Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Hi, I hope this is in the correct forum for this post (and that I do not appear too stupid!). A helpful RRF-er clued me in today that there are 2 different push/pull pots that have been used on the 4003. The current one for sale in the boutique is a 330k:

http://boutique.rickenbacker.com/POTENT ... p_666.html

This one is taller and is 500k:

http://www.pickofthericks.com/products/ ... rcuit.html

I bought a wiring harness that includes the 500k version for possible use in my '73 4001 project, but the push/pull pot is too tall without routing out some wood. I obviously want to avoid that, but I think it'd be cool to have a push/pull option. The 330k version appears to be a little shallower than the 500k, but I'm still not sure if it'd be too tall. So...

1. Does anyone know if the 330k is, in fact, shallower? If so, does anyone happen to know the height so that I can measure the space on my '73 to see if it'll fit?

2. If I solder in the 330k in place of the 500k, will it also activate the "vintage tone circuit," assuming I leave the caps in the wiring harness the same?

3. Will the 330k impact the tone as compared to the 500k?

Thanks in advance!

-Bob

Though I don't have both right in front of me, I don't see how these can be of two different heights, unless they are of different manufacture. You can measure to check the fit. Most older Ricks are very close, or will need a bit of relief to be ground into the control cavity. About 3/32" is all you need...This can be done with a Dremel--work carefully. The thickness of the body at the cavity area is about 1/4", so there's some room to grind without poking through.

There is theoretically a slight difference in sound between the 330K and the 500K pots, but it's not easily heard, and it isn't drastic in any case.

Thanks for the help, Paul!

jingle_jangle wrote:Though I don't have both right in front of me, I don't see how these can be of two different heights, unless they are of different manufacture.

They are. The original was an Alpha component, whereas the new one is a custom-made CTS part, of significantly higher quality than the Alpha. However the new one is only a single-pole single-throw switch, while the Alpha had a double-pole double-throw configuration (most of which was unused).

johnhall wrote:

jingle_jangle wrote:Though I don't have both right in front of me, I don't see how these can be of two different heights, unless they are of different manufacture.

They are. The original was an Alpha component, whereas the new one is a custom-made CTS part, of significantly higher quality than the Alpha. However the new one is only a single-pole single-throw switch, while the Alpha had a double-pole double-throw configuration (most of which was unused).

Thanks very much, Mr. Hall! I will try to get the new CTS one for sure.

I would use the new CTS one in the volume position due to it's ohm rating being close to the generally accepted 250K rating for volume controls with single coil pickups. When I replaced the stock 330K pots in my '11 4003 with 500K tone and 250K volume pots, I noticed a difference un the sound. When I replaced the 330K pots in my newer 4004's with all 500K pots as well as a .022uF tone cap, the sound really opened up.