repairing your pots

Post by **Hurb** » Tue Apr 18, 2006 12:17 am

Augustus_McCrae wrote:Well, I finally got around to it...there are quite a few pics with brief explainations...I sure hope this helps. Btw, the entire process took me 20 minutes, but only because I had to stop to take pics...you should be able to do this in 10...

Obviously, you'll want to remove the knobs (1/8" standard) and the 3 plate screws.

Remove the nuts and washers and *carefully* pull the pots from the control plate. If you are working on a vintage instrument, you don't want to have to do any re-soldering...as the whole point to this is to make it appear as though nothing was ever touched.

Next: carefully pull the prongs back with a pair of needlenose pliers...be careful...they *do* break easily.

pull the pot apart....BEING EVER MINDFUL OF THE ATTACHED GROUND AND IT'S RESPECTIVE WIRES.

note the removed post. there are three things that need cleaning here. the two small contact points and the entire circumfrence of the brass at the base of the post...(sorry...I don't know the real names)

Then you will want to use a Q-Tip or something similar to clean the black thing(heh) and you'll want to scrape the two contact points on the brass here as well...

Now...scrape this tiny contact point as well....also, you might want to clean it's contact point inside the pot as this will no doubt look black and nasty...

Now...all you have to do it put her back together...remember...be very careful with the wires and all the solder points, as they WILL break/come loose very easily. Repeat this on the next pot.

After doing this, all the pops and hisses completely dissappeared. Yes...I really tested my work. This should save you a little money and a lot of aggravation.

good luck.

Sloan · Post by **Sloan** » Sun Apr 23, 2006 8:05 pm

+800 pts.

handen · Post by **handen** » Mon Sep 11, 2006 1:34 am

Would this work for scratchy pots in a wah pedal, too?

Aug · Post by **Aug** » Mon Sep 11, 2006 1:36 am

handen wrote:Would this work for scratchy pots in a wah pedal, too?

I would imagine so, a pot is a pot...

DGNR8 · Post by **DGNR8** » Sat Jan 13, 2007 1:32 am

Brilliant, Hurb. This will save me someday. Totally.

Aug · Post by **Aug** » Sat Jan 13, 2007 1:34 am

DGNR8 wrote:Brilliant, Hurb. This will save me someday. Totally.

What!?

I wrote this...Hurb posted it when we changed forums! BOO Hurb!!!

More Cowbell · Post by **More Cowbell** » Sat Jan 13, 2007 1:36 am

Aug wrote:
DGNR8 wrote:Brilliant, Hurb. This will save me someday. Totally.
What!?

I wrote this...Hurb posted it when we changed forums! BOO Hurb!!!

LIES!!!!!

It was all hurbs idea. Thats his 64 mustang and his manland hands.

Post by **Mike** » Sat Jan 13, 2007 11:38 am

Yeah Aug, just drop it already. It was Hurb's hard work - not yours.

theshadowofseattle · Post by **theshadowofseattle** » Sat Jan 13, 2007 11:39 am

I think Aug should change his screenname back now that he is a brother again.

Post by **Mike** » Sat Jan 13, 2007 11:40 am

I think he should be Thaddeus.

theshadowofseattle · Post by **theshadowofseattle** » Sat Jan 13, 2007 11:41 am

No way, people would abbreviate it "Thad" which would get me confused with "Shad," and it'd just be a huge mess.

aen · Post by **aen** » Fri Feb 09, 2007 7:46 pm

DO you use alcohol or anything when cleaning teh pots?

Pens · Post by **Pens** » Sun Feb 11, 2007 11:02 pm

I will add one thing here, the best way to clean copper contact points I've ever found is to use a normal pink eraser. Just erase the tarnish off, clean any residue with alcohol, and it is shiny and new again. Learned that trick in my computer tech days to clean up contact points on computer cards.

handen · Post by **handen** » Thu Feb 15, 2007 7:47 pm

Just posting to say thanks. I used this guide to clean the pot in my old busted wah pedal and it came back to life.

filtercap · Post by **filtercap** » Thu Feb 15, 2007 8:24 pm

Why not use either contact cleaner -- the stuff that leaves lubricant behind...

... or else "QD" contact cleaner that dries quickly with no residue?

I've always had good results with these. The first kind for pots, the other for electric motors etc. Seems to me that pots will always need cleaning now and then, and those tabs can only take so much bending and un-bending before they break off. Also, there's no need to remove the pots from the plate -- just place a rag where it will catch the excess cleaner. I only take a pot apart if spray cleaner doesn't work, or if I want to mess with the insides for other reasons.

If you don't like the spray-in cleaners, I'm curious to know why.

Aug · Post by **Aug** » Thu Feb 15, 2007 8:43 pm

this guide to repairing your pots is mainly for pots that have been cleaned with those sprays, but continue to scratch and whatnot. By all means, use the spray cleaners first.

filtercap · Post by **filtercap** » Thu Feb 15, 2007 8:58 pm

I gets it.

rlm2112 · Post by **rlm2112** » Thu Feb 25, 2010 12:25 am

This is the oldest thread I can find on the entire site. I WIN.

also "I agree"

Reece · Post by **Reece** » Thu Feb 25, 2010 7:54 am

rlm2112 wrote:This is the oldest thread I can find on the entire site. I WIN.

also "I agree"

get out.