do i need a ganged pot for my tone knob?

[familysauce]

Hello. I have recently become very interested in effects (i used to be a hardline tele-wah-twin type). The very faint scracthyness that my pots had never bothered me until i could hear them echoing and delaying. I replaced the volume pot no problem. I am having trouble finding the correct ganged (or stacked?) pot for the tone knob. It appears that both pots turn the same (this is not a fancy push-pull affair). It would seem that all leads could go to one pot. Can somebody tell me the specific advantage of this ganged pot? Gratitude Massive,kB

[JCollins]

I suspect you have a TBX tone control. It is a ganged pot, but it isn't used as two tone controls. It is supposed to behave as a normal tone control from the center detente down to zero. Above the center detente, it is supposed to be roughly the same as removing the tone control from the circuit.

I never cared for the TBX. I prefer a normal tone control, which would be a simple, 250K analog pot. If you like the thought of removing the tone control from the circuit -- bypassing it, in effect -- when the tone control is fully clockwise, then get one of Fender's no-load control pots. It is nothing more than a normal pot with the last little bit of the conductive material scraped off, right where the pot is on full. Since there is no conductive material, there is no contact, and the tone control is removed.

[familysauce]

I am confused. My tone pot does affect the signal over the full range. The tele in question is a '91 Tele Plus. I'll include a link to the wiring diagram (ignore the strat stuff - 5 way switch and middle pup - the tone circuit is the same). I do not wish to bypass the circuit. I would rather retain some control of tone since I regularly play through different rigs. It appears from your response that it will be no problem (no unexpected noise or signal loss, et al) to replace the pot with a standard 250k. I am thankful for the response. Any further clarification will also be greatly appreciated. peace, kB

http://www.lacemusic.com/wiring/pdf/4.pdf

[JCollins]

The dual-ganged tone pot is what Fender called a TBX tone control. (It is no longer found on current Fender guitars.) The TBX does affect the tone over the entire sweep of the control, but it does it in a manner different from that of a normal tone control. From 0 - 5, where the detente is, the TBX is supposed to behave the way a traditional tone control behaved from 0 - 10. In other words, when the TBX is at 5, it is supposed to be the same as a normal tone control on 10. From 5 - 10, the TBX is supposed to behave as if it is gradually removing the tone control from the circuit.

Does it actually do what it claims to do? Well, if it did, they might still be using them on their guitars. Is it an advantage over a normal tone control? I don't think so, but your ears may tell you otherwise.

I mentioned the no-load control pot just in case you happened to like the sound of your TBX when it is on 10. When it is on 10, it is supposed to be the same as if the tone control were removed. It isn't really the same, but that is what they were going for. A normal tone control, by its nature, attenuates some signal, even when it is on full. The old, one-pickup Esquires had a switch position that removed the tone control from the circuit, giving you a real screamer. If you want that capability, you can achieve it by using a no-load pot as the tone control. The control is wired the same way as a normal tone control. From 0 until just before full, it behaves as a normal tone control. Right at full, the tone control is disengaged. That's all it is.

If you don't want that capability, use a normal, 250K audio pot for the tone control.

[familysauce]

excellent. I can see why they wanted to do that for those lace sensor pickups. They're not much for high end. They may have stopped that ganged pot biz because they stopped using the lace pickups. I think I shall put a normal 250k pot on there and see how I like it. I appreciate the edumacation. peace,kB