It is currently Mon Mar 16, 2020 11:25 pm

All times are UTC - 7 hours



Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 16 posts ]  Go to page 1, 2  Next
Go to page 1, 2  Next
Author Message
Post subject: Sudden change in volume and tone
Posted: Sun Feb 22, 2015 9:17 pm
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist
User avatar

Joined: Tue Dec 23, 2014 3:49 pm
Posts: 55
Location: Midland, Tx
Hey guys. I've got an issue (at least I think it may be an issue) that has me stumped. I have a Deluxe Roadhouse Strat that seems to have developed a volume/tone issue. I play it through a HRDlx III and also a Peavey Vypyr VIP 3.

With the Vypyr, I used to only be able to go up to around 3 or so on the master volume before it was too loud for the apartment, and now I going up to around 7 or 8 when using a clean amp model. If I use a high gain amp model it is ear splitting loud still.

On the HRDlx III, If I went much past 2 on the volume, it would rattle the walls on the normal channel, and on the drive channel, could go to about 4 or so. Now I am going to 5 or 6 on the normal channel and about 8 on the drive channel before it gets ground shaking loud. The more drive button pushes it over the top.

This Strat has Texas Special pickups, and the S1 switch to engage the pre amp that does the tone boost. I can engage the pre amp and get a boost and it does brighten it up a bit. There also used to be a very sharp, shrill twang from strings 1-3 and tone controls on the amp were bass at about 10, Mids about 6 and Trebel at around 3. Now it seems to have picked up a lot of bottom end and is really bass heavy. I pretty much had to reverse the bass and trebel settings to get it to sound right now. It is nice to not have that high pitched twang, and the tone is mellower, but it just seems weird that it has gotten like this in just a couple of days.

Since it is the same with two amps (one tube and one solid state), I don't think it is an amp problem. Nothing has changed on the amps or the Strat other than just tightening all the screws on the cabinets.

If I plug in my guitar with humbuckers, both amps are ear splitting loud at 2-3 on the volume. There was some difference between the guitars before, but not that much.

I though that maybe the strings had gone dead, so I changed them. There was no change. I have not tried a different cable yet, but will try that tomorrow.

Hope some of you guys can lend some of your experience to help figure this out.

_________________
Fender Hot Rod Deluxe III
Fender Mustang III
Fender Rumble 40

Fender USA Professional Strat
Fender Deluxe Roadhouse Strat
Fender Coronado II
Epiphone LP Standard Pro
Fender CD-140SCE Mahogany
Gretsch G9201
Yamaha APX500III
Squire VM '70 Jazz Bass


Top
Profile
Fender Play Winter Sale 2020
Post subject: Re: Sudden change in volume and tone
Posted: Sun Feb 22, 2015 11:43 pm
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star

Joined: Tue Jul 17, 2007 1:53 am
Posts: 4241
This is probably just stating the obvious, but have you tried a new battery?


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Sudden change in volume and tone
Posted: Mon Feb 23, 2015 6:52 am
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist
User avatar

Joined: Tue Dec 23, 2014 3:49 pm
Posts: 55
Location: Midland, Tx
jmattis wrote:
This is probably just stating the obvious, but have you tried a new battery?


Put a new battery in before trying the string change.

_________________
Fender Hot Rod Deluxe III
Fender Mustang III
Fender Rumble 40

Fender USA Professional Strat
Fender Deluxe Roadhouse Strat
Fender Coronado II
Epiphone LP Standard Pro
Fender CD-140SCE Mahogany
Gretsch G9201
Yamaha APX500III
Squire VM '70 Jazz Bass


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Sudden change in volume and tone
Posted: Mon Feb 23, 2015 7:04 am
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star
User avatar

Joined: Sun Dec 21, 2008 8:29 am
Posts: 4238
Location: Pgh Pa
Maybe your loosing your hearing


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Sudden change in volume and tone
Posted: Mon Feb 23, 2015 7:17 am
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Wed Apr 18, 2012 10:47 am
Posts: 1256
the only thing that comes to mind is some gunk in your switches?

other than cleaning those out,, this definitely sounds weird..


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Sudden change in volume and tone
Posted: Mon Feb 23, 2015 10:46 am
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician

Joined: Tue Nov 27, 2012 6:56 am
Posts: 1677
Location: Coastal Bend, Tx.
Did you make any adjustments to the setup when you changed strings?
Did you adjust the PUP heights, string heights, gauge or saddle height?
If not sounds like an electrical issue, if you have the tools and the specs you could test the components yourself.
If not have a certified pro look at it.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Sudden change in volume and tone
Posted: Mon Feb 23, 2015 11:10 am
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist
User avatar

Joined: Tue Dec 23, 2014 3:49 pm
Posts: 55
Location: Midland, Tx
sfceric64 wrote:
Did you make any adjustments to the setup when you changed strings?
Did you adjust the PUP heights, string heights, gauge or saddle height?
If not sounds like an electrical issue, if you have the tools and the specs you could test the components yourself.
If not have a certified pro look at it.


I noticed the change before I changed the strings. I am definitely thinking it may be an issue with the pots, hopefully not the pickups. I tried a different cable and it made no change. I don't have a meter to check things though. I am going to pick up some contact cleaner and try cleaning the pots and the jack, and also pick up a meter. I tried two other guitars with both amps and they both sound like they should. If the contact cleaner doesn't do anything, I think I will have to run it by the store I bought it from to have them see what's up with it.

_________________
Fender Hot Rod Deluxe III
Fender Mustang III
Fender Rumble 40

Fender USA Professional Strat
Fender Deluxe Roadhouse Strat
Fender Coronado II
Epiphone LP Standard Pro
Fender CD-140SCE Mahogany
Gretsch G9201
Yamaha APX500III
Squire VM '70 Jazz Bass


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Sudden change in volume and tone
Posted: Mon Feb 23, 2015 2:14 pm
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician

Joined: Tue Nov 27, 2012 6:56 am
Posts: 1677
Location: Coastal Bend, Tx.
Yup, my bad just things that easily effect the volume/tone output. A good contact cleaning is the cheapest way to go even if it doesn't resolve your issues completely. And it will give you the chance if you remove the pick guard to inspect all the connections. It might just be a bad contact point somewhere.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Sudden change in volume and tone:Update
Posted: Thu Feb 26, 2015 5:19 pm
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist
User avatar

Joined: Tue Dec 23, 2014 3:49 pm
Posts: 55
Location: Midland, Tx
I pulled the pick guard and cleaned the pots with contact cleaner. I did not notice any wires disconnected. Got it all put back together, and went through the full setup, checking string height, pickup height, etc. Everything is set back to the Fender specs, and all seems to be working fine now. I am able to rattle the windows with the amps at about 2.5-3, and it is no longer muddy sounding.

_________________
Fender Hot Rod Deluxe III
Fender Mustang III
Fender Rumble 40

Fender USA Professional Strat
Fender Deluxe Roadhouse Strat
Fender Coronado II
Epiphone LP Standard Pro
Fender CD-140SCE Mahogany
Gretsch G9201
Yamaha APX500III
Squire VM '70 Jazz Bass


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Sudden change in volume and tone
Posted: Thu Feb 26, 2015 8:54 pm
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician

Joined: Tue Nov 27, 2012 6:56 am
Posts: 1677
Location: Coastal Bend, Tx.
Far out, glad you got those issues resolved.
If you open the windows they may not break when you crank it up to 10......


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Sudden change in volume and tone
Posted: Sat Feb 28, 2015 3:58 pm
Offline
Aspiring Musician
Aspiring Musician

Joined: Sun Jul 01, 2007 12:20 pm
Posts: 496
If the Vypyr is too loud with the master volume at 3 then just turn down the Power Sponge.

Also, the Vypyr is known for not liking active pickups - maybe it doesn't like your boost either.

I like my Vypyr III a lot. Can use with electric guitar, acoustic, or bass. Doesn't do any of them(except acoustic) as well as tube amps but is a decent multipurpose amp that is easy to carry around. Has that thin digital sound I don't like but adding a cheap tube preamp took care of that and gave me the fullness I miss with tubes.

_________________
Custom Tele
Custom Tele Bass
American Strat
Roadhouse Strat(MIM)
FSR Tele(MIM)
12 string Strat(MIJ)
Squier Stagemaster
Trad Pro Les Paul
Martin DCME
Taylor
Ovation Celeb


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Sudden change in volume and tone
Posted: Sat Mar 28, 2015 6:31 pm
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist
User avatar

Joined: Tue Dec 23, 2014 3:49 pm
Posts: 55
Location: Midland, Tx
I thought I would put this here instead of starting a new thread, since it is the same issue. The problem seems to have resurfaced. I tried cleaning the pots again, but no go. I think it is a problem with the S-1/volume pot. I think this because I can crank the Amp, and when I use the volume pot on the guitar, it cuts out all sound at about 9-9.25. I used to be able to roll the volume on the Strat back to 3before I could no longer hear it through the Amp. Also, the shaft seems to wiggle around a lot. Not sure if that is normal on the S-1 switch or not, but shafts on the tone pot and V6 switch do not wiggle like that. I went ahead and ordered a new S-1 switch (only $22) so not going to break me if that's not the problem. I am also probably going to take it to the shop I bought it from on Monday and have the Luthier there check it out. My question is this....Is replacing the S-1 switch something I could do myself? I am a Pastry Chef by trade, not an electronics person, but I have done a little bit of soldering and never had anything blow up or electrocute me. With the wiring diagram, and un-soldering and reattaching one wire at a time, is this something I would be able to do? I would like to attempt to do it myself if possible. Of course in the end i may wind up taking it to the shop if it looks like it would be over my head.

Thanks in advance for any help.

_________________
Fender Hot Rod Deluxe III
Fender Mustang III
Fender Rumble 40

Fender USA Professional Strat
Fender Deluxe Roadhouse Strat
Fender Coronado II
Epiphone LP Standard Pro
Fender CD-140SCE Mahogany
Gretsch G9201
Yamaha APX500III
Squire VM '70 Jazz Bass


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Sudden change in volume and tone
Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2015 4:32 pm
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician

Joined: Tue Nov 27, 2012 6:56 am
Posts: 1677
Location: Coastal Bend, Tx.
Unfortunate that the contact cleaner wasn't the cure...Of course you can do the replacement yourself. If your concerned, take a quality photo before taking anything apart for reference. I'm no luthier, but that wouldn't stop me from trying to bake a cake.....replicate what you see on the rest of the guitar as far as the amount of solder is concerned. The individual pots can be repaired as well sometimes, they are generally only a few pieces, search the web for references. The best bet is to replace them though.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Sudden change in volume and tone
Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2015 5:48 pm
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist
User avatar

Joined: Tue Dec 23, 2014 3:49 pm
Posts: 55
Location: Midland, Tx
I have the day off tomorrow, so I am going to take it to the shop I bought it from and have them compare it another Strat so they can hear the difference and hopefully figure out for sure what the problem is. I had my wife listen to it compared to one of my other guitars, with the same amp settings and volume levels, and she agreed that something is definitely off with the Strat. She said the other guitar sounded clean and articulate at any volume level, and the Strat made it feel like her ears were going to explode, or like someone put an air compressor in her ears from the bass pressure. I will keep you all posted on whgat they think the problem is.

_________________
Fender Hot Rod Deluxe III
Fender Mustang III
Fender Rumble 40

Fender USA Professional Strat
Fender Deluxe Roadhouse Strat
Fender Coronado II
Epiphone LP Standard Pro
Fender CD-140SCE Mahogany
Gretsch G9201
Yamaha APX500III
Squire VM '70 Jazz Bass


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Sudden change in volume and tone
Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2015 6:35 pm
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Tue Dec 07, 2010 2:39 pm
Posts: 1340
Assuming the problem still exists with the preamp bypassed and since you have a new S1 I would go for that first. Maybe the track is cracked.
As suggested before you start pull the battery and take plenty of photos in case a wire comes off and you wonder where it went.
Good luck! :D


Top
Profile
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 16 posts ]  Go to page 1, 2  Next
Go to page 1, 2  Next

All times are UTC - 7 hours

Fender Play Winter Sale 2020

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 2 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum

Search for:
Jump to: