Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I remember before I bought my 4001, I was checking out a brand new 4003. I was able to plug a mono cable into either output jack and receive a signal through the amp. On my 4001, I must use a stereo cable only on the ROS jack, while of course a mono on mono. Why is this?

The 4003 has a dual mono jack set up ,I believe that one or both of the input jacks has a fin that connects or disconnects the hot (positive ) connections .I saw this a couple of times ,but don't have one in front of me ....I never have replaced this jack system .

The Standard and Rick-O-Sound jack system is another matter.While it does work ,it is prone to some standard problems.

When I get a phone call and the customer says that one of their pickups is not working ...the jacks are 99% the cause of this .
They are in tight quarters and if they come loose from use ,then they rotate and things happen.There is a limited space for these jacks and because of that ,these thing occur.

With the dual mono jacks ,the limitations of space are not a problem.

With a mono output you have a signal that combines both pickups all the time .

With the Rick-O-Sound jack ...this takes the signal from the neck pickup and sends this to "side A"
It also takes the bridge pickup and sends this signal to "side B" .

When the selector switch is in the middle , and the stereo cord is hooked up to two different amps ,you have the neck pickup in "side A/amp" one and the bridge pickup into "side B/amp two"

With this setup you attain a huge wall of sound ..

Why must you use a stereo cord? ...because the jack is split for two signals.

Why must you use a stereo set of headphones on a stereo system/CD player?Because other wise you only get one side ....same idea.