it the other way round? Set the amps with the volume controls all the way up, and the tone controls set at zero, then do all the volume and tone adjustments from the guitar. That's when I discovered that the bridge pickup tone control only worked full on, that is the brightest, jangliest sound. If I jiggled it, then I could get some variety. But moments later, it would go back to full on chime and jangle.

And I also noticed that it seemed to have a lower volume output than the neck pickup. Initially I dismissed that and thought that I'd just turn up the other amp a little more. That seemed to work OK

Thinking this might be just a simple soldering job, I took it to the local shop where I've been doing business for many years, and am on a first name basis there. And that's when I got the news that the bridge pickup was basically kaput. Not being a warranty shop, they said they wouldn't touch it. And I really ought to contact RIC. So that's what I did.

That was kind of long-winded.
JimK

Good luck with the repair! A tip for setting your amp--first of all, what kind of amp is it? Most amps won't sound right with the tone controls all the way down, so start with the amp tone controls at halfway, and the volume set to a comfortable listening level with the guitar's volume and tone all the way up. Tweak the amp's tone controls as needed until you get a sound you like. Too bright? Turn the treble down a bit. Too dark? Turn the treble up a bit. Too muddy? Take some bass out. Do this with all the pickup combinations on the guitar--it'll take some experimentation--until you find an amp setting that works well with all the pickup combinations. Remember, you don't want to change your amp settings every time you switch pickups. Now, try turning your guitar's volume down a bit. Your lead volume should be wide-open on the guitar, and your rhythm (chord) volume somewhat below that, so that your chords don't overpower your lead--adjust that with your guitar's volume. Some players like to turn the neck pickup down some and use that for rhythm, and switch to the wide-open bridge pickup for lead, using the pickup selector as a lead/rhythm switch, but I'm likely to play lead or rhythm on either pickup, so I prefer to use my guitar's volume control. The guitar's tone controls don't actually make the sound bassier, they cut treble, so the actual sound of the pickup is full-up. For a jazz tone, try rolling off some tone on the neck pickup, but don't take it down too far or it'll turn to mud. It helps if you have some idea of what kind of sound(s) you're trying to get. And you can still use picking dynamics and location, just like on an acoustic.

T.A.R. wrote:Good Luck Jim, as Kira said, They'll take good care her.

+1! Hang in there Jim, as you await it's return!

jfine wrote:Most amps won't sound right with the tone controls all the way down

+ 1

This is really odd, to have cut out all the EQ frequencies of the amp entirely. It's probably not the same thing as having a "flat" EQ like in your car stereo.

jfine wrote:Good luck with the repair! A tip for setting your amp--first of all, what kind of amp is it?

I have the bridge pickup going to a MusicMan 110 RD-Fifty, and the neck pickup going to a Vox AC15
JimK

Sorry to hear about your problem, Jim.
Hope you get it resolved quickly..... I would hate to see you having to revisit that Therapy for Ric Owners in Waiting situation again

8mileshigher wrote:Sorry to hear about your problem, Jim.
Hope you get it resolved quickly..... I would hate to see you having to revisit that Therapy for Ric Owners in Waiting situation again

I can limp along on one pickup for the next gig. And then I have a space that I think is long enough to ship it out, get her fixed, and shipped back to me.
JimK

Hope the shipping and repair go smoothly.

Also, if your guitar has the fifth knob, it gives you yet more options for setting up guitar+amp.

Ah, Jim, that's a shame. I hope this is remedied soon, as it's your baby! But, I'll echo Kira (and other people) and say going to Ric direct is the best way to go. I would also suggest Larry Davis or PW, but the problem is still the same: shipping the guitar.

I'd go the Larry/Paul for *my* Rics, because mine are '86 and '87, and I'm pretty sure they're warranties are voided!

Regarding amp settings: On my Deluxe Reverb (the amp that has been said to me by Norm Harris and Dave Rogers to be the best for my usual home playing and occasional small gigs), the setting I've found works the best for me is Treble at 5 and Bass at 5, with the volume and tone wide open. Then for the blend knob, I have mine (on both!) set to where the neck pickup doesn't make anything muddy or overpower, but just enough so that it has some presence and can be heard, kinda 2/3 of the way there. It's difficult to explain without me actually being there in the room with you to show you what I mean.

Anyone going to SCARF '12: We'll have some fun when I show you my blend knob settings!

bluewhale wrote:Hope the shipping and repair go smoothly.

Also, if your guitar has the fifth knob, it gives you yet more options for setting up guitar+amp.

Oh yeah....the fifth knob is present and accounted for
JimK