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Author Topic:  Help for scratchy pots
Scott Burchill

 

From:
Pennsylvania, USA
Post  Posted 8 Feb 2017 1:02 pm    
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I have a Fender steel king amp. The gain and the master pots are very scratchy. I called Fender tech service and they told me to spray WD 40 on the shaft. I tried it but no help. I tried electronic contact cleaner but that doesn't work either.
Any ideas? Help!
Scott
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Greg Cutshaw


From:
Corry, PA, USA
Post  Posted 8 Feb 2017 3:36 pm    
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Replace them. Especially after spraying WD-40 on them!
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Scott Burchill

 

From:
Pennsylvania, USA
Post  Posted 8 Feb 2017 4:33 pm    
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I thought Fender would know what's best on their own amp.
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Mike Wheeler


From:
Delaware, Ohio, USA
Post  Posted 8 Feb 2017 6:32 pm    
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Spraying the shaft accomplishes nothing for a scratchy pot. You need to spray contact cleaner/lube (like DeOxIt D5, or FaderLube) into the inside of the pot where it can actually clean the inner workings.

By the way....I wouldn't trust that tech to do any kind of work for me.
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Donny Hinson

 

From:
Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.
Post  Posted 17 Feb 2017 1:05 pm    
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This only takes around 30 seconds per pot, and will do the trick most of the time:

Put your finger alongside each knob and then rotate them very rapidly, from one stop to the other, about 25-30 times.

If that doesn't clear up the problem, remove the chassis and then spray cleaner-lube into each pot from the back side, doing the same procedure as above (while the pot is still wet).
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Jim Sliff


From:
Lawndale California, USA
Post  Posted 17 Feb 2017 2:13 pm    
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Quote:
hey told me to spray WD 40 on the shaft.


That is the WORST advice ever!

WD-40 should be nowhere near any musical instrument. It's a dirty, gum-creating solvent that will ruin pots instantly. The ones in question now HAVE to be replaced.

The best thing to use on scratchy pots is Deoxit D5. Expensive, but used by every electronics tech I know.

BUT-

Scratchy pots are damaged. D5 (and similar products) dissolve carbon deposits that cause the noise - but where those deposits are the thin conductive film is permanently damaged. Eventually they will be noisy again.

I only spray pots as a temporary measure - on all my own gear I replace them as soon as possible.

BUT #2 -

If you ALWAYS roll all your pots (on amps, effects and instruments) to either 0 or 10 (or whatever "ll thew way up" is) you will rarely have ANY problems at all.

It's leaving the pots partway through the travel -at a point of "useful" electrical contact - that creates 99% of the carbon deposits. Any time I finish playing I roll all controls on everything to "zero" - and don't worry about it.
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No chops, but great tone
1930's/40's Rickenbacher/Rickenbacker 6&8 string lap steels
1921 Weissenborn Style 2; Hilo&Schireson hollownecks
Appalachian, Regal & Dobro squarenecks
1959 Fender 400 9+2 B6;1960's Fender 800 3+3+2; 1948 Fender Dual-8 Professional
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