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Post subject: Knob noise & contact cleaning
Posted: Mon May 12, 2014 10:57 pm
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Joined: Wed Apr 27, 2011 10:52 pm
Posts: 93
Location: Jomtien Beach, Thailand
I've noticed my Mustang Mini has some noise on volume pot when adjusting (not Fender's fault: everything gets corroded in Thailand!). Didn't see any holes to shoot contact cleaner into.... other than rapid turning vol up and down, any suggestions on how to get some cleaner in there? Thanks in advance.


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Post subject: Re: Knob noise & contact cleaning
Posted: Tue May 13, 2014 2:10 am
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Joined: Fri Feb 05, 2010 4:31 am
Posts: 14049
Location: Province de Québec, Canada
Some, if not all , printed circuit pot don't have any hole . Try to spray some contact cleaner down the shaft , and where you can see any small space between two pieces of pots . They are not liquid sealed .

Turn the pot at least ten time to clean it .

Be careful some contact cleaner are not plastic safe


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Post subject: Re: Knob noise & contact cleaning
Posted: Tue May 13, 2014 6:31 am
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Aspiring Musician
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Joined: Sun Jan 30, 2011 4:43 pm
Posts: 318
It's a common problem. I live in Florida and the high humidity creates this situation more rapidly than someplace like Arizona...

The cleaner I recommend is Deoxit D5.

The thing is, to do the job cheaply, you need to get to the back of the pot to clean it through an opening that can get the cleaner on the pot's wiper. Opening up the amp to do this will very likely void your warranty.

Just spraying some cleaner on the top of the pot won't get enough cleaner into the pot to do any good and you have to remove the knob to do that. If you don't have a knob pulling tool, you run the risk of damaging the pot and since "misuse" isn't covered, you will very likely void your warranty if you muck up pulling the knob.

I would suggest taking it to a qualified tech, but that is going to cost you a good chunk of change.

Since you would be throwing out a good chunk of change any way, for about the same price, you can get the tools that will enable you to DIY the next time this situation comes up - say like on an archtop guitar where pulling the guts out is a major pain.

What you need is a knob puller:

http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Tools/Special_tools_for_Electronics,_pickups/Knob_Puller.html?actn=100101&xst=1&xsr=0291

And a "Pot Cleaner Cap":

http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Tools/Special_tools_for_Electronics,_pickups/Pot_Cleaning_Cap.html

You can also get the pot cleaner cap a bit cheaper on eBay by doing a search on for "GuitarTechs Pot Cleaner Cap".

I've been modding and assembling my own electric guitars since the early '70s. Over time I've gathered up every tool I need to do any job from cutting a nut from a chunk of bone to doing a complete refret. I can tell you that luthiery tools ain't cheap. But I am! Sometimes you just have to bite the bullet and pony up the money (diamond nut slotting and fret crowning files etc.) but if there is any way I can make my own tools I do.

I took one look at Stew-Mac's original knob puller:

http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Tools/Special_tools_for_Electronics,_pickups/Knob_and_Bushing_Puller.html?actn=100101&xst=1&xsr=0291

And I said to my self "No freaking way!" So, I took a medicine pill vial, a small piece of sheet brass, a machine screw, a few nuts and washers and a wing nut and made my own that works just a perfectly as Stew-Mac's "pro-model".

The "pot cleaner cap" can be made with a piece of metal tubing and a tap&die set. Just tap out one end of the tubing (mine's aluminum) with the same thread as the pot and drill a hole for the spray tube and put a rubber washer/gasket on the threaded end. Done.

Plus, the "GuitarTechs Pot Cleaner Cap" only works on CTS pots (SAE threaded pots) not metric threaded pots. So, your only option is to make your own tool in that case.

Now, take that amp to a qualified tech. Or, live with the pot noise.


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Post subject: Re: Knob noise & contact cleaning
Posted: Tue May 13, 2014 4:58 pm
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Aspiring Musician
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Joined: Sun Apr 22, 2012 7:46 pm
Posts: 453
p90sdude wrote:
It's a common problem. I live in Florida and the high humidity creates this situation more rapidly than someplace like Arizona...

The cleaner I recommend is Deoxit D5.

The thing is, to do the job cheaply, you need to get to the back of the pot to clean it through an opening that can get the cleaner on the pot's wiper. Opening up the amp to do this will very likely void your warranty.

Just spraying some cleaner on the top of the pot won't get enough cleaner into the pot to do any good and you have to remove the knob to do that. If you don't have a knob pulling tool, you run the risk of damaging the pot and since "misuse" isn't covered, you will very likely void your warranty if you muck up pulling the knob.

I would suggest taking it to a qualified tech, but that is going to cost you a good chunk of change.

Since you would be throwing out a good chunk of change any way, for about the same price, you can get the tools that will enable you to DIY the next time this situation comes up - say like on an archtop guitar where pulling the guts out is a major pain.

What you need is a knob puller:

http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Tools/Special_tools_for_Electronics,_pickups/Knob_Puller.html?actn=100101&xst=1&xsr=0291

And a "Pot Cleaner Cap":

http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Tools/Special_tools_for_Electronics,_pickups/Pot_Cleaning_Cap.html

You can also get the pot cleaner cap a bit cheaper on eBay by doing a search on for "GuitarTechs Pot Cleaner Cap".

I've been modding and assembling my own electric guitars since the early '70s. Over time I've gathered up every tool I need to do any job from cutting a nut from a chunk of bone to doing a complete refret. I can tell you that luthiery tools ain't cheap. But I am! Sometimes you just have to bite the bullet and pony up the money (diamond nut slotting and fret crowning files etc.) but if there is any way I can make my own tools I do.

I took one look at Stew-Mac's original knob puller:

http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Tools/Special_tools_for_Electronics,_pickups/Knob_and_Bushing_Puller.html?actn=100101&xst=1&xsr=0291

And I said to my self "No freaking way!" So, I took a medicine pill vial, a small piece of sheet brass, a machine screw, a few nuts and washers and a wing nut and made my own that works just a perfectly as Stew-Mac's "pro-model".

The "pot cleaner cap" can be made with a piece of metal tubing and a tap&die set. Just tap out one end of the tubing (mine's aluminum) with the same thread as the pot and drill a hole for the spray tube and put a rubber washer/gasket on the threaded end. Done.

Plus, the "GuitarTechs Pot Cleaner Cap" only works on CTS pots (SAE threaded pots) not metric threaded pots. So, your only option is to make your own tool in that case.

Now, take that amp to a qualified tech. Or, live with the pot noise.


P90sdude,

Thanks for such a thorough explanation. The sealed pots can be a pain.

_________________
Archtop Bill aka Alder Statesman

Check out my finger-style guitar tracks at www.soundcloud.com/billmcmannis


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Post subject: Re: Knob noise & contact cleaning
Posted: Wed May 14, 2014 8:46 am
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Hobbyist
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Joined: Wed Apr 27, 2011 10:52 pm
Posts: 93
Location: Jomtien Beach, Thailand
Thanks for ideas. I have a few cans of cleaner picked up over here. Most trusted is Phillips and Q tips. A trick I read somewhere regarding getting knobs off is to use a piece of cloth wrapped under, and then somewhat simple upward pull does the trick.
Trusted techs over here? Hmmm not so sure. I have been forced more or less to learn what I needed by trial and error and forums like this are invaluable (ever notice word valuable also works?) They don't even sell the mini here last time I looked. Did get a Mustang 1 a few years back (at 50% over US prices, still was happy with it anyway).


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