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Posts: 108
Location: Cheyenne, Wyoming | This pot must be quite dirty. It is is crackling and even cuts out at a certain point I think. Can I clean the pot myself? What would I use, contact cleaner? How would I do this safely? |
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Posts: 2491
Location: Copenhagen Denmark | Change that/those potentiometer(s), a few bucks is all it takes , if you`re a bit " handy ",do it yerself , there is No such thing as " cleaning pot.meters " ...
Vic |
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Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | Contact cleaner, if it's not too far gone. |
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April 2006
Posts: 2491
Location: Copenhagen Denmark | Originally posted by The Wabbit Formerly Known As Waskel:
Contact cleaner, if it's not too far gone. That Will make matters worse , plus it will cost more than the potmeter :)
Vic |
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Posts: 6996
Location: Jet City | I heard contact cleaner leaves a residue that will make things worse eventually (But maybe better in the short term)
I've also recently heard that brake cleaner will do the same thing but without the residue.
This came from a world renown guitar designer/luthier (who used to be an authorized Ovation repair center before going on to design guitars).
I haven't had the guts to try it though. |
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December 2006
Posts: 6268
Location: Florida Central Gulf Coast | Originally posted by HumblePie aka Solid Top:
That Will make matters worse Vic,
May I ask you to explain your comment?
I've spent over 40 years in electronics, 20 military and 21 industrial, and never heard of electronic contact cleaner (ECC) being detrimental; WD-40/rubbing alcohol and such, yes.
If the proper use of ECC does not resolve the issue then the pot needs to be replaced. But if one can remove the pot to where one can apply ample pressurized ECC and exercise the wiper without damaging wood, decals, etc. chances are that all will be well.
The most common issue with pots is oxidation/corrosion/contaminants due to non-exercise of the wiper (re non-usage) and/or a corrosive atmosphere (i.e. coastal regions, tobacco smokers). ECC can resolve this issue unless the pot is slap worn out. |
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Posts: 6268
Location: Florida Central Gulf Coast | Since I was busy composing the above, I missed the carb cleaner post.
Carb cleaner can attack/'eat' phenalics used for some older pot wafers. I would avoid it at all costs!
ECC does NOT leave a residue of its own. Flushed contaminants CAN pool and become a residue. That's the reason for ample pressurized ECC, to completely flush the contaminants off the pot contacts. |
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Posts: 6996
Location: Jet City | I'm just a dumb guitar player relaying things I've heard, though I do respect the individual who told me this quite a bit, and he's introduced things to the guitar making industry that have revolutionised it. As a matter of fact, I know his work has even influenced Ovation.
Dunno about phenalics or residues on electronics. As a matter of fact, I wouldn't dare attempt something as simple as soldering. Damon doesn't do electronics.
But I do know I said brake cleaner and not carb cleaner. He also specified Berryman's or 3M.
Maybe they're the same? I dunno. Damon doesn't do carbs or brakes either! ;)
Anyway, here is one of the things he said in regards to this...
"That Radio Shack cleaner, most likely, will have a lubricant in it that will attract dust and capture the carbon particles when they wear off. It's like going to the grocery store and renting a carpet shampoo machine. The product will insure that you have to continue renting the shampooer, or re-spraying with the Radio Shack pot lubricant/cleaner.
Use a spray brake cleaner which leaves no residue." |
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Location: closely held secret | If you buy a quality ECC from an electronic supply store - not radio shack - and apply it as iffy detailed it should be fine (if the pot is not damaged physically). It is exactly what ECC is made to do. |
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Location: Florida Central Gulf Coast | Damon67 ,
My bad on carb vs. brake cleaner! 
Nonetheless, both have an ingredient that will attack SOME pot wafers (re small circuit boards), albeit the brake cleaner is 'cleaner'. When I want to clean a MECHANICAL part, brake cleaner is IT. I use it when I'm prepping, building and repairing AR-15s, FALs, etc.
There have been at least three (probably more by now) major generations of circuit board compositions since the late '50s. The later ones may withstand the solvents of a brake cleaner but I wouldn't chance it, especially anywhere near any guitar finish!
The BEST way to utilize ECC is to dunk and manipulate the the pot in a bulk liquid container. Of course this requires de-soldering the pot (more on this later). The spray cans will normally meet all your needs. Go to your nearest electrical supplier and purchase your ECC. Radio Shack's product is OK but not up to mil specs. Mil spec is what you're looking for.
I'm a ol' novice when it comes to guitars and a duffer as far as playing. But I will not lead you astray when it comes to electronic maintenance!
In the near future I'll post the hopefully definitive* procedure for proper soldering/de-soldering. I've been wanting to do this since I came across the ol' 'Soldering from Hell(?)' post I found via 'search'.
*I taught a NASA based micro-soldering course while in the USAF. Just as a teaser; military research determined that the average B-52 had over 200# of excess solder! This study was the offspring of NASA's concern with payload, 'G's and violent vibrations. I spent most of my instruction time in erasing the 'bigger the blob, the better the job' fallacy my students brought into the classroom. 
Ya'll have a great weekend! |
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Location: Jet City | OMG iffy! You're gonna make my head explode!
Please see post above, specifically the "dumb guitar player" part.
For the record, I've only used ECC (though I didn't know it had it's own acronym), and I've only had scratchys on my Peavey amp, and some of my effects.
I haven't used the stuff on a guitar yet, but I've been told the Tornado has scratchys, so I guess that'll be my first.
I'm apprehensive about the brake cleaner thing, but it must work. I know that even though he's retired, he still works on guitars for people and I bet they'd be a bit upset if he destroyed the pots in their guitars.
So when you say "If the proper use of ECC does not resolve the issue then the pot needs to be replaced. But if one can remove the pot to where one can apply ample pressurized ECC and exercise the wiper without damaging wood, decals, etc. chances are that all will be well."
Does that mean I'm supposed to remove a pot first before using that stuff? I'm out on doing that stuff. I thought it came in a can and you just sprayed it in a little hole and turned the knobby back and forth? |
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Posts: 6268
Location: Florida Central Gulf Coast | Damon67 ,
First of all I'm not dissing your luthier friend. If you take your git to him and you're happy, then so be it. I'm just trying to provide a known and established procedure that NASA/NSA/ect. rely upon to secure our national security and that anyone can utilize to remedy a common guitar issue.
As to the "dumb guitar player" aspect, at least there are two of us. 
Even though rocket science prompted the referenced study and subsequent soldering course(s), I can break it down so that even I can resolve some common guitar electronic issues.
Yes you can adapt a tube to a spray can and place it over the pot shaft and get satisfactory results. Or find an opening in the pot housing and douse the contacts.
But with Ovations, as opposed to 33X bodies, you can easily retrieve the pot(s) and perform a thorough cleansing with ECC (my impromptu acronym) without desoldering.
With all that said, I will NOT use brake, carb or ear cleaner on my gits.
Gotta go get some shut-eye. Catch ya later... |
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January 2008
Posts: 108
Location: Cheyenne, Wyoming | When you're talking pressurized ECC, is this the way to do it?
http://www.customguitars.com/pots.html |
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December 2006
Posts: 6268
Location: Florida Central Gulf Coast | Originally posted by prairiedog:
When you're talking pressurized ECC, is this the way to do it? Yes. That's the tube adaptation I mentioned. The only disadvantage is that you need to remove the adapter to exercise the pot shaft. Small price to pay especially for a 33X body. I would do that at least three times. |
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Posts: 2491
Location: Copenhagen Denmark | IFFY and everyone else, ..
It`s about Potentiometers, which are either made with a graphite cicular layer , or some plastic conductive material , with a slider pressing onto it , when dirt/grit gets pushed repeatedly , it will get embedded into that graphite/plastic layer , spraying something /anything onto that, will weaken that plastic -layer getting that grit -particle to nestle real good, and a graphite layer will partly dissolve , ergo :
It Will make matters Worse !!
If anything , than try to blow it clean with compressed air , ..
But ..!!...know what that costs..?..
potentiometers cost what , a couple of dollars a piece , and rather easy to replace .
Many ways lead to Rome , why take the hard one..
Contact cleaner is great to Clean Switches with , then should be wiped , and treated with
lectro -lube.
Iffy , great to meet a fellow radio/el.-engineer, I`m in the process of building a PA -system with ALTEC 418 B x4 , ALTEC 421 -8H x 2 ..JBL 2235 x2, GOODMANS 18HP x2 ,and...a couple of ALTEC Sectoral horns (model 811), it will be my new modular dream -system :cool:
..( something that will even make Alpep look green with envy ).. :D
I am considering to purchase a MARSHALL 9200 , and change it into a single -ended Balanced Triode amp. , ..not sure though , the thing weighs 40 kilo -( 80 lbs. )..!! :rolleyes:
maybe should stick with mos -fets...
Vic
..or maybe just buy the amps. , after 40 yrs. , amp.building gets a little tedious , and more costly than the big names charge , ..ALESIS RA 300 looks/sounds good.. ;) |
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cleaning a volume/tone pot on my 1651
