Vol Pedal ?

Skip T · Post by **Skip T** » 27 Oct 2000 9:13 am

I have a Goodrich 120 pedal , and have started getting a "scratchy sound" thru the amp , when moving the pedal. Is this a bad pot ?
Thanks - - - - Skip

Jim Smith · Post by **Jim Smith** » 27 Oct 2000 9:45 am

Ann Fabian · Post by **Ann Fabian** » 27 Oct 2000 9:57 am

Skip or anyone else "wanting" to change their pots:

Tips on changing the pot on your volume pedal by Jeff Newman are located here.

Hope that helps . . .

Ann Fabian
Carter Steel Guitars
www.steelguitar.com
The Steel Guitar Information Resource
www.steelguitarINFO.com
OnLine Steel Guitarists Directory
www.OnLineSteelers.com

Ricky Davis · Post by **Ricky Davis** » 27 Oct 2000 9:57 am

Open the back of the pedal up; and spray the pot with contact cleaner; and that will fix her right up.
I even sprayed it with WD-40 before and haven't had a noise in that particular pot pedal in a year1/2.
Ricky

Skip T · Post by **Skip T** » 27 Oct 2000 12:35 pm

Jim , Ann , Ricky - - thanks for the quick replies. Needless to say , I'm going to TRY Ricky's solution first.

- - - Skip T

Lee Baucum · Post by **Lee Baucum** » 27 Oct 2000 6:35 pm

With all due respect to Ricky, I wouldn't take the WD-40 route. Use the contact cleaner. After spraying the pot with cleaner, close it back up, reinstall the pot in the pedal, and then go order a new pot!

Lee, from South Texas

Kenny Dail · Post by **Kenny Dail** » 27 Oct 2000 7:29 pm

Lee, with no disrespect to you or Ricky, I had a pot changed in my pedal by Billy Cooper approximately 2 or 3 years ago After I had used it for about 3 or 4 months it became hard to open and close. It was as if the shaft of the pot had either gotten larger or the hole in the pot that the shaft was going thru had gotten smaller and it was freezing up. I, in a moment of disgust and exasperation, got the WD40 and without any kind of disasembly (I use an open bottom Emmons pedal) it very gently dropped enough on the shaft and let it seep down into the area that needed "lubricating". I began to work the shaft back and forth and lo and behold, it suddenly starting turning with very little effort. I am still using this pedal with the same pot that was freezing up. I figured it wouldn't cost any more to try this since the pot obviously would have to be replaced anyway and the problem has never re-appeared. I have never used WD40 for a scratchy noise problem but it will free up a frozen shaft with very little effort.

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kd...and the beat goes on...

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 28 Oct 2000 4:47 am

You can clean a volume control pot, but in almost all cases it only "prolong the agony" and the pot will eventually have to be replaced.

Since these pots are sealed, the dust that collects inside is usually the carbon residue that eventually comes off of the carbon resistance element from use. This is generally why the pot goes bad, too, as the carbon resistance element eventually wears thin or wears out.

WD-40 NEVER comes near any of my electronic equiment, or anyone else's equipment that I work on. WD-40 may have a lot of uses but electronics is not one of them.

basilh · Post by **basilh** » 28 Oct 2000 5:50 am

WD-40 works for me, BUT of course here in Europe we are limited (Mainly) to the type of pots that are NOT sealed
BAZ

Lee Baucum · Post by **Lee Baucum** » 28 Oct 2000 9:11 am

Kenny - You used WD-40 to cure a mechanical problem, not electrical. WD-40 works great to free up frozen parts, but it is such a dust magnet. You have to be very careful where you use it. I keep a can of WD-40 around the house as a cleaner. It will cut through all kinds of gunk. But if it is left on the part it is applied to, it will eventually compound the problem. For lubricating, I prefer a Teflon based lubricant.

Just my humble opinions, of course.
Your mileage may vary.
Please consult your legal advisor......

Lee, from South Texas

Bob Mainwaring · Post by **Bob Mainwaring** » 28 Oct 2000 3:05 pm

Hi there guys,
For what it`s worth - I made mention befor on another thread as regards using WD40.
A good friend of mine years ago told me about using it.
I had bought a supply to replace when they became scratchy, I just changed it as a matter of course.
What I did was to liberally spray all the gunge out without "easing" the tabs off the outer housing pressing by placing the red tube into the side where a clearance could be seen. All the carbon dust that`s kept there usually makes it worse, so it`s in the best interests to spray it out.
Before buying a new Hilton pedal, the life expectancy of a replaced pot` went up 10 fold.
I had no other problems for such a long time with this way of attacking the problem.

Bob Mainwaring. Z.Bs. and other weird things.

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Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 28 Oct 2000 3:47 pm

It's safe to remove the cover to clean the pot. I've done it several times, and it's just a matter of judiciously loosening the tabs enough to remove the back cover. Then you can clean it, and relube it before you put the cover back on. The wiper (the part that turns) has a small graphite block in it. This is what wears out. When the block wears too much, it no longer presses firmly enough on the circular element. You'll know when this happens because the tiny metal "cage" that holds the block will start to rub on the circular element...then it's gone for good!

And Kenny is right...remember to lube the bushing too, as they will sometimes get gummed up and tight.

Geoff Scott · Post by **Geoff Scott** » 28 Oct 2000 5:47 pm

Edited[This message was edited by Geoff Scott on 29 October 2000 at 07:10 AM.]

Ricky Davis · Post by **Ricky Davis** » 30 Oct 2000 2:49 am

I guess I should elaborate just a little more on my advice. Absolutely do not use WD-40 on any working parts;unless you are using it to free something up or to clean; but after you do that; clean all residue out of part>WD is a dust collector and you will end up attracting gunk in your parts. Use the contact cleaner to spray electrical parts and use a lite>3and1 oil for metal working parts.
I was at a gig and the pot started doing that and WD-40 was the only thing around that I knew would work and didn't have a spare pedal>so I went for it. But when I got home, I did take the pot out and take cover off and cleaned any and all residue and oils that were in there; and worked great. But yes a pot will eventually have to be replaced in time; but what the heck.
Ricky

Lefty · Post by **Lefty** » 30 Oct 2000 5:45 pm

The best is a good contact cleaner/lubricant. This is the best of both worlds. The contact cleaner cleans, but leaves the contacts dry and they can corrode again quickly.
The cleaner/lubricant clens and lubricates them. You should be able to do this quite a few times before pot replacement is necessary.
Lefty

Bob Hoffnar · Post by **Bob Hoffnar** » 30 Oct 2000 10:31 pm

Before trying to fix or replace anything you might just work the pedal back and forth for a little while. Sometimes that will do the trick. I have found that sometimes if I haven't used a particular pedal the pot will be scratchy at first. Since I started doing that I have found that I rarely need to replace or lube a pot.

Bob

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Franklin D-10

Skip T · Post by **Skip T** » 1 Nov 2000 7:39 pm

Thanks for all the good advice. Don't know how long this "fix" will last , but I'm happy right now. I took the pot loose from the mounting bracket and the cover off. I sprayed the contact with "CRC" QD Electronic cleaner. Then I put a tiny bit of graphite on the plate. Put everything back together and this pedal is super quiet and works very smooth now.
I know what to do if this doesn't last --

Skip T