Hi everyone,

I was hoping someone here might be able to give me some advice...

I have a two-pickup 12-string, and I'm planning to change the pickups to toasters and do a complete re-wire. Here are some questions I have:

1. If I use the "classic tone" push-pull switch that Rik puts on the 4003, will that give me the same effect on a 12-string when the .0047 capacitor is engaged as I would get from hard-wiring in the capacitor (as per the 1960s 360/12s). Or was the circuitry arranged differently on those guitars (in a way that would affect the tone)?

2. Can Harrison-esque tones be achieved with 4-pot wiring? (I think read somewhere that he didn't use the 5th/blend pot, but I could be mis-remembering.)

3. Is there any reason that I couldn't just get the actual harness that Rik puts on the 4003 (http://boutique.rickenbacker.com/HARNES ... p_520.html) and install it on a 12-string guitar? My understanding is that the pots etc. are the same on their guitars and basses, but I could have missed or misunderstood something...

Thanks very much for reading, and any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Cheers,
Andrew.

I'm glad you asked me that question.

Short answer: yes to all the above.

Commentary: Are you wanting a "four TV knob" arrangement with gold pickguard? Why go back to '50's wiring when you don't have to? Please leave the 5-knob arrangement as it is. It is such a step up in versatility that I'll never go back.

Just change out the 5th knob with the push-pull, wiring the pot section the same; redo the jumper from the selector switch to the bridge pickup volume pot with the .0047 capacitor as the vintage wiring is; jumper the pair of leads over the cap to the switch as is done on the 4003, and be done with it.

Hi iiipopes,

Thanks very much for your reply!

To clarify, the guitar in question is not actually a Rik. I used to own a 360/12, but I never could get used to the neck/string spacing, so I sold it a couple of years ago. I really wanted a 660/12 for the wider neck, but Rik didn't have an Australian distributor at the time so it wasn't really an option. I ended up going with a semi-solid Australian-made guitar. It's really nice, but I'd like it to sound a bit more like a Rik (though, of course, it will never sound exactly the same given differences in tonewoods, construction, etc.).

Anyway, the guitar only has two pots at present, so switching to four pots would actually be a bit of an upgrade. I originally wanted the five pot wiring you've suggested, but the control cavity is just too small (four pots are probably going to be a bit of a squeeze as it is). That's why the 4003 wiring with the "classic tone" circuit seemed like it could be a good option. So, when you say "yes to all of the above", are you saying that there's actually some reason why I couldn't use that harness, or just that the five pot wiring would be better?

Thanks again!

Cheers,
Andrew.

Since it's not a Rick, and this is a RIC factory forum, I respectfully withdraw from further dialog on this thread. There are other enthusiasts' websites out there which are more appropriate places to discuss non-RIC instruments.

Dear iiipopes,

I respect your decision to withdraw from this thread. However, in case anyone else is willing to answer my query (i.e., is there some reason why a 4003 harness shouldn't be used in a 12-string electric?), I'd like to respectfully point out why I think my question IS appropriate for this forum:

1. This is the "setup and technical" forum. I am asking a technical question about genuine Rickenbacker parts, not about the guitar itself.

2. Yes, this is a Rickenbacker factory forum, but if I can get a clear answer I will be buying some genuine Rickenbacker parts and Rickenbacker will benefit from that.

3. People in this forum have very specialised knowledge about the exact parts that I'm asking about that people in other forums are less likely to have.

4. Despite selling my 360/12, I still own a Rickenbacker bass, so I feel part of the Rickenbacker community, and hence didn't feel that my question was out of order.

Cheers,
Andrew.