ToneX Input Trim ?
Moderator: Dave Mudgett
- Bob Snelgrove
- Posts: 3405
- Joined: 4 Aug 1998 11:00 pm
- Location: san jose, ca
ToneX Input Trim ?
According to the manual when in the global/Input trim setting, there should be a trim indicator on the right side of the display (low, Ok, High) I can adjust the trim (-15 to + 15, etc) and my volume changes but the meter never displays anything? These are hot pickups and I am going into the power amp section on a N 112 amp/
thx
bob
thx
bob
- Brad Sarno
- Posts: 4949
- Joined: 18 Dec 2000 1:01 am
- Location: St. Louis, MO USA
- Contact:
Re: ToneX Input Trim ?
I think it's a little tricky with pedal steel since most of our playing is attenuated by the volume pedal. I tried to set it as high as I felt was safe without clipping, but had to kinda do it with the volume pedal maybe set around 40% since most everything above that is left for sustaining decaying notes. It's been a while, but when in calibration mode I recall the indicator light shows when you go over, turns red I think.
Actual Tonex experts should be able to chime in here.
Brad
Actual Tonex experts should be able to chime in here.
Brad
- Fred Treece
- Posts: 4587
- Joined: 29 Dec 2015 3:15 pm
- Location: California, USA
Re: ToneX Input Trim ?
Try guitar straight into Tonex, no VP, no power amp.
- Bob Snelgrove
- Posts: 3405
- Joined: 4 Aug 1998 11:00 pm
- Location: san jose, ca
Re: ToneX Input Trim ?
While hooked up to my PC, via USB. the settings appear making me think you have to be hooked up to the PC for that feature??
bob
bob
- Fred Treece
- Posts: 4587
- Joined: 29 Dec 2015 3:15 pm
- Location: California, USA
Re: ToneX Input Trim ?
No, input trim can be set without hooking up to computer software.
Tonex One
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=E1PxsyI8-5w
Tonex
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ldyCmPvBj ... gAo7VqN5tD
Tonex One
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=E1PxsyI8-5w
Tonex
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ldyCmPvBj ... gAo7VqN5tD
- Bob Snelgrove
- Posts: 3405
- Joined: 4 Aug 1998 11:00 pm
- Location: san jose, ca
Re: ToneX Input Trim ?
Thanks, Fred, vid one is the tonex one (no display), vid 2 is the pedal but he is hooked up to the PC w/ usbFred Treece wrote: 8 Jun 2025 9:12 am No, input trim can be set without hooking up to computer software.
Tonex One
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=E1PxsyI8-5w
Tonex
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ldyCmPvBj ... gAo7VqN5tD

- Fred Treece
- Posts: 4587
- Joined: 29 Dec 2015 3:15 pm
- Location: California, USA
Re: ToneX Input Trim ?
Yes, in the ToneX vid the unit is USB’d to a computer, but the Low/Ok/Hi level indicator is on the unit display, and it should be giving you a readout there whether or not it is connected to a computer. If it’s not, then the first thing I would do is disconnect everything else, plug the guitar straight into the unit and see what happens.
Are you working with Tonex One or the big ToneX?
Are you working with Tonex One or the big ToneX?
- Bob Snelgrove
- Posts: 3405
- Joined: 4 Aug 1998 11:00 pm
- Location: san jose, ca
Re: ToneX Input Trim ?
You're right, Fred! Steel had to plug directly in! So how do we use that to get proper gain structure?Fred Treece wrote: 8 Jun 2025 10:28 am Yes, in the ToneX vid the unit is USB’d to a computer, but the Low/Ok/Hi level indicator is on the unit display, and it should be giving you a readout there whether or not it is connected to a computer. If it’s not, then the first thing I would do is disconnect everything else, plug the guitar straight into the unit and see what happens.
Are you working with Tonex One or the big ToneX?
bob
- Fred Treece
- Posts: 4587
- Joined: 29 Dec 2015 3:15 pm
- Location: California, USA
Re: ToneX Input Trim ?
Great! Now add the volume pedal.
Try both these signal chains, see if they work and which one you like better:
PSG>VP>ToneX>112 Return
PSG>Tonex>VP>112 Return
The Nashville 112 Master Volume and Reverb should still work like normal. If you are running a delay in the ToneX, that should be fine, but you won’t need any reverb from it unless you prefer it over the 112’s reverb.
Placing the ToneX ahead of the VP allows the full gain and EQ settings you have set for it at any volume level. This is my preference, but it’s not for everybody I guess. It really helps out when setting levels on an OD or Dist pedal. If you place them after the VP you never know how much drive you’re going to get.
On some guitars with humbuckers, setting the input trim can try one’s patience. And as Brad said, the VP is usually only allowing something less than half the volume through, whether it’s hitting the ToneX (preamp) or the Power Amp.
Hope this all works out for you and you can get back to some playing
Try both these signal chains, see if they work and which one you like better:
PSG>VP>ToneX>112 Return
PSG>Tonex>VP>112 Return
The Nashville 112 Master Volume and Reverb should still work like normal. If you are running a delay in the ToneX, that should be fine, but you won’t need any reverb from it unless you prefer it over the 112’s reverb.
Placing the ToneX ahead of the VP allows the full gain and EQ settings you have set for it at any volume level. This is my preference, but it’s not for everybody I guess. It really helps out when setting levels on an OD or Dist pedal. If you place them after the VP you never know how much drive you’re going to get.
On some guitars with humbuckers, setting the input trim can try one’s patience. And as Brad said, the VP is usually only allowing something less than half the volume through, whether it’s hitting the ToneX (preamp) or the Power Amp.
Hope this all works out for you and you can get back to some playing

Last edited by Fred Treece on 8 Jun 2025 2:52 pm, edited 1 time in total.
- Bob Snelgrove
- Posts: 3405
- Joined: 4 Aug 1998 11:00 pm
- Location: san jose, ca
Re: ToneX Input Trim ?
Thanks, I'll try that. I use a Black Box so would it go between the BB and the vol pedal?Fred Treece wrote: 8 Jun 2025 2:38 pm Great! Now add the volume pedal.
Try both these signal chains, see if they work and which one you like better:
PSG>VP>ToneX>112 Return
PSG>Tonex>VP>112 Return
The Nashville 112 Master Volume and Reverb should still work like normal. If you are running a delay in the ToneX, that should be fine, but you won’t need any reverb from it unless you prefer it over the 112’s reverb.
Placing the ToneX ahead of the VP allows the full gain and EQ settings you have set for it at any volume level. This is my preference, but it’s not for everybody I guess. It really helps out when setting levels on an OD or Dist pedal. If you place them after the VP you never know how much drive you’re going to get.
Hope this all works out for you and you can get back to some playing![]()
- Fred Treece
- Posts: 4587
- Joined: 29 Dec 2015 3:15 pm
- Location: California, USA
Re: ToneX Input Trim ?
Brad would be the expert there, but I believe that you want to hit the BB right after the guitar.Thanks, I'll try that. I use a Black Box so would it go between the BB and the vol pedal?
- Bob Snelgrove
- Posts: 3405
- Joined: 4 Aug 1998 11:00 pm
- Location: san jose, ca
Re: ToneX Input Trim ?
I do, alwaysFred Treece wrote: 8 Jun 2025 2:54 pmBrad would be the expert there, but I believe that you want to hit the BB right after the guitar.Thanks, I'll try that. I use a Black Box so would it go between the BB and the vol pedal?

- Bob Snelgrove
- Posts: 3405
- Joined: 4 Aug 1998 11:00 pm
- Location: san jose, ca
Re: ToneX Input Trim ?
Not sure why but putting the Tonex after the BB and before the VP vastly reduced output!Bob Snelgrove wrote: 8 Jun 2025 2:50 pmThanks, I'll try that. I use a Black Box so would it go between the BB and the vol pedal?Fred Treece wrote: 8 Jun 2025 2:38 pm Great! Now add the volume pedal.
Try both these signal chains, see if they work and which one you like better:
PSG>VP>ToneX>112 Return
PSG>Tonex>VP>112 Return
The Nashville 112 Master Volume and Reverb should still work like normal. If you are running a delay in the ToneX, that should be fine, but you won’t need any reverb from it unless you prefer it over the 112’s reverb.
Placing the ToneX ahead of the VP allows the full gain and EQ settings you have set for it at any volume level. This is my preference, but it’s not for everybody I guess. It really helps out when setting levels on an OD or Dist pedal. If you place them after the VP you never know how much drive you’re going to get.
Hope this all works out for you and you can get back to some playing![]()
bob
- Fred Treece
- Posts: 4587
- Joined: 29 Dec 2015 3:15 pm
- Location: California, USA
Re: ToneX Input Trim ?
I have no experience with the BB.
- Bob Snelgrove
- Posts: 3405
- Joined: 4 Aug 1998 11:00 pm
- Location: san jose, ca
Re: ToneX Input Trim ?
Brad?
- Fred Treece
- Posts: 4587
- Joined: 29 Dec 2015 3:15 pm
- Location: California, USA
Re: ToneX Input Trim ?
The Black Box is an impedance-matching device. You might have to re-adjust the input trim on the ToneX with the BB in front of it, possibly even maxing it out.
- Larry Dering
- Posts: 5846
- Joined: 17 May 2013 11:20 am
- Location: Missouri, USA
Re: ToneX Input Trim ?
I run my BB anywhere from 11 o'clock to 1 o'clock. That seems to be it's sweet spot with 705 pickups going into the Tonex.
- Bob Snelgrove
- Posts: 3405
- Joined: 4 Aug 1998 11:00 pm
- Location: san jose, ca
Re: ToneX Input Trim ?
Steel into BB, BB into VP, VP into ToneX, ToneX out to amp, etc?Larry Dering wrote: 9 Jun 2025 4:17 pm I run my BB anywhere from 11 o'clock to 1 o'clock. That seems to be it's sweet spot with 705 pickups going into the Tonex.
bob
- Larry Dering
- Posts: 5846
- Joined: 17 May 2013 11:20 am
- Location: Missouri, USA
Re: ToneX Input Trim ?
Bob that's how I was using it. The input trim came from the factory at 8.5 After watching several videos I tried it at -3 and again at 0 and a few other spots. Jason Sadites seems to be the main video authority as far as guitar with Tonex. I keep mine on 0 but the general story is it needs to be set at what the preset creator used when it was put in Tonex. For that we would only know the trim if it was listed with the preset. So that's a gray area. If you have Joe Rogers presets he should be able to tell you the trim settings he used.
- Fred Treece
- Posts: 4587
- Joined: 29 Dec 2015 3:15 pm
- Location: California, USA
Re: ToneX Input Trim ?
Having to match the exact input setting that was used by the amp model creator would be very inconvenient!
The Input Trim controls the amount of signal hitting the ToneX preamp from the pickup on the specific instrument that is connected. Find the clipping point and roll it back a hair.
The Black Box appears to be altering that signal, if there is a noticeable volume drop compared to when it’s not in the chain. Does the ToneX input trim level also drop? If that’s the case, then just bump the bugger back up to where it’s on the cusp of clipping. The BB Vari-Z control and the trim control on the ToneX are probably interacting.
As I said, I’m not an expert on either device, but there are some basic principles at work here, so forgive me for not knowing exactly what the heck I’m talking about
The Input Trim controls the amount of signal hitting the ToneX preamp from the pickup on the specific instrument that is connected. Find the clipping point and roll it back a hair.
The Black Box appears to be altering that signal, if there is a noticeable volume drop compared to when it’s not in the chain. Does the ToneX input trim level also drop? If that’s the case, then just bump the bugger back up to where it’s on the cusp of clipping. The BB Vari-Z control and the trim control on the ToneX are probably interacting.
As I said, I’m not an expert on either device, but there are some basic principles at work here, so forgive me for not knowing exactly what the heck I’m talking about

- Fred Treece
- Posts: 4587
- Joined: 29 Dec 2015 3:15 pm
- Location: California, USA
Re: ToneX Input Trim ?
Bob, did you get it all sorted out?
If you found a solution to the problem, this could be a very helpful thread for newcomers to the world of amp modelers and profilers. Setting the input level is the first step after plugging in.
If you found a solution to the problem, this could be a very helpful thread for newcomers to the world of amp modelers and profilers. Setting the input level is the first step after plugging in.
- Bob Snelgrove
- Posts: 3405
- Joined: 4 Aug 1998 11:00 pm
- Location: san jose, ca
Re: ToneX Input Trim ?
Not really, I have to crank the compressor to equal going into the amp normally. I might try the VP in efx loop and plug the steel directly into the amp.Fred Treece wrote: 13 Jun 2025 8:24 am Bob, did you get it all sorted out?
If you found a solution to the problem, this could be a very helpful thread for newcomers to the world of amp modelers and profilers. Setting the input level is the first step after plugging in.
- Larry Dering
- Posts: 5846
- Joined: 17 May 2013 11:20 am
- Location: Missouri, USA
Re: ToneX Input Trim ?
Bob, have you done the update on your pedal from IK multimedia? It may clear up your issues. Otherwise contact their tech support.
- Bob Snelgrove
- Posts: 3405
- Joined: 4 Aug 1998 11:00 pm
- Location: san jose, ca
Re: ToneX Input Trim ?
I do have the latest firmware and the problem is that the steel has to plug directly into the tonex to get any kind of input level. going through the volume pedal even full blast doesn't even move the needle.Larry Dering wrote: 13 Jun 2025 2:11 pm Bob, have you done the update on your pedal from IK multimedia? It may clear up your issues. Otherwise contact their tech support.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KRwye98siA4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZlAdlrRYj0
http://www.reverbnation.com/bobsnelgrove
1978 Crawford Emmons P/P
1976 Tommy White P/P
1986 Franklin D-10
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZlAdlrRYj0
http://www.reverbnation.com/bobsnelgrove
1978 Crawford Emmons P/P
1976 Tommy White P/P
1986 Franklin D-10