Potentiometers

I'm currently working on an 80s Kramer. The previous owner committed just about every sin possible with the electrics, but here is a major one.

Where do we get noisy, scratchy pots? On the guitar, in a wah or volume pedal. So what do you do about it?

I'm going to take a guess here and just say WRONG!!!

Never, ever, EVER put WD40 into a pot to lubricate it. WD40 is mostly kerosene, and that will slowly dissolve the resistance material inside the pot. It may sound like it fixes the problem, but it is a short term gain for long term destruction.

Instead, get a can of Contact Cleaner from Jaycar, Altronics, or any electronics store. It's only a few bucks more than WD40, and it is the product designed to, as you can guess, clean contacts in electronics. One can will last you years- and so will your pots.

I go over my guitars every 6 months or so, and one of the things I do is give the pots a clean. Around the same time, I also give my wah and volume pedals a blast. And if I am putting a new pot into something, like an effect or as a replacement in a guitar, I'll give it a blast before I even install it.

Preventative maintenance with the proper materials: always a good thing.

[dingobass]

Quote from dmac on November 15, 2012, 15:05
I'm currently working on an 80s Kramer. The previous owner committed just about every sin possible with the electrics, but here is a major one.

Where do we get noisy, scratchy pots? On the guitar, in a wah or volume pedal. So what do you do about it?

I'm going to take a guess here and just say WRONG!!!

Never, ever, EVER put WD40 into a pot to lubricate it. WD40 is mostly kerosene, and that will slowly dissolve the resistance material inside the pot. It may sound like it fixes the problem, but it is a short term gain for long term destruction.

Instead, get a can of Contact Cleaner from Jaycar, Altronics, or any electronics store. It's only a few bucks more than WD40, and it is the product designed to, as you can guess, clean contacts in electronics. One can will last you years- and so will your pots.

I go over my guitars every 6 months or so, and one of the things I do is give the pots a clean. Around the same time, I also give my wah and volume pedals a blast. And if I am putting a new pot into something, like an effect or as a replacement in a guitar, I'll give it a blast before I even install it.

Preventative maintenance with the proper materials: always a good thing.

I was wondering where I was going to get contact cleaner, thanks dmac!
Off to Jaycar tomorrow

I have always pulled scratchy pots out, soldered a long wire to them, swung them around my head hammer throw style and launched them!
Then calmly installed new CTS pots and all is sweet!....

BTW, are there better pots than CTS? Tried a few, but the only ones I have found that come close are Alpha... and I refuse to use those!

Quote from dingobass on November 15, 2012, 17:39
BTW, are there better pots than CTS? Tried a few, but the only ones I have found that come close are Alpha... and I refuse to use those!

From what I understand, CTS were made in Mexico but have now moved shop to Asia. They used to have tighter tolerances, but apparently that's slipping.

I use Alphas, but I measure all pots before I put them in. I also twirl the shaft for freeplay, or slippage. You don't want a pot that turns without you asking it to.

Yes, I do get on well with the local electronics shop.

Yes, there are better pots around- of course there are a million and one opinions out there one what is better, if you google it. But I look at cost/benefit- a maintained Alpha works fine, but I like Bourns for the big jobs.

Coming up-

using nail polish to improve your tone, and
the David Gilmour mod to give 7 options on your ST-style pickups

[dingobass]

That is interesting about the CTS. It may explain a thing or two....
Mabey I should give the Alphas another go, the last lot I got were all over the place, scratchy and nasty!
Probably should look at getting them locally rather than from Stewmac, at least that way I can test them before I buy

I will check out the Bourns, I don't worry to much about cost as I only want the best for my builds.

[keloooe]

Quote from dingobass on November 15, 2012, 19:36
That is interesting about the CTS. It may explain a thing or two....
Mabey I should give the Alphas another go, the last lot I got were all over the place, scratchy and nasty!
Probably should look at getting them locally rather than from Stewmac, at least that way I can test them before I buy

I will check out the Bourns, I don't worry to much about cost as I only want the best for my builds.

Yea, Alphas are noisy and scratchy... Just like my strat copy.... CTS is my choice (for now!!!!)

[dingobass]

Quote from keloooe on January 13, 2013, 10:49

Quote from dingobass on November 15, 2012, 19:36
That is interesting about the CTS. It may explain a thing or two....
Mabey I should give the Alphas another go, the last lot I got were all over the place, scratchy and nasty!
Probably should look at getting them locally rather than from Stewmac, at least that way I can test them before I buy

I will check out the Bourns, I don't worry to much about cost as I only want the best for my builds.

Yea, Alphas are noisy and scratchy... Just like my strat copy.... CTS is my choice (for now!!!!)

Since this thread was started I have used Alphas again. The first batch I got must have been a Friday afternoon one as the second order was of much better quality.
When I checked them with the multi meter I found they were well within tolerance.

If your Strat has got scratchy pots I would suggest you go to your local electronics store and get a can of contact cleaner.
A quick squirt and turn the knob a couple of times and you may be surprised at the difference.

Every Guitar head should have a can in their tool box!

[keloooe]

Quote from dingobass on January 13, 2013, 19:04

Quote from keloooe on January 13, 2013, 10:49

Quote from dingobass on November 15, 2012, 19:36
That is interesting about the CTS. It may explain a thing or two....
Mabey I should give the Alphas another go, the last lot I got were all over the place, scratchy and nasty!
Probably should look at getting them locally rather than from Stewmac, at least that way I can test them before I buy

I will check out the Bourns, I don't worry to much about cost as I only want the best for my builds.

Yea, Alphas are noisy and scratchy... Just like my strat copy.... CTS is my choice (for now!!!!)

Since this thread was started I have used Alphas again. The first batch I got must have been a Friday afternoon one as the second order was of much better quality.
When I checked them with the multi meter I found they were well within tolerance.

If your Strat has got scratchy pots I would suggest you go to your local electronics store and get a can of contact cleaner.
A quick squirt and turn the knob a couple of times and you may be surprised at the difference.

Every Guitar head should have a can in their tool box!

Yes, another thing on my list for my guitar toolbox!