Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

lots of info out there on this subject. Now, is there a difference between a PAN & a BLEND knob & what is the advantage, if any between VVT & Pan / Blend setup ?

I'm no expert but this seems to outline it as I understand it:
http://guitarnuts2.proboards.com/thread ... d-pan-pots

I have a 4004C where Dane Wilder made me a hot harness replacing the switch with a blend knob. I love the single Volume and Tone for both pickups but wanted to be able to have a little bit of a mixing capability as well as having the effect of having one or the other pickup on. Thus I have the B/V/T harness (with coil tapping pull/push on the V/T knobs for each pickup). I love the effect ... it serves me well.

I've had several of my 4004 basses converted to VVT,but decided to try a MV/pan/MT setup on my Cheyennne 1.
I really can't say there's much difference in the available sounds with either setup. Having the Pan pot does keep you from having to decide which volume control to alter.

woodyng wrote:...Having the Pan pot does keep you from having to decide which volume control to alter.

First world problems.

jps wrote:

woodyng wrote:...Having the Pan pot does keep you from having to decide which volume control to alter.

First world problems.

Right?

I have read threads where the blend is supposed to alter the sound or tone... I have not noticed this. I am actually toying with the idea of getting a harness for either my 4003s5 or 4001 with a blend and overall volume. Keeping the two tone pots.

I've always preferred a Master Volume, Blend, and Treble/Bass knobs. With two volumes, any time you adjust volume, you also adjust tone a bit by default because you are adjusting blend too. Is there any way to wire a stock Rick 4003 for that configuration? Any ideas how to use the pup switch in the that scenario? I suppose it could be a dummy or maybe a kill switch?

Gilmourisgod wrote:I've always preferred a Master Volume, Blend, and Treble/Bass knobs. With two volumes, any time you adjust volume, you also adjust tone a bit by default because you are adjusting blend too. Is there any way to wire a stock Rick 4003 for that configuration? Any ideas how to use the pup switch in the that scenario? I suppose it could be a dummy or maybe a kill switch?

You could run the pickups to the switch then to the blend control, and on to the master volume control. The selector switch on a 4001/2/3/5 are "stereo" capable so that makes it easy to go from it to the blend control. Then you could choose to blend the pickups as desired and still have the ability to quickly switch between pickups.

jps wrote:You could run the pickups to the switch then to the blend control, and on to the master volume control. The selector switch on a 4001/2/3/5 are "stereo" capable so that makes it easy to go from it to the blend control. Then you could choose to blend the pickups as desired and still have the ability to quickly switch between pickups.

JPS
Thanks for the description. Unfortunately, I am an idiot when it comes to wiring without a stupid-simple diagram. My soldering skills are pretty good, but I can't read schemmatics. Has anybody done this mod, or seen a simple graphic wiring diagram illustrating the connections?

Sorry, I have no wiring diagrams for this, perhaps someone with the graphics skills to do so with a computer program can make one for you. Essentially, you're just adding a pan pot (dual potentiometer, ganged to one shaft, like a balance control on a stereo system) between the selector switch and the volume/tone controls on a standard Rick harness. A real blend pot, as used in musical instruments, are wired for a mono output from two inputs, IIRC.

On a passive pan setup you will lose volume in the middle detent with both pickups full on from the impedance drop. A buffered active setup, like the EMG ABC or ABCX is designed to keep this from happening.

iiipopes wrote:On a passive pan setup you will lose volume in the middle detent with both pickups full on from the impedance drop. A buffered active setup, like the EMG ABC or ABCX is designed to keep this from happening.

Hence, the reason a passive VVT harness is superior on a passive instrument.