Hello,

I just bought my first Strat last week. It is an American Deluxe Ash Strat with the S-1 switching. I have a question about a tone knob. The tone knob that controls the bridge/middle pickups is much tighter than the other tone and volume knobs. It requires more pressure to adjust the tone on this knob. Also, if I put the tone all the way to "10," it feels like it almost gets stuck in a groove and it requires even more pressure to push the tone knob down below 10. It isn't too tight to move, but it certainly isn't as easy to adjust the tone on this knob as the other ones and on other guitars.

I took off the knob to make sure it wasn't the plastic getting stuck, but it feels like even without the knob on it, there is still that resistance and that point where it seems to get "stuck" at 10. It must have something to do with the pot itself.

Otherwise, the tone knob works properly and the rest of the wiring all works fine too. Is there a way to loosen this? I really don't feel like it needs lubrication because it is brand new. I highly doubt this, but because I'm new to Strats, I guess I'd better ask: is this maybe supposed to be normal and a part of that model, or even the S-1 switching?

Thanks!

Hi JXE, welcome to the Forum.

I may be wrong but I believe that stiffness is coming from inside the pot: the parts rubbing together too hard. Definitely nothing to do with the S-1.

Couple of options. You could try a squirt of electical cleaning fluid in there, such as DeoxIT to lube it up:

http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Electronics ... eaner.html

If it's a new guitar the shop should be able to do that for you, to save you purchasing the stuff. (Don't even think of using WD40!)

Otherwise, it's warranty time for you, if the pot doesn't loosen up of its own accord quite quickly. Take it back to the shop or any authorised Fender dealer. They can easily switch out the pot for you. Or if you really want you could insist on a replacement guitar - though that seems a shame if you like everything else about it which might not be so nice on another one (such as wood grain).

Or you might decide to just live with it, depending how extreme it is...?

Cheers - C

Well i can tell you its not cause its a deluxe model, i have 2007... its fine but, that does happen on another one of my strats. i can't explain it. sorry. ive just learned to live with it. XD

thats was a question and two answers in about 4 mins... although my answer was more like.... "theres always next year"

Thanks for the responses, guys!

I actually ordered it from another state, so I won't be taking it back. I like everything about it too much and I ordered this one specifically for its wood grain. The knob works just fine, so I could deal with it being a little too tight. Maybe it'll loosen up on its own? Wishful thinking!

Otherwise, I'm happy to join the forum and to finally pick up a Strat after so many years with other brands.

I have heard of some of the newer models having a small detente at the 10 position so that when the knob is there is basically bypasses it and makes it so that the next tone knob acts as a master tone.

Do you notice that this happens? As in, when it is 'stuck' does the other tone knob control all pickups?

_________________
Custom Shop '59 Strat with John Cruz Master Design Pickups
Vibro King
Fulltone Clyde>Deja-Vibe>TS-808>TS-9>Boss Tuner

Thats the Delta tone knob it is potentiomater with a switch in the 10 position. It should click and it removes the pot from the circut so its no load.

_________________
The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.

Thomas Jefferson

Thanks, cvilleira- I knew I didn't just dream that up!

_________________
Custom Shop '59 Strat with John Cruz Master Design Pickups
Vibro King
Fulltone Clyde>Deja-Vibe>TS-808>TS-9>Boss Tuner

You were right it replaced the TBX tone when the Delta is on ten its full open treble.

_________________
The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.

Thomas Jefferson

He's right about the Delta tone. Mine was like that when I got it too (not the detent, but the stiffness). All I did was pull the knob off, slightly loosen the threaded washer a little, and it loosened up. It really shouldnt have because the tightness does come from inside the pot, but it worked. Unless it's really tight, id just leave it, wont hurt anything. Plus, i'm not a real fan of the no-load tone circuit, so I kept it at 9 all the time, 10 was just too sharp for me, i'd much rather have had the TBX control.

Thanks for all the feedback everyone! Just to be clear, does the 2008 American Deluxe Ash Standard come with the DeltaTone circuit?

Also, am I reading this incorrectly, or does it add more functionality? Cwpainter, when the bridge tone knob is in 10, the other tone knob does not control all pickups. I tried that in variation with and without the S-1 to see if it made a difference.

Thanks for helping me explore the features of my new guitar!

Yeah, all the same features on the 08 and 07.

Thank you, Windwalker. Could you please explain to me how it should work? I am not noticing the other tone knob controlling all pickups once this bridge tone is in the 10 position.

It removes to tone pot from the circut on the mid and bridge pikups they are full treble when clicked off but the other pot does not control them. By this type of switch the load that switches place on a circut even when they turned fully is removed all together.

_________________
The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.

Thomas Jefferson

Thanks a lot CV, I get it now. All it is doing is adding more of a treble boost in the 10 position on the neck and bridge pickup by removing the influence of the pot all together. And that also explains why I feel that slight resistance when I try to move down from 10, as if it is slightly stuck.

Cool feature. I'm impressed by the ton of possibilities for different varieties of tone on a standard guitar. I've been having a lot of fun playing around with all of these options.