OT: Are Electric Guitar components underperforming as they age?

Started by pasha811, February 22, 2017, 05:52:04 AM

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pasha811

Got a Strat Plus from 1989, last year the TBX was not making an impact on tone anymore so I installed a new one. The old one was actually not working fine.

(For TBX info : https://www.premierguitar.com/articles/The_Fender_TBX_Tone_Control_Part_1
https://www.premierguitar.com/articles/The_Fender_TBX_Tone_Control_Part_2)

Lately the normal Tone control it's fresh and clean as it used to be (strings are new BTW).

So the question is : Are Are Electric Guitar components underperforming as they age?
It's time to change the Tone Control as well?

Best Regards
Pasha
Listen to my music at :  http://alonetone.com/pasha/

admin

#1
The TBX Tone control is a classic case of misunderstanding during manufacturing
QuoteGot a Strat Plus from 1989, last year the TBX was not making an impact on tone anymore so I installed a new one. The old one was actually not working fine.

It may not have ever worked as intended, particularly during that era (late 80's early 90's )
Most TBX Kits sold in the early 1990's shipped with incorrect wiring diagram, and  that "circuit error" ended up in many production Strats in that era


The roots of the TBX go back to the late 1950's Gretsch 6120 models ( and original 1961 Guild Duane Eddy Model ) where the mag PU audio signal passes through a capacitor in series , which acts as a passive high pass filter  to roll off the low frequencies, and provide more "twang" .

A correctly installed TBX Tone control on "5" is same as a stock Tone control on "10".
Roll down the TBX Tone control to "0" is same as normal tone control,
Move the TBX Tone control to "10" and the lower frequencies are removed from the signal and you hear a brighter tone.


I had an early draft of the Donald Brosnac "Guitar Wiring" book in 1980, and that was where I recall seeing similar type high pass filter circuits used on many Gretsch models   



An improved version is provided stock on most Reverend Guitars today.

pasha811

Quote from: admsustainiac on February 22, 2017, 08:09:00 AM
The TBX Tone control is a classic case of misunderstanding during manufacturing

Most TBX Kits sold in the 1990's shipped with incorrect wiring diagram, and  that "circuit error" ended up in many production Strats in that era


The roots of the TBX go back to the late 1950's Gretsch 6120 models ( and original 1961 Guild Duane Eddy Model ) where the mag PU audio signal passes through a capacitor in series , which acts as a passive high pass filter  to roll off the low frequencies, and provide more "twang" 

I had an early draft of the Donald Brosnac "Guitar Wiring" book in 1980, and that was where I recall seeing similar type high pass filter circuits used on many Gretsch models

Well,
Mine works like this :
http://www.pacificnorthwestspine.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/electric-guitar-wiring-diagrams-fender-tbx-tone-kit-fender-tbx-stratocaster-wiring-diagram-single-pickup-wiring-945x630.jpg
And it's very nice IMHO.
However, the question was on the 250K Tone Control. Will they age as capacitors get older? Do they need a replacement here and there? is this common practice?

In any case I did not know the story behind TBX which is intriguing!

Thanks!
Cheers
Pasha

Listen to my music at :  http://alonetone.com/pasha/

admin

Yes, Capacitors will change value over time, although I must state my genuine 50's and 60's instruments tone controls still react the same as they always have for past 50 years. Its a result of the conditions the instrument is stored - heat will shorten the life of capacitors   

pasha811

Quote from: admsustainiac on February 22, 2017, 08:24:55 AM
Yes, Capacitors will change value over time, although I must state my genuine 50's and 60's instruments tone controls still react the same as they always have for past 50 years. Its a result of the conditions the instrument is stored - heat will shorten the life of capacitors   

Thanks. I assume that it's also valid for Pickup at some point.

Listen to my music at :  http://alonetone.com/pasha/

admin


gumtown

Quote from: pasha811 on February 22, 2017, 12:47:19 PM
Thanks. I assume that it's also valid for Pickup at some point.

Pickups will eventually loose some magnetism, and windings can partially short when dropped or bumped hard.

There are other factors with aging guitars, metal fatigue, physical wear and stresses, noisy potentiometers, corrosion.
These are what many say adds vintage 'character'.   
Free "GR-55 FloorBoard" editor software from https://sourceforge.net/projects/grfloorboard/

aliensporebomb

I think things were just built with better longevity in mind back in the day.  I still have a Rotel RA 1000 stereo integrated amplifier which I pressed into service in which a 5-6 year old Yamaha home theater amp just sort of stopped functioning effectively over time and that Rotel not only was cleaner, louder, and sounded better but shows no signs of stopping function despite the fact that I've owned it since I was 15 or 16 years old and I'm 53 now! 

My Mesa Studio preamp works as good as it did as when I bought it in 1990.  I've got a Hallicrafters shortwave radio from the post WW2 era that will outlast me most likely.

Music gear:  I wonder about my VG-99 - will it eventually just stop functioning properly since it was made in the days of the badcaps controversy?  What about my other music gear made within the last 10 years? 
My music projects online at http://www.aliensporebomb.com/

GK Devices:  Roland VG-99, Boss GP-10, Boss SY-1000.