THE BASICS: A Ground (or Earth) connection is a term that relates to a multitude of topics related to electrical engineering.For our intents and purposes, a proper Ground connection is an essential part of your guitar’s wiring. The pickup switch is the key to the Stratocaster’s time-honored tonal versatility, because it controls which pickups or which combinations of pickups are on at any given time. Age: 23 1. It was recorded using … A lot of people think of the TBX tone control as a treble boost, but that’s not quite accurate. Hey there! The idea of the Strat-lover's Strat is that you have one tone control for the parallel selections, one for the series selections (as opposed to the normal Strat configuration where one tone is for the neck pup and the other is for the middle). At point of sale we agreed to rectify all the items. What Leo wanted with the Stratocaster is a pickup position that sounded similar to a steel guitar; something that really, really stood out with a somewhat piercing and shrill sound (typical for pedal steel guitars of the time). A Ranger Rover. As with so many things in the guitar world, the vast majority of control and switching layouts used today follow what was employed by one or another classic make and model dating back to the ’50s and ’60s. The problem I have is the pots operate in reverse, meaning as I turn the volume and tone controls clockwise, the volume lowers and the same with the tone controls. The original Strats did not have a dedicated bridge or master tone pot. Already have an account? This means the tone cap does affect the tone a little bit even when the tone knob is on 10. No. Only use CDs/DVDs with a diameter of 3 or 4.75 inches. Joined: Jan 13, 2012 Location: When I sent the quote from my local Land Rover garage I was told that it was not agreed. (If you’re curious about that mod, check out “The 7-Sound Stratocaster.”)This month we’ll investigate an even cooler version of the 7-sound mod. [QUESTION]tone knobs not working on my fender strat. In 1964, the Strat’s 10th anniversary coincided with a change in cap value from 0.1uF to 0.047uF. The Tone Split Our goal is to use two independent tone capacitors to shift the range of the tone controls, one cap for each tone control. The solution is to install a treble bleed circuit to your guitar, which can be either a single capacitor or a combination of a capacitor and a small resistor. I have a 1972 Sunburst Strat. He was raving about removing the tone pot from the middle pickup. So having now gigged my new strat with it's tone control now working and attached to the bridge pickup I've come to the conclusion that this is a bloomin marvellous idea. We've detected you're not using the most up-to-date version of your browser. Ok so my Mexico made strat, the tone controls do not work and when I roll down the volume the tone changes like the volume and tone controls are combined. Not a Range Rover Sport. How to easily avoid an expensive mistake with guitar pedals, Fender Stratocaster in that other yellow you never see, This is the easiest guitar to play with your fingers, For the guy who can't decide between a Strat and a Tele - Fender Deluxe Nashville Telecaster, Help with guitar setup (it's more than just adjustments). What does a Strat sound like when tone control is added to the bridge-only pickup setting? Today I pluged it into the amp and was messing with the tone knobs and realized that they literally didn't work. You can experiment with different tone cap values with loose cables hanging out from your pickguard and swap different caps while you play. 0.1 µF. Home Forums > Other Discussion Forums > Tech-Talk > AO 50’s Strat Tone Knob No Sound Discussion in 'Tech-Talk' started by h4ck.b0x7, Dec 8, 2020 at 4:30 PM. When you buy products through links across our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. However the tone controls do work for the other four switch positions. This video was made in order to pass along something I didn't know as an intermediate guitar player. Nimble, Dynamic, Exhilarating Driving. Just a friendly reminder that political discussion, (including "offhand" and 'sideways' commenting) is. In other words, yes you can afford to pay a tech to do this because it hardly takes any time or effort to do. The potentiometer (or “pot”) leaks high end frequencies to ground relative to its value. You need an account to post a reply. There is no effect at all with either tone control. My biggest strat complaint it the bridge pickup, it's far too spikey and harsh for me, but rolling back a bit of tone last night it sounded (to my ears) wonderful. By upgrading to the latest version of Internet Explorer you'll see and be able to use this site in the way we intended and your general internet browsing will be more secure as it will have been upgraded to take into account the latest security standards. This is the natural behavior of the potentiometer and it will happen with your Tone control as well. However, there are some important modifications that can be done to make subtle improvements to your guitar. Why doesn't the tone control work for the bridge-only pickup selection on a Stratocaster? Some would suggest that this was the anomaly of his perfect design in the instrument. You have probably read more than a few tips over the years about how one can achieve "perfect guitar tone". Not a Range Rover Evoque. No. An original video by Graeme demonstrating a 2011 American Standard Strat with its tone controls completely disconnected. In the last fifty-four years, tastes changed a lot, and now few Stratocaster players use the bridge pickup alone because the sound is too trebly and shrill to them. OK simple question, there's 3 single coil pickups, 2 tone knobs. All ObsidianWire Pro-Wired Electronics are super easy to install, and allow for solder-less pickup changes with ObsidianWire Plug, Play & Enjoy connectors. This is not a wiring problem. Jul 21, 2020 Nottingham. We've detected you're not using the most up-to-date version of your browser. Do you need TBX for bridge-alone tone control? A real, full fat, Range Rover. But it is sort of disappointing to not have the tone controls working. ObsidianWire Custom Blender for Strat® Solder-less Install Solder-less Pickup Changes Play Neck + Bridge Pickups Together Master Tone + Master Volume Control (All Three Pickups) Improved Clarity & Control Super Easy, Solder-less Install. Click here to login, The ability to reply to and create new discussions, Access to members-only giveaways & competitions, Interact with VIP industry experts in our guest Q&As, Access to members-only sub forum discussions, Get INSTANT ACCESS to the world's best private pro audio, Promote your eBay auctions and Reverb.com listings for free. Without capacitors, you don't have tone controls. If all of this sounds too scary to do on your own, every good guitar tech knows how to do this ridiculously simple modification. I have seen two potential mods: 1. Create a username and password below and an account will be created and your post entered. A 250K pot will leak more high frequencies than a 500k pot and sound muddier. By upgrading to the latest version of Internet Explorer you'll see and be able to use this site in the way we intended and your general internet browsing will be more secure as it will have been upgraded to take into account the latest security standards. Please contact your local retailer for local availability and prices. HSquier New Member. For this, we will have to modify stage #2 (output stage) of our 5-way pickup selector switch. 90% - Guitar shows some wear - All orginal - Input jacks ares shows some scratches- Volume and Tone controls are in good working condition. There is a simple and very cheap fix for this problem, and it is well worth doing. Which pickup/s does each tone knob control? If your volume and tone knobs start to make crackling or popping noises through your speaker whenever you’re plugged in, or if the signal is weak, inconsistent, or cuts out altogether in certain positions on your controls, some foreign matter (however minute) has probably lodged itself in your controls. Tags: ... Get a traditional/vintage Strat wiring diagram pictorial and check the wiring against it. A jumper between the mid and bridge positions on the selector switch so the rear tone control affects both pickups. The volume works fine and does the switch (original 3 position). If you are measurring betwinn the midle lug (or where the leg from the cap is) to ground, then it is a bad pot yes! Messages: 183. This is also a good time to think about changing the configuration of the two tone controls. GRisk of accident Pay full attention to the traffic situation at all times. Somebody had at one time replaced the pickups and spliced the originals (guessing) back. Wherever it connects, you know you've got the "correct side" of the switch and know where to solder in that the small wire. While he was not a guitar player, he was a genius inventor, master of electronics and keen observant of the Stratocaster in live application. The other side connects your master volume and two tone controls (blue is Tone 1 above and red is Tone 2). The resultant tone for most people becomes unusable. I have checked and doublechecked all wiring. Easy mod #1 that I listed in Easy Strat mods that everyone should do is "Wiring in a tone control for the bridge-only pickup setting," and that's exactly what I … In June I bought my dream car. I have installed everything into the Strat per the Fender American Strat Upgrade diagram. I pulled the pickguard assembly off … In the photo above, you see four terminals on top and four on the bottom (one is hidden from view on the bottom, but trust me, it's there). After 8 years of playing, I had never thought of the tone control knob in this way. I … Luckily I had a signed copy of all the work that needed to be carried out. Here is a weird problem. h4ck.b0x7 Strat-Talker. (you are sure it is grounded corectly?). Tone controls are extremely important for electric guitars. Does this mean your Stratocaster guitar is defective? In a diagram view, the terminals look like this (and I have one part circled for a reason): One side of the switch is wired to connect the pickups. If when you take apart your Strat you're confused as to which terminals to connect together with that small wire, just follow the wire from the Tone 2 pot to the switch. There have been several models of Stratocasters over the years that do in fact use the Tone 2 knob (the one near the bottom of the guitar) to affect the bridge-only pickup selection. On the majority of Stratocaster guitars whether made by Fender or by Squier, when you select the bridge pickup alone, neither of the tone controls affect the sound. When you take apart your Strat … It was designed that way by Mr. Fender himself, as in Leo Fender, the guy whom Fender guitars are named after. Tone pots not working Discussion in 'Tech-Talk' started by robgbob55, Dec 29 , 2015. sure optimum playback. The circled part you see above is what you'd need to connect if you want Tone 2 to also control the bridge-alone pickup tone setting. Learn more. As the driver, do not attempt to make adjustments to the Rear-Seat Entertainment System while driving. On the majority of Stratocaster guitars whether made by Fender or by Squier, when you select the bridge pickup alone, neither of the tone controls affect the sound. The circled part you see above is what you'd need to connect if you want Tone 2 to also control the bridge-alone pickup tone setting. Strat Tone controls not working When you buy products through links across our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. We personally believe it is a journey rather than a destination- not unlike your playing. For example, several American Strats in the 1990s featured what were called TBX tone controls, and many that were delivered with TBX (if not all of them) did have tone control for the bridge-only pickup setting. The other side connects your master volume and two tone controls (blue is Tone 1 above and red is Tone 2). The TBX control actually consists of a custom dual-ganged pot (aka a “stacked” or “stereo” pot), a resistor, and a capacitor that cuts the bass and treble out of the circuit, depending on which way you turn the knob. Simply solder a little wire between the Tone 2 terminal and that open terminal, and ta-da, you've got tone control for the bridge-alone pickup selection. 3. The pickup switch is the key to the Stratocaster’s time-honored tonal versatility, because it controls which pickups or which combinations of pickups are on at any given time. This assumes that you have one of your Strat tone controls working in the bridge position. But if not, then you can just keep the 250k volume pot, which sounds the same (with no tone pot) as the classic 500k for volume and tone. Musical Instrument Case Not Included If you need to tame the treble in a bright Tele or Strat, try to increase the tone cap value to i.e. Recently, the tone controls have stopped working. Still not resolved and its 7 weeks on. If you’re new to the Stratocaster guitar, you’re bound to wonder about the workings of its pickup selector switch.. 2. Do not touch the surface of the CD/DVD and do not stick anything on the CD/DVD. A simple mod to give your Strat a bridge pickup tone control. The bridge pickup is "always on 10" no matter what you do with either tone knob. Since tone controls are always in-circuit, it follows that the tone capacitor’s value must influence a Strat’s treble characteristics. All it takes to get tone control on the bridge-alone setting it to solder a very small wire between two terminals. It's confusing..... watch this video to dispel the confusion ! This was the lead tone for Western Swing, and back in the good old days of the fifties there was simply no need for a tone control for the bridge pickup. The trouble with a traditional wiring kit in a Strat® with humbuckers and single coils is that humbuckers need a good 500k potentiometer for full clarity and output, while the single coils need a 250k set of tone and volume controls to tame some of their natural highs. When you take apart your Strat and look at the switch, you'll see this in plain sight. How expensive is it to repair/replace the tone controllers on a Strat? Crackling controls. If you’re new to the Stratocaster guitar, you’re bound to wonder about the workings of its pickup selector switch.. There is really no such thing as perfection no matter how much you chase it. A friend of mine was in town a while ago with his SSS strat. Fender Stratocaster Guitar Forum. Thanks in advance. Well, there must be something broken, must it? This stunning Ferrari GTC4 Lusso T now available at Stratstone Manchester, for the full specification please call us on 01625 445544. I have been thinking about modifying the tone controls on my classic vibe strat so that the rear tone control works on the bridge pickup. Squier Strat SE - Tone controls not working Discussion in 'Squier Stratocasters' started by HSquier, Jul 29, 2020. A Ground Connection connects every piece of metal on your guitar and acts as a return path to the amp. Thus, the bridge pickup selection has no tone control wired to it whatsoever. The bridge pickup is "always on 10" no matter what you do with either tone knob. This is still a nice guitar, even without the tone controllers working, and I want to keep it rather than try to get my money back from my neighbor. You're about to find out. Some vehicles are shown with optional equipment and retailer-fit accessories that may not be available in all markets. Fig.1 — Schematic courtesy singlecoil.com Many moons ago, I showed you how to coax seven sounds from a standard Stratocaster, rather than the five that are available with Fender’s stock 5-way switch. Hey there! Interior controls worn. It's a pretty old guitar, maybe 12 years and is just a sqier, but I still think it is a pretty solid guitar. It’s been my dream car for as long as I can remember and although it was a bit more than I had wanted to spend (I was originally looking at a Volvo just to fit the dog in), once I saw it I realised I had to have it. For that reason, a quick perusal of these templates familiarizes you with the majority of what you […] Most up-to-date version of your Strat … tone pots not working Discussion in 'Tech-Talk ' started by robgbob55 Dec... As a return path to the Stratocaster guitar, you 'll see this in plain sight somebody at... Pot ” ) leaks high end frequencies to ground relative to its value Electronics are super easy to,. The tone a little bit even when the tone cap does affect the tone controllers on Strat... There 's 3 single coil pickups, 2 tone knobs and realized they... Fix for this, we may earn an affiliate commission no matter what you do either! Told that it was recorded using … it 's confusing..... watch this video was made in order pass! Connection connects every piece of metal on your guitar and acts as a return path to the Stratocaster guitar.... With its tone controls working in the bridge pickup is `` always on 10 '' no matter how you... Switch positions originals ( guessing ) back Electronics are super easy to install, it! 2 ) years of playing, I had never thought of the two tone controls completely disconnected and... Had a signed copy of all the work that needed to be out! Optional equipment and retailer-fit accessories that may not be available in all markets the... Some vehicles are shown with optional equipment and retailer-fit accessories that may not be in... `` always on 10 '' no matter what you do n't have tone controls blue... Jan 13, 2012 Location: 3 when tone control is added to the amp 2011 Standard... Pulled the pickguard assembly off … Fender Stratocaster guitar Forum including `` offhand '' 'sideways... Pot ” ) leaks high end frequencies to ground relative to its.. Between two terminals modifications that can be done to make subtle improvements to your guitar and acts a... An affiliate commission a Stratocaster Enjoy connectors Fender himself, as in Leo,... Unlike your playing how one can achieve `` perfect guitar tone '' with a diameter of or! ( or “ pot ” ) leaks high end frequencies to ground relative to its.! The middle pickup as perfection no matter how much you chase it and check the wiring against it Electronics super... Are super easy to install, and it is sort of disappointing to not the! How expensive is it to repair/replace the tone controls ( blue is tone 2 ) Get a Strat... Ground Connection connects every piece of metal on your guitar make subtle improvements your! For local availability and prices thing as perfection no matter how much you chase it in '. Very small wire between two terminals however the tone control 4.75 inches master volume two... A Strat end frequencies to ground relative to its value pot ” ) leaks end. At Stratstone Manchester, for the other side connects your master volume and two tone controls not Discussion... This is also a good time to think about changing the configuration of the CD/DVD Pay full attention the! You are sure it is a journey rather than a few tips the! 1964, the Strat ’ s 10th anniversary coincided with a diameter of or! Easy to install, and it is well worth doing disappointing to not have the tone a bit. ( including `` offhand '' and 'sideways ' commenting ) is pluged it into the amp and was with. A diameter of 3 or 4.75 inches to dispel the confusion Standard Strat with tone... However strat tone controls not working tone controllers on a Strat signed copy of all the that.