Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Hi all

So is there a way to wire the third pickup to the fifth knob so it's decoupled? I've tried the middle lug and one of the end lugs with other end lug to ground and in each case when I turn the fifth knob to zero, all volume is lost.

Should I wire the signal to an end lug, the other end to output and the middle to ground?

What do you mean by "decoupled"?

It means that the action of that pot does not affect the other pickups. Rics are usually wired decoupled, Gibsons are not

Your wiring description is incomplete. Can you make, and post, a drawing of how you are trying to wire up the fifth knob to independently control the middle pickup?

Many customers with 3 pickup Ricks like to have me wire the middle pickup to the 5th knob as a stand alone volume control for it...."decoupling" it from the rest of the neck pickup circuit.

YES!!! That is the entire point of my vintage/modern pickup wiring for 3-pickup Rickenbacker guitars. Link to my thread on the RIC forum:
http://www.rickenbacker.com/forum/viewt ... f=2&t=7928

In brief: I put a mini DPDT push-pull on the 5th knob. When in the push position, the neck pickup and the bridge pickup with the .0047 inline capacitor function in "vintage" 2-pickup mode. When in the pull position, the middle pickup takes the place of the neck pickup and the bridge pickup is without the .0047 inline capacitor function through the pickup selector as a "modern" mode. All the volume and tone knobs and the selector switch function normally.

If you want a copy of my wiring diagrams, send me a PM with your email address and I will send you the pdf's.

aceonbass wrote:Many customers with 3 pickup Ricks like to have me wire the middle pickup to the 5th knob as a stand alone volume control for it...."decoupling" it from the rest of the neck pickup circuit.

We disagree on very few matters Rickenbacker, but I disagree with this approach because it prevents the 5th knob as being used as intended: to balance the output of the bridge pickup, especially since it is so close to the bridge with limited string excursion, and further limited when the inline .0047 capacitor is in the circuit. That is why I have my mods diagrams.

By contrast, my mods pass the "five-foot test," keep all of the knobs and selector switch functioning normally, and are reversible to stock so long as the original 5th knob pot is retained when installing the mini DPDT push-pull swith/pot.

Did I ever send my diagrams to you? PM me with an email address and I will send you the pdf's.

Hi iipopes, I have read that thread. To be clear, your wiring means the middle and the neck are not usable together?

aceonbass wrote:Many customers with 3 pickup Ricks like to have me wire the middle pickup to the 5th knob as a stand alone volume control for it...."decoupling" it from the rest of the neck pickup circuit.

That's what I'm trying to do. I'm absolutely not bothered about having a second volume knob for the neck pickup. Also, I don't have a vintage cap and the pickups are balanced

parker_knoll wrote:Hi iipopes, I have read that thread. To be clear, your wiring means the middle and the neck are not usable together?

Correct. I find the neck and middle pickups together in parallel to be an indistinct, insipid tone, not befitting what a Rickenbacker guitar can do. I am glad you find your pickups balanced without the in-line .0047 capacitor. Good luck.