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Smwink
Username: Smwink

Registered: 7-2007
Posted on Sunday, July 29, 2007 - 4:48 pm:   

I just purchased my MC400 from the original owner. Really nice guitar, buy I'm a little baffled by all the controls. I think I have them mostly figured out, but can someone point me to a complete description? Here is my best guess thus far:
Toggle on upper horn: pickup selection
toggle closest to output: EQ on/off
black knobs: EQ control
black switches: coil tap and phase reversal? Would appreciate help with these.

Also, I notice that the "tone" knob (or what would normally be tone) only has an effect when the EQ is switched on, and seems to act more like a gain control. Is this normal? Should it do something when the EQ is off?

Any help is appreciated.
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Laurentb
Username: Laurentb

Registered: 4-2007
Posted on Monday, July 30, 2007 - 10:34 am:   

You've got it quite right. That 'second' tone knob is a gain control for the pre-amplifier. When dialed to the maximum with heavy distortion switched on it may lead to microphonic feedback :-)
The black switches are indeed phase switches and coil taps. I think the middle position for each switch is single coil, and the 'up' position out-of-phase. One switch for each element.
That switch closest to the output switches the circuit from active to passive. If the battery's dead you can switch it off and still have sound.
Don't forget to pull the cable out of your guitar when putting it away, otherwise the battery will be dead after a few hours. It scared the bejezus out of me on day 2 that I owned my MC 550 (in 1984) because all of a sudden my guitar made that strange, crackling sound (which it does with a low battery).
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Mitch236
Username: Mitch236

Registered: 7-2007
Posted on Monday, July 30, 2007 - 10:34 am:   

What color is it? Can you post some pictures please?
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Smwink
Username: Smwink

Registered: 7-2007
Posted on Tuesday, July 31, 2007 - 12:36 pm:   

It's the DS. I don't have any pictures, but I can see about snapping a few this evening and posting. However, we're moving in a couple weeks and I'm pretty busy packing, so I can't promise anything.
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Smwink
Username: Smwink

Registered: 7-2007
Posted on Tuesday, July 31, 2007 - 9:54 pm:   

Here are some pictures. The guitar is very clean--it's missing the rubber from one of the Sure Grip Knobs, and it looks like it had a refret a while ago. Otherwise, it's all original with almost no wear.

FullFront
Front
FrontClose
Back
HeadFront
HeadBack
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Chucke99
Username: Chucke99

Registered: 2-2007
Posted on Tuesday, July 31, 2007 - 10:09 pm:   

Yeah, I owned my MC400NT for literally four years before I figured out the "tone" knob was really a gain for the EQ.
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Laurentb
Username: Laurentb

Registered: 4-2007
Posted on Wednesday, August 01, 2007 - 2:01 pm:   

That's a nice one! I notice that my MC 550 has an extra knob, a real tone knob. But I never use that one, actually.

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