Double_C
TDPRI Member
Does anyone have any thoughts on the Fender TBX Tone Control? I was thinking about replacing the tone pot on my 72 Custom RI neck pickup with one.
Fender TBX Tone Control
- Thread starter Double_C
- Start date
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I like them a lot when I had Stratocaster more so then Delta Tone no-loads pot. The TBX is Treble and Bass Expander not cut like most people think. it has 250K (1-4) and 500K (6-10) 5 is the dent position. It has a .022 cap and 1 Meg resistor (which I'm sure you can replace with cap).
I like them as well and find they have greater range than a normal tone pot.
Wardpike
Friend of Leo's
The TBX really aggrivates me. Just sayin!!
Double_C
TDPRI Member
Since it's only 16 bucks, I think I'm going to try one out. I'll let you know what I think...
Double_C
TDPRI Member
WHY???
Wardpike
Friend of Leo's
Two of my Teles have it, the rest don't. The center detente rarely works in the tbx, so you're always guessing where it is... and most times the increased treblyness isn't musically useful. YMMV!!
idoru
Tele-Meister
Search for the TBX mod thread here - the modded TBX is more useful than the stock variety, as it has a proper bass cut circuit. Great for really plinky bridge tone, taming a muddy neck or series mode.
c-
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qblue
Friend of Leo's
RE: TBX controls
I have two TBX tone controls in my Strat Ultra. I like the sound it produces. However, I also have Fender Lace Sensors (Blue-neck, Gold-mid, and two Red-bridge in a Dually setup). This setup is great, esp when compared to a Standard Strat pickup sound.
I have a Baja Tele, with an S-1 switch. The tone control on this guitar is extremely bright, and I get more useful tones turning it down to 1/4. S-1 switch is a boon to mankind, as the parallel and series connections are achieved by switching the 4-way pickup selector, and engaging the S-1 puts it out of phase.
I wish I could hear the TBX on the Tele, but I like the setup on the Baja.
I have two TBX tone controls in my Strat Ultra. I like the sound it produces. However, I also have Fender Lace Sensors (Blue-neck, Gold-mid, and two Red-bridge in a Dually setup). This setup is great, esp when compared to a Standard Strat pickup sound.
I have a Baja Tele, with an S-1 switch. The tone control on this guitar is extremely bright, and I get more useful tones turning it down to 1/4. S-1 switch is a boon to mankind, as the parallel and series connections are achieved by switching the 4-way pickup selector, and engaging the S-1 puts it out of phase.
I wish I could hear the TBX on the Tele, but I like the setup on the Baja.
Vizcaster
Poster Extraordinaire
My experience with the TBX is that it does very little from 10 down to the detent at 5, then does too much between 5 and 0. Seems to de-Fender the sound and take away the characteristic single coil sound. Not what I wanted but it might be what you're looking for.
Delta tone pots are the other end of the spectrum, better known for what it does not do; in other words it can be left wide open as if it wasn't there at all when left on 10.
Clearly a matter of preference and both are worth trying. But please don't try to convince us that the TBX "expands" anything, just because Fender came up with an acronym. Their marketing hype tries to make it sound like anything but a very complicated passive tone control.
Delta tone pots are the other end of the spectrum, better known for what it does not do; in other words it can be left wide open as if it wasn't there at all when left on 10.
Clearly a matter of preference and both are worth trying. But please don't try to convince us that the TBX "expands" anything, just because Fender came up with an acronym. Their marketing hype tries to make it sound like anything but a very complicated passive tone control.
Double_C
TDPRI Member
OK, I installed a TBX using the included wiring instructions. I connected it to a reissue wide range pickup. I'm probably in the minority here but, I actually liked the sound of the reissue wide range in the first place. It is a rather dark sounding pickup so my goal was to expand the sound possibilities of it while still retaining the original thick sound. I thought the TBX sounded like an interesting option because it seemed to offer a large tonal range from bright to muddy.
Overall, I think the TBX improved the sound quite a bit and I'm happy with it. It has brightened up the pickup a good bit and, at the midway setting, seems to be fairly close to the stock sound. I do find that the center detente is hard to find and with standard wiring it doesn't vary the tone very much from 10 to 5. From 5 to 1 it's just a 250k pot which, like the stock pot, is way too muddy for my taste. Still, I like the sound at 10 and at 5. So, if I had it to do over again, I would probably just put a 1meg pot in there. I think I would be just as happy with the sound and it would have saved me 10 bucks.
Overall, I think the TBX improved the sound quite a bit and I'm happy with it. It has brightened up the pickup a good bit and, at the midway setting, seems to be fairly close to the stock sound. I do find that the center detente is hard to find and with standard wiring it doesn't vary the tone very much from 10 to 5. From 5 to 1 it's just a 250k pot which, like the stock pot, is way too muddy for my taste. Still, I like the sound at 10 and at 5. So, if I had it to do over again, I would probably just put a 1meg pot in there. I think I would be just as happy with the sound and it would have saved me 10 bucks.
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