Noisy Vol. Ped. pot so soon??

Nathan Delacretaz · Post by **Nathan Delacretaz** » 21 Mar 2006 8:04 pm

I really love my Goodrich L120, but I've had it for less than a year and the pot is already super crackly. I've tried the compressed air and the relentless back-n-forth rocking to clear the dust, but it still crackles.

What are the odds that I just got a bum pot? Are replacement pots readily available?

Bobbe Seymour · Post by **Bobbe Seymour** » 21 Mar 2006 8:29 pm

Welcome to the club. Pot life is way less than a year these days. This is one reason the proplayers are mostly all using the "Potless pedals".
A little more money in the begining, but indefinite lifetime.
Don't worry, even the new P.E.C. pot has a very short life.
The manufacturer claims 25000 cycles, we have found they last abot 3000 to 5000 cycles. Not very dependable for a serious steel player.
Oh yes, we have pots for sale, but we can't garrentee the life of them at the moment, or until something better comes along.
Bobbe

Steel guitar Nashville

John Bechtel · Post by **John Bechtel** » 21 Mar 2006 11:59 pm

I recently bought a brand new volume-pedal with a noisy-pot, right out of the box! Nowadays it's just ‘luck of the draw’ when it comes to Pots!

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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

Frank Parish · Post by **Frank Parish** » 22 Mar 2006 5:28 am

As Bobbe said, most pro players have went to the potless pedals. I still own two old Emmons pedals but until somebody comes up with a good pot, I'll stick to the Hilton or LDR pedals.

Bill Hatcher · Post by **Bill Hatcher** » 22 Mar 2006 5:44 am

If your Goodrich pedal has the Mexican made pot in it then that is the problem. They don't use that pot anymore because they go bad so fast.

Great pedal--not so great pot.

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 22 Mar 2006 5:54 am

Many of us "non-pro" pickers also use the Hilton pedal. I've had one for two years.

Although, as Bobbe mentioned, the initial cost is more in the long run an electronic pedal will pay for itself. No more pot to go bad and change (at $20 to $25 each just for the pot) and no string to break. In addition there is no signal loss through an electronic volume pedal and no tone loss - the tone is the same from low volume to full volume.

Larry Strawn · Post by **Larry Strawn** » 22 Mar 2006 6:36 am

My new Hilton pedal is under my steel, my L120 has a brand new pot in it and is in my warbag for a back up. Think that is where it will stay! Love my new Hilton!
Larry

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Emmons S/D-10, 3/5, Sessions 400 Ltd. Home Grown E/F Rack
"ROCKIN COUNTRY"

John Steele (deceased) · Post by **John Steele (deceased)** » 22 Mar 2006 6:38 am

I finally got my hands on one of the higher grade Ohmite pots, and after one month I'd like to report no scratches or hisses. As a matter of fact it makes no sound at all - the thing is completely dead.
I'm not trying to tell anyone their business, but if I was the manufacturer of pot pedals, I'd be manufacturing my own pots, or be out of business.
-John

Jay Ganz · Post by **Jay Ganz** » 22 Mar 2006 6:55 am

Lately I've been using plain old CTS 500K audio
taper pots in my Emmons pedals. They sound
great and are cheap (I get 'em for about
few bucks each.) Sure, they get scratchy once
in awhile, but they're open at the top, so I
just shoot in some contact cleaner & I'm good
to go for another month or so.
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Nathan Delacretaz · Post by **Nathan Delacretaz** » 22 Mar 2006 8:54 am

Thanks, everyone - I guessed it'd probably be another fact of life to just deal with. Do you guys have a preferred source for replacement pots?

Earnest Bovine · Post by **Earnest Bovine** » 22 Mar 2006 9:36 am

I get part number KA5041S28-ND from www.digkey.com . These are P.E.C. brand. Prices keep going up; now it is $92 for 10.
Some are scratchy right away or within a few minutes. Others last weeks or possibly months. These are the best that I have found.

Earnest Bovine · Post by **Earnest Bovine** » 22 Mar 2006 9:47 am

Jay wrote

I've been using plain old CTS 500K audio taper pots in my Emmons pedals

The shafts look really short. How long are they? I need almost a half inch for my Goodrich pulley.

Rick Jolley · Post by **Rick Jolley** » 22 Mar 2006 12:26 pm

I got a "million cycle" pot from Tom Bradshaw, and it's been wonderful, so far. The shaft is round, with a flat spot on one side, and is 3/4" long.

RZ
See my post on replacing a pot over in the electronics section.

Chris Schlotzhauer · Post by **Chris Schlotzhauer** » 22 Mar 2006 12:40 pm

I thought Mexican pot was the best.

Bobbe Seymour · Post by **Bobbe Seymour** » 22 Mar 2006 12:56 pm

Or Columbian?

Mark Edwards · Post by **Mark Edwards** » 22 Mar 2006 1:07 pm

Nathan, same thing happened to me, bought a brand spankin new Goodrich pedal, in two months the pot went out, scratchy, scratchy, scratchy. However this was around about the time of the TSGA show 2005. I walked up to the Goodrich booth at the show, and explained what happened. No hesitation, no questions asked, they gave me a brand new pot, and told me if I had anymore problems, to please give them a call. In the day where customer service really sucks, this was a breath of fresh air, great product, and super customer service. Just because of that one action, I will always use Goodrich pedals, that's it and that's all.

Curt Langston · Post by **Curt Langston** » 22 Mar 2006 1:19 pm

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>but they're open at the top, so I
just shoot in some contact cleaner & I'm good
to go for another month or so.
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Jay, that is exactly what I do as well. In fact, I have been known to drill a tiny hole in the top if they do not have an opening. (simply drill it while holding upside down to prevent the shavings from falling inside). Works great, and lasts a very long time. Contact cleaner from Radio Shack

Ken Byng · Post by **Ken Byng** » 22 Mar 2006 1:20 pm

Or Columbian

You keep these in stock Bobbe???.

Uffe Edefuhr · Post by **Uffe Edefuhr** » 22 Mar 2006 1:25 pm

Hi friends. I bought a new Goodrich pedal model L120 in October last eyar! Last week I found my pedal not working all right, no smooth working, it feels like walking on cold snow when I press the pedal! I looked it up and found the problem is in the pot!
When I played steel in the 80is the pot lasted a year or more! Todays quality??
Think I´ll buy myself a Bagpipe!

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GFI Ultra S-10, Nashville 400 and a new volumepedal soon

Jay Ganz · Post by **Jay Ganz** » 22 Mar 2006 3:04 pm

Ernest,
Yeah...that's the case with those shafts. They're kinda short. They just barely
clear the pedal housing on the Emmons pedals
but I don't think they'd be installable in other
type pedals. That's one draw back with 'em.

Bo Borland · Post by **Bo Borland** » 22 Mar 2006 3:23 pm

Columbian.. what about Maui Waui?
I am playing my 30 year old MSA volume pedal with the same pot that came with it .... I THINK.. maybe it was the trip to Maui .. I forget.. but
I bought a spare Allen Bradley locally and another from Bobbe a couple of years ago, that are still in my tool kit. I hope I can remember how to solder.

Ernest Cawby · Post by **Ernest Cawby** » 22 Mar 2006 4:22 pm

If you have something in line before the pedal try by passing it, I had volume control in front of the goodrich and removed it and the pedal cleared up ,and is working fine, after I bought a Hilton from Bobbe, I use it now in the practice room. Stillclean.

ernie

Ricky Littleton · Post by **Ricky Littleton** » 22 Mar 2006 5:39 pm

Jack Stoner!!!

You ARE the PRO man!!!

Anyone not ever hearing JS play is missing a treat!

Ricky...

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Emmons LeGrande - 8x4
Session 400 Ltd, Nashville 112,Hilton Volume pedal, Peterson VS-II Tuner
Dan-Echo, E-Bow, Ibanez Distortion, Bo-Bro, Ibanez Auto-Wah, Regal Dobro

Ben Jones · Post by **Ben Jones** » 24 Mar 2006 4:37 pm

got a brand new goodrich 120 in late Dec. POt is bad already. How do they stay in business? Guess I gotta spend a couple hundred bucks for a pedal that will last more than a few weeks? What a crock! super pissed off here. Everyone warned me, but I just couldnt see paying for the Hilton, now I see it woulda been money well spent. Goodrich: eat my shorts!

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 24 Mar 2006 5:30 pm

I really love my Goodrich L120, but I've had it for less than a year and the pot is already super crackly.

Did you oil the pot? Did you spray the inside with silicone? Yes, you should do that even with brand-new pots! I've fixed a lot of pots just by cleaning and oiling them, and they lasted for years. I also think most of the reason the new pots wear out faster because they aren't lubricating them at the factory.