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Post subject: Fsr hss player strat w/boost -Explanation
Posted: Fri Jul 12, 2013 7:11 am
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I thought I would put all the info I can find on the electronics in one thread, as information on this one is pretty scarce. It you don't like the tone of this guitar, keep reading....

Fender Fsr hss player Strat with mid boost. (Most descriptions say it has a TBX, mine does not).

Mine's a 2011 model - MIM

It does have the EC Boost. 25dB wow! That's way more than you need IMO lol. The thing about it is that the circuit is always engaged, even with it turned down. So there's always that mid rangey crappy tone over riding your tone.

Another thing. Mine and the other one they have at GC both have the bridge pup wired in reverse phase. Position 2 on the switch is out of phase. I had to reverse that to get a good sound out of #2

I also had to connect the joined wires from the bridge pup to the in between spot on the switch to get coil split in #2. I must say, this sound is very stratesque even with the split hb. I don't usually find that in a split hb. In this case the Atomic hb gets a thumbs up from me.

Back to the boost circuit:
As I said mine has no TBX pot. But for those who don't know, it means Treble Bass Expander (I think) it consists of a stacked pot of 1 250k and 1 meg ohm pot. With the pot on 5 there is a decent where it acts like a tone pot on 10. From there down it act like a regular 250k tone pot.

From 5 up it accesses the 1 meg ohm pot for the extra treble and bass you kinda really need for the over the top mid range inherent with this circuit.

Like I said mine doesn't have the TBX, so what to do about the midrange, and no way to add treble....

I compared these 2 schematics:
EC strat...http://support.fender.com/service_diagr ... B_SISD.pdf

Notice there IS a tbx pot on tone #1 and that there are no resistors on the tone pot #2.

Powerhouse Strat...http://support.fender.com/service_diagr ... A_SISD.pdf

Notice no tbx but it does have 2 resistors on tone pot #2. 24k and 47k.

This Powerhouse Strat schematic is the closest thing to what I have since there is no TBX, which, if they omitted it, they should have added the resistors, because with no way to tame this beast. The mid range- like a tube screamer that you can't turn off gets on my nerves after a while lol.

So I decided to either try the resistors, like the PH strat, thereby reducing the boost to 12dB or, just yank the boost circuit.

I put the 47k resistor on the 'off' side of tone pot 2, and the 24k resistor on the full on side (see item 15 on the powerhouse strat schematic.

The results? Sounds great now.

With the boost turned all the way down there is very little boost/no boost, but the big thing , the over the top midrange combined with the humbucker is gone.

I can get great overdriven tone on the bridge pup, but there's 12dB boost if I need. Although the singles are where the boost really shines.

In the end I think they should have either included the TBX with the humbucker, or, they should have just made it an SSS like the Clapton Strat they were trying to capitalize on.

Now I basically have a powerhouse strat with a nicer finish and neck than the standard mim guitar.

A few things about this guitar that I've noticed.
It has medium jumbo frets, my favorites,
Tinted lacquered neck,
Soft V profile,
The bridge is USA spaced, but has a big steel USA block and bent saddles, with mexi threaded trem arm, lol
Split shaft vintage tuners. I like these on non trem guitars, but ill be upgrading these to locking tuners,
Ash body, again my fav
The finish on the body is amazing. I personally think its polyester. Very deep looking.

If you can find one now, they're selling them off pretty cheap. If found regularly priced ones for $750 but they're marked down at my local GC for $550. Pretty nice guitars for that price.

In my opinion they are nicer than the USA standards with the fit, finish, noiseless pups and boost, at only half the price.

I like it so much I have the other one they have one layaway lol. My plan it to turn that one into a Clapton strat with an single in the bridge. Ill have the best of both worlds

Hope this helps those who have these. I had wiring questions but could find no schematic on this one, nor specific solutions as to how to tame the boost circuit.


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Post subject: Re: Fsr hss player strat w/boost -Explanation
Posted: Fri Jul 12, 2013 7:34 am
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Joined: Thu Dec 31, 2009 10:34 pm
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Location: Athens, Greece
The FSR TBX HSS does have the TBX/MDX circuits.

One explanation is the center detent on the TBX pot is not working, that's why a lot of players said the aforementioned guitar uses a conventional tone control, which is not true.


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Post subject: Re: Fsr hss player strat w/boost -Explanation
Posted: Fri Jul 12, 2013 7:56 pm
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Mine doesn't have the tbx. That is a stacked dual pot with a decent at 5. Mines just a standard 250k. There is another dual pot that I've seen that has a square part underneath. Mine has neither.

My opinion is that since EC eliminated it they in turn did the same to this model as well. But who knows...lol

All i know is I've got a,rockin ax at a fraction of the price :mrgreen:

Cheers


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Post subject: Re: Fsr hss player strat w/boost -Explanation
Posted: Sat Jul 13, 2013 3:02 am
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Joined: Thu Dec 31, 2009 10:34 pm
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Location: Athens, Greece
Eric eliminated the TBX from his guitars for two reasons:

1) the tone is too muddy

2) the high-end sparkle provided by the circuit is no longer necessary

Image

The Teambuilt EC Customs and their Standard counterparts do not reflect those changes as specified by old slowhand himself.


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