Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Guys, I remember a while back someone was kind enough to explain how to bypass a .47 cap without removing it. My '65 goes in for a medical tomorrow and I thought the bypass might be a good idea - but I can't find the post. Can anyone enlighten me? Being old-fashioned and copmpetely non-tech I'd rather leave the original cap in, just go around it, but this being the UK I'll have to spell it out to the tech. Sorry, I know this topic has been done to death, but just think of it as making my '65 very happy. Hope someone can help.

you mean the .0047 cap that restricts the low freq on the bridge pickup right?

well its the smallest of the three caps- and it connects between one of the lower lugs on the switch and the centre lug of the treble volume control. Simply solder a suitable run of wire to the same contacts the cap uses, and the signal will take the path of least resistance thus bypassing the caps effect.

Thats all!

I usually remove the capaciter ... but I found that the 60's horseshoe pickups sound better with the capaciter ... I also found that a modern 4003 pickup in a 60's ric bass without the capaciter is an awesome combination ... it has more treble bite than the old horseshoe pickup plus punchy mids and a full low end and more volume ... it truely kicks *** ... If I still played 4 string basses then I would have kept my '68 and put a modern high gain in it and used it that way ...

remember any changes you do keep all the parts and reverse them if you sell it ...

Any competent tech should be able to see what it is right off the bat and know how to bypass it.

Brilliant guys, thanks very much. It's at the doc's now and assuming the h/s isn't in need of a complete re-gauss we're going for a bypass - let's see how the patient sounds in the morning.