I realize this may be a question already asked. Can you guys tell me why the tone controls on my Strat make a scratching sound and how I can remedy this.Thanks in advance for your response.

Dirty pot. You can spent $5 for a new one and install it or clean it.

How to clean it...

Materials Needed:
- Phillips Screwdriver
- Electronic Duster (optional)
- Electronic Contact Cleaner (very important)

Steps:
1. Take off pickguard, with screwdriver
2. Use electronic duster to clean around pickups and pots
3. Take your contact cleaner and put it in the opening of the pot, give it a spray.
4. Rotate the knob so the contact cleaner, does it's job.
5. Let the contact cleaner dry over night.

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Your pain is the breaking of the shell that encloses your understanding. It is the bitter potion by which the physician within you heals your sick self. Therefore, trust the physician and drink his remedy in silence and tranquility.-Khalil Gibran

And if you cant find the contact cleaner, a can of starting fluid (ether) will work just as well It will not harm a poly finish (like MIM and USA Standards) but to be safe (especially with nitro finish) you can remove the pickguard and wrap a towel around the body while you lay it to the pots spray inside them and turn the knob it's full travel each way several times.

Ummm, if I am not mistaken, ether is highly flammable which is why it is used to start engines. Not to mention what it does if you inhale it. Not something I would recommend using on my guitar or in a confined space.

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Bill

Naptha is flammable as well, but is well know and well used in guitar shops for cleaning guitar finishes Ether is flammable, yes, but it evaporates so quickly it is not an issue. Obviously don't smoke or do this task by candle light LOL. But if someone has this little common sense, getting blown up is fitting......keeps the gene pool healthy and strong LOL In case anyone here hasn't tried it, starting fluid (ether) will clean ANYTHING

It might not be that serious. It could just be that the reason for the scraping noise is that the knob is pressed too far down the splined shaft of the pot, and the skirt is rubbing on the plastic surface of the pick guard.

Try easing the knob away slightly, preferably both sides at once. Two guitar picks slipped under the skirt will often do the trick. Some people resort to teaspoons, but if the knob is so close to the pick guard you might strugle to get them in.

Good luck, anyway - hopefully it'll solve your woes.

Not that this is in any way relevant to the original post, but just a note... Starting fluid contains no ether - it's made mostly of "petroleum ether", which is an antiquated term for a mixture of the shorter more volatile alkanes such as pentane and (mostly) hexane, like naphtha.