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Post subject: Knobs Won't Fit on Solid Shaft Potentiometers
Posted: Sun Mar 13, 2011 4:54 pm
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Before I start, I'm new. Hi! :)

So, a while back I bought a Fender Musicmaster at a pawn shop, and the pots were messed up like nothing I've ever seen. So, instinctively, I desoldered everything, took out the pots, and went to Guitar Center to buy some new ones. I bought the only authentic Fender ones they had, which were solid shaft. I figured that since they were authentic Fenders that the old knobs would fit, but lo and behold, they didn't. I went out and bought some authentic Fender knobs, and again, they didn't fit. I don't feel comfortable trying to drill my old ones.

What should I do? :?


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Post subject: Re: Knobs Won't Fit on Solid Shaft Potentiometers
Posted: Sun Mar 13, 2011 5:46 pm
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The only solid-shaft pots I've ever seen on a piece of Fender gear are on amps.

Guitars are always split-and-splined shaft types, usually 250K with an audio taper. I think they sold you the wrong pots.

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Post subject: Re: Knobs Won't Fit on Solid Shaft Potentiometers
Posted: Sun Mar 13, 2011 5:53 pm
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Well, that's annoying. I'm bad at soldering, so I'd rather not have to re-do it. :(

EDIT: I looked for them on the Guitar Center web site, and it didn't say anything about being exclusive to amps, in fact, they're listed under Guitar and Bass Parts.

I might go back and ask for new ones or something, but since it's a gigantic chain it's not like they're going to do anything major about it.


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Post subject: Re: Knobs Won't Fit on Solid Shaft Potentiometers
Posted: Sun Mar 13, 2011 9:44 pm
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You could do the Muddy Waters thing and put amp knobs on the solid shaft pots.


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Post subject: Re: Knobs Won't Fit on Solid Shaft Potentiometers
Posted: Mon Mar 14, 2011 5:21 am
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Welcome.

Fender does and has always made several models of guitars and basses with solid shaft pots OEM. There are two popular sized shafts out there nowadays, the Fender size and the Asian stuff. Evidently, you bought knobs for the Asian sized (smaller) shafts.

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Post subject: Re: Knobs Won't Fit on Solid Shaft Potentiometers
Posted: Mon Mar 14, 2011 2:05 pm
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Actually, the problem is that the shafts are too big. Although I may just put amp knobs on it as TTSC said, I'd prefer Strat-style knobs.


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Post subject: Re: Knobs Won't Fit on Solid Shaft Potentiometers
Posted: Mon Mar 14, 2011 2:16 pm
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Juared wrote:
Actually, the problem is that the shafts are too big. Although I may just put amp knobs on it as TTSC said, I'd prefer Strat-style knobs.


Strat-style knobs are knurled and will not fit solid shaft pots as you found out. You need knobs that secure with set screws.

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Post subject: Re: Knobs Won't Fit on Solid Shaft Potentiometers
Posted: Mon Mar 14, 2011 2:21 pm
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What do you mean by knurled? I'm afraid I don't know what you mean by that.


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Post subject: Re: Knobs Won't Fit on Solid Shaft Potentiometers
Posted: Mon Mar 14, 2011 6:52 pm
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Juared wrote:
What do you mean by knurled? I'm afraid I don't know what you mean by that.


Solid shaft pot: http://www.acmeguitarworks.com/250k-Aud ... 30C14.aspx

Knurled shaft pot: http://www.acmeguitarworks.com/250k-Lin ... 36C14.aspx

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Post subject: Re: Knobs Won't Fit on Solid Shaft Potentiometers
Posted: Mon Mar 14, 2011 7:51 pm
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Ah. I'm familiar with calling them split-shaft potentiometers, but I was thinking that's what you meant.

The knobs that I bought, the knobs on my Strat, and the knobs that came with the Musicmaster all look like they would fit on a solid-shaft potentiometer, but it's just that the opening is too small. My idea was to drill it, but I've never fully trusted myself drilling small things like that.

So am I going to have to re-solder the whole thing with new pots or does anybody know of Strat-style, black knobs that will fit? I no longer care if they're authentic Fender, as long as they look mostly the same.


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Post subject: Re: Knobs Won't Fit on Solid Shaft Potentiometers
Posted: Mon Mar 14, 2011 9:37 pm
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Juared wrote:
Ah. I'm familiar with calling them split-shaft potentiometers, but I was thinking that's what you meant.

The knobs that I bought, the knobs on my Strat, and the knobs that came with the Musicmaster all look like they would fit on a solid-shaft potentiometer, but it's just that the opening is too small. My idea was to drill it, but I've never fully trusted myself drilling small things like that.

So am I going to have to re-solder the whole thing with new pots or does anybody know of Strat-style, black knobs that will fit? I no longer care if they're authentic Fender, as long as they look mostly the same.


The ridges on the split shaft pot are the knurling. They mate with similar ridges inside the knob. Drilling them out will ruin the knob. You either have to change the pots to ones with a split shaft, or use knobs that have a set screw to lock them to the solid shaft pots. If you want Fender amp knobs to work with a solid shaft that will look half-way decent on a Strat, use these:

http://www.musicpartsguru.com/closeup.a ... 7&offset=2

It will look like a new "Black Top" Strat.

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