lastanthem88 Posted February 6, 2016 Share Posted February 6, 2016 Hi all I was originally drawn to these basses watching Duff Mckagen as a youngster, and when one cam up for sale 5 years ago I took a punt and bought it - and it's been my main gigging bass ever since, I have played 99% of my weekly wedding gigs on it! I love the look, and most of all the feel. The neck is incredible and just feels perfect for me. However, I'm struggling with the sound a little, and can ignore it no longer! It sounds 'twangy' and 'clunky' all the time, like a really good Duff sound, very mid and treble. If I was in a Guns tribute it would literally be amazing, but for the stuff we play it's not ideal - but I don't want to play anything else. I'm a major novice when it comes to equipment and pick ups especially. I'm wondering if anyone has any advice? Do I change them and go for a diffferent set, could it be a problem with the tone circuit... any advice appreciated. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grangur Posted February 6, 2016 Share Posted February 6, 2016 Stupid question, but have you checked both pups are working and you're getting a good output from the neck pup? What strings are you using? Is there a pre amp in the bass? If there's a pre amp is it the standard Fender one? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lastanthem88 Posted February 6, 2016 Author Share Posted February 6, 2016 Hi thanks for replying - I'm using D'Dario strings, sometimes I use Ernie Balls. Both pick ups work but the tone is just so 'clunky', not like s normal P bass at all. Any suggestions? I don't know wether it's just the pick ups on these basses and how they are made to sound! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted February 6, 2016 Share Posted February 6, 2016 There is a treble (TBX) boost switch on these, selecting that should definately "Duff it up" somewhat, so switching it off should remove the Duffness. Sounds to me like possibly that switch isn`t working, and the bass is currently with boosted treble all the time. I`d take it to a luthier and get that bit checked out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lastanthem88 Posted February 7, 2016 Author Share Posted February 7, 2016 Hi Lozz, thanks for that! I'm starting to wonder if the previous owner has somehow 'Duffed it up' as you aptly named it, and played with the electronics to make it always sound that way! Been messing this morning and the pot furthest right seems to do NOTHING at all when I'm turning it, no natter which was the three way selector is. Is that the tone control on these basses? Thanks again, Steve. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted February 7, 2016 Share Posted February 7, 2016 Hey Steve Yes that control is the TBX. I`ve just had a read up on Talkbass (am a confirmed Duff McKagan fan so this query has sparked my interest on how exactly his bass works) and the quotes below illustrate how it should be working: [b][i]The TBX (Treble/Bass eXpander) acts as a standard tone control from zero to five, and then from five to 10 it bypasses the tone pot to brighten up the sound. The TBX works fine as long as your volume control is on ten. If you turn it down a bit if sort of works like a volume control.[/i][/b] [b][i]I was looking at the wiring of the TBX online and it gave me an idea. Basically you have a 250k tone pot over half the range that acts like a standard tone control and then it switches to a 1 meg pot that basically unloads the pickups to make them brighter (except, of course that the volume control loads them back down unless the bass is active).[/i][/b] So looking at that I`d say it`s either a dodgy pot and no longer works properly, or maybe the wiring has been totally bypassed so that it`s on full all the time. I had a Duff Sig Model for a while and it certainly didn`t sound the way you describe yours, so maybe source a new TBX pot from Fender and get someone to install it, put the bass back to how it should be? (Fender part number for this is 007-4335-000). By the way, very envious that you have two of these beauties, both in the classic colours as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lastanthem88 Posted February 7, 2016 Author Share Posted February 7, 2016 Thanks for all your help Lozz, brilliant, you even got the part number - I thought you might have went one step further and bought it for me, and even installed it?! Haha! I'm starting to think it's been by passed. That pot is totally dead, it has no effect on anything no matter what else I do with the other two pots or the three way selector. Yeah I always wanted a black and a white one, for me the look of these things is brilliant, and then when I tried the neck I couldn't believe my luck - mine are both the clear necks with the stripe by the way, not the black necks Duff had. I bought them both blind, the black one which I suspect is older (it's certainly more used!!!) from an advert in BGM, the white one from a music shop in the Netherlands strangely, took a punt on them both really buying blind. The black one is the better of the two in my opinion, but the neck on them both is absolutely for me the most comfortable I've ever played. Just had a thought. Why the HELL have I not just compared the white to the black sound wise, plugged them both in and tested side by side?! If I had a brain I'd be dangerous... will let you know! Thanks again for your help buddy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted February 7, 2016 Share Posted February 7, 2016 [quote name='lastanthem88' timestamp='1454846988' post='2973427'] Thanks for all your help Lozz, brilliant, you even got the part number - I thought you might have went one step further and bought it for me, and even installed it?! Haha! Just had a thought. Why the HELL have I not just compared the white to the black sound wise, plugged them both in and tested side by side?! If I had a brain I'd be dangerous... will let you know! Thanks again for your help buddy. [/quote] Was almost on the train for the install til I read that and saw you have it handled Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lastanthem88 Posted February 8, 2016 Author Share Posted February 8, 2016 Haha I make a much better brew than I play bass lines believe me!! So it seems you're hunch was right, the sound is totally different through the white jazz special, though the picks ups do look different - the poles are smaller. I can get a classic P sound, a J sound, and a blend - probably like the black one should sound. That TBX is either bypassed or broken, or there's a problem with the wiring somewhere. There's a guy near me called Nigel Stockbridge who's an absolutely incredible luthier so I'll book it in I think and get him to take a look, and see what he can find. Me opening it up is a recipe for disaster! Thanks for your help and advice, it's much appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rogerstodge Posted February 8, 2016 Share Posted February 8, 2016 [quote name='lastanthem88' timestamp='1454961755' post='2974668'] Haha I make a much better brew than I play bass lines believe me!! So it seems you're hunch was right, the sound is totally different through the white jazz special, though the picks ups do look different - the poles are smaller. I can get a classic P sound, a J sound, and a blend - probably like the black one should sound. That TBX is either bypassed or broken, or there's a problem with the wiring somewhere. There's a guy near me called Nigel Stockbridge who's an absolutely incredible luthier so I'll book it in I think and get him to take a look, and see what he can find. Me opening it up is a recipe for disaster! Thanks for your help and advice, it's much appreciated. [/quote]you think Lozz was joking about getting on the train don't you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lastanthem88 Posted February 8, 2016 Author Share Posted February 8, 2016 haha well I[i] did... [/i] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MoonBassAlpha Posted February 10, 2016 Share Posted February 10, 2016 It's really handy having 2 of the same model - should be a cinch for your guy to pinpoint the issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lastanthem88 Posted February 10, 2016 Author Share Posted February 10, 2016 Hi Lozz - sorted. I took it to a guy who I know who is great with electronics and it looks like the pot has been bypassed and the wiring all altered, esentially leaving the bass with a Duff 'tone'. It's either been used by a big fan or a guy in a GnR tribute I would suspect. Getting fixed anyway, so should be sounding as good as it looks before long! MoonBassAlpha - I know, I can't believe I didn't just compare the two like for like. what an absolute idiot! Thanks for your help guys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted February 12, 2016 Share Posted February 12, 2016 Nice one, glad it`s all sorted. Hasn`t helped my jealousy though - been scanning Evilbay for these the past week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b_guima_raes Posted July 13, 2020 Share Posted July 13, 2020 Hi guys. I'm posting on this forum 4 years after the discussions on this topic has ceased. I have the exact situation described by lastanthem88. My TBX pot doesn't alter the sound at all. In my opinion, it sounds great, but I can't stop wondering what the effect of the TBX would be. I browsed for a wiring diagram so that I could fix it myself but no luck. Could anyone post a picture of what the wiring should look like? Kind regards! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spencer Roberts Posted August 10, 2020 Share Posted August 10, 2020 Go to Google Images, and search Duff McKagan bass wiring , and you will find it via a link to the Fender website. Potentially the bad news is that the TBX control on the Duff Bass is not the same as the commonly available version, and appears to be available for warranty repair only. The correct part number is 007-4335-000, but I don’t think you can purchase it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
police squad Posted August 13, 2020 Share Posted August 13, 2020 I had a duff bass for a while. this one. Sold it without ever really playing it so I have no idea about the TBX thing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foxyFuze Posted August 13, 2020 Share Posted August 13, 2020 I find mine has a slightly more twangy feel than other P basses. It's one I will never sell as the neck on it is superb. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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