Stringmaster blend control vs Ric "5th knob"

[Jack Hanson]

Does the small 5th knob on non-stereo (no Rick-O-Sound) Rickenbacker electric Spanish guitars essentially perform the same function as the blend wheel on Fender's Deluxe 6, Deluxe 8, and Stringmaster consoles?

[Noah Miller]

Sort of. The 5th knob is really just a second volume knob for the neck pickup. Everyone else decided to balance their pickups by making them height-adjustable; Rickenbacker, being slightly insane, decided to do it electrically.

[Stephen Cowell]

On my Stratocasters I take the 1st tone knob and make it for all pickups... the 2nd tone knob I make into a 'blend' knob for the bridge... this gives the possibility of neck/bridge (sounds like a Tele) and all 3 (sounds like something else!). Simple circuit change, easily reversible.