opinions on matchbox

Bill Yoder · Post by **Bill Yoder** » 11 Mar 2006 4:51 am

is there any advantage to using a matchbox,if you are already running thru a tubefex?

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 11 Mar 2006 7:11 am

The main reason I use a matchbox is for the tone and volume controls. It sure is handy to be able to adjust both of those when they are right there at your finger tips.
Erv

Jim Sliff · Post by **Jim Sliff** » 11 Mar 2006 8:22 am

I found it worked great on pickups wound up around 22k (the MSA I had) but sounded terrible on the lower-impedance Fenders (8-9k), so I sold it.

It really brought tremendous presence to an otherwise dead sounding MSA Classic, though. Added a breathing quality...a more "alive" sound IMO.[This message was edited by Jim Sliff on 11 March 2006 at 08:23 AM.]

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 11 Mar 2006 11:53 am

If you use a pot-pedal, it may help. If you have an amplified pedal, like the Hilton or the new Goodrich, it's pretty much unnecessary. It also has very little benefit if you use the 3-cord hookup.

Calvin Walley · Post by **Calvin Walley** » 12 Mar 2006 9:23 am

what is the differance between a matchbox and a black box ? i have the matchbox , are they the same

John Bechtel · Post by **John Bechtel** » 12 Mar 2006 11:52 am

Older, Lighter~wound Fender Steels used 1Meg. Linear-Pots w/.05uF cap. for Tone. Newer, Heavier~wound PSG's usually use a 500K Audio-Pot w/,05uF cap. for Tone~Control. Older, Lighter~wound Fender Steels used a 250K Audio-Pot for Volume. Newer PSG's usually use a 500K Audio-Pot for Volume. They all seemed to work well in their own situations. Although Fender used (2)-250K Audio-Pots for his Volume & Tone~Controls w/.05uF cap. in his T/V pedals and Bigsby used (2)-500K Audio-Pots w/.05uF cap.in his T/V pedal.

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“Big John”
a.k.a. {Keoni Nui}
n.t.s.g.a. #90
’05 D–10 Derby
’65 Re-Issue Fender Twin–Reverb Custom™ 15”
Current Equipment

John Bechtel · Post by **John Bechtel** » 12 Mar 2006 11:55 am

I've used the Izzy+, Match Box and/or Kleen~Kick very successfully in the past!

------------------
“Big John”
a.k.a. {Keoni Nui}
n.t.s.g.a. #90
’05 D–10 Derby
’65 Re-Issue Fender Twin–Reverb Custom™ 15”
Current Equipment

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 14 Mar 2006 7:53 am

what is the differance between a matchbox and a black box ? i have the matchbox , are they the same

No, they're not the same. A matchbox is merely a transistorized buffer/preamp designed tio isolate the pot pedal from the pickup. The "Black Box" is a (better) tube version of the same device, designed to recapture the "tube tone" and sweetness of older amps.