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Post subject: MIM Precision came with wrong pots?
Posted: Sat Mar 30, 2013 1:59 am
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Hi all

I was unhappy with the way the tone pot in my 2011 MIM Standard Precision was responding - it would make barely any difference until the last 5% or so, when it would suddenly 'jump' and become very muddy. Essentially it was a treble/mud switch.

I discovered that this is usually due to having a linear pot on the tone control, and sure enough I checked and both my volume and tone controls are linear, marked B250k.

I'm going to switch the tone control to a logarithmic/audio taper pot, but I'm just wondering if the two B250k pots are standard in these basses, or whether a mistake has been made when my bass was being put together.

Any ideas? Tips? Experiences?

Cheers,
Ben


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Post subject: Re: MIM Precision came with wrong pots?
Posted: Sat Mar 30, 2013 8:52 am
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That is weird. Never saw or heard of that. Standards should have AUDIO taper pots in both positions as would all Fender passive instruments in all positions. The symptom you describe is what I refer to as a "razor edge" in the pot. This is very uncommon in CTS OEM pots, being more common in the Asian mini-pots used at the Fujigen plant, but I suppose it could happen. I'm also sure it happens with audio taper pots also as I've seen it often. I'm not convinced you aren't reading an "A" as a "B" on the pots. I can't think of a passive bass application where a linear taper gives any advantage whatsoever. If using a linear taper I'd use it in the TONE position and often it does behave as having a razor edge also.

Did you buy this instrument brand new?


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Post subject: Re: MIM Precision came with wrong pots?
Posted: Mon Apr 01, 2013 5:01 pm
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I bought the bass brand new in March 2012. The shop ordered it from the Fender warehouse in Australia and it was handed over to me still sealed up in its box.

I will take another look and snap some photos to put up, just in case anything else is amiss in the electronics cavity, as well as to confirm that they are B250k pots in there. But, I'm pretty certain that's what I saw.


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Post subject: Re: MIM Precision came with wrong pots?
Posted: Mon Apr 01, 2013 6:29 pm
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They both should be audio taper pots. I don't actually remember them being marked "A" or "B." As a rule Fender only uses audio taper pots on passive instruments with 250k pots to keep things simple. If your instrument has linear pots that would be a first in my experience for there to be 250k pots in a passive Fender. A razor edge would not be a first, but is a rarity on a new CTS audio taper pot.

The service diagram for your instrument hasn't changed since 2001 and shows it should come with Fender Part # 0019064000 which is a 250K audio taper solid shaft pot made by CTS and used on a whole bunch of USA and MIM Fenders including USA passive instruments like the Telecaster guitar.


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Post subject: Re: MIM Precision came with wrong pots?
Posted: Tue Apr 02, 2013 2:06 am
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The photos aren't great, but both definitely read 'B250K', and as far as my understanding of this goes, most pots these days are marked A for log/audio taper, and B for linear. I've heard US spec pots from CTS sometimes use A for audio taper, L for linear, and RA for reverse audio.

There is a glob of solder on the tone pot, but it starts with 'B2...' and you've got to assume it's a B250k. The only thing I can find about the 'JS' on the volume is in relation to a Korean brand of pots called 'JS-KIE'.

You'll see in the photos a replacement b/w/b Fender pickguard, which is the only mod done to the bass. It hasn't been to a luthier, so he hasn't changed anything without my knowing.

Tone:

Image

Vol:

Image


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Post subject: Re: MIM Precision came with wrong pots?
Posted: Tue Apr 02, 2013 2:47 am
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Well congratulations, you stumped me. I'm wondering if specs are different for international distribution. Here they have CTS pots. I'm also wondering why Australia would be different. I'm also wondering why they use so much more solder on Australian instruments. I'd contact Consumer Relations and ASK them if and why Australian ones are different and include these photos too. Those are NOT the pots on the parts list, in fact they are not Fender parts as far as I know.

Fender Musical Instruments Corporation
Attn: Consumer Relations Dept.
17600 N. Perimeter Drive, Suite 100
Scottsdale, AZ 85255

Telephone: (480) 596-7195
Fax: (480) 367-5262
E-mail: consumerrelations@fender.com


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Post subject: Re: MIM Precision came with wrong pots?
Posted: Mon Apr 22, 2013 8:46 pm
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Thanks for your input Dave!

I have contacted Fender Australia with the photos and this thread, and they also thought that it looked as though the incorrect pots were installed during assembly in the factory.

I'm not sure how linear pots came to be available at the factory/on the assembly line, but that's another discussion I suppose. Perhaps there's a whole batch of these out there?

For now, even though the bass is out of warranty, Fender Australia have indicated that they are happy to arrange to have the correct pots installed by one of their repair guys. I'm happy with that response (maybe they'll fix the nut, which is too high, while they're at it... :wink: )


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Post subject: Re: MIM Precision came with wrong pots?
Posted: Fri Jan 24, 2014 9:38 am
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Just wanted to update this thread with information I received from Fender. I emailed customer relations with a similar question and got this reply:

Hello Douglas,

MIM Standard P Bass’s manufactured in 2011 featured 250K JS, part number:

0081724000

In conclusion, that was par for the course on those instruments!

Jordan Trubakoff
Fender Musical Instruments Corp.
Consumer Relations Dept
17600 N. Perimeter Drive Suite 100
Scottsdale, AZ 85255
480-596-7195
JTrubakoff@Fender.com


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Post subject: Re: MIM Precision came with wrong pots?
Posted: Fri Jan 24, 2014 11:13 am
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Dave,

You mentioned the unusually large amounts of solder. Any chance that they damaged the pot during multiple failed solder attempts and that's why it's behaving this way? Personally I've never seen anything like that either. Outside of the CS and AVS series instruments I actually prefer Mexican made P's. I haven't put my hands on one with an issue since the early 2000's.


KoP

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Post subject: Re: MIM Precision came with wrong pots?
Posted: Fri Jan 24, 2014 3:40 pm
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The response from Fender was less than helpful IMO. Did you send them the photos? I would have expected more from them.


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Post subject: Re: MIM Precision came with wrong pots?
Posted: Mon Jan 27, 2014 8:38 am
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I included these pictures of the pots that I have in my email to Fender. I am contacting Fender again for more information.

Image
Image


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Post subject: Re: MIM Precision came with wrong pots?
Posted: Wed Feb 05, 2014 11:31 am
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Just to wrap this up and for future reference here is the latest information I got from Fender. I said I could not find any reference to the part number and asked what years that part number was used. This is the reply from Fender. I'm not sure what he meant by "true 60th Anniversary" but the attachment was for the American version. The bottom line is you don't always get Fender/CTS audio taper pots in a MIM p bass.

Hello Douglas,

That part number (0081724000) was used on MIM Standard Precision Bass wiring harness (part number 0081675000) between 2008 – 2011. In short this is an internal part number used solely for manufacturing. However if this is a wiring harness from a true 60th Anniversary, the pots would have been:

Part number: 0990831000
CONTROL 250K 10% AUDIO METAL

I have attached the service manual for the 60th Anniversary P Bass.

Jordan Trubakoff
Fender Musical Instruments Corp.
Consumer Relations Dept
17600 N. Perimeter Drive Suite 100
Scottsdale, AZ 85255
480-596-7195
JTrubakoff@Fender.com


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