P bass Knob repair

K0W · #1 10-06-2012, 09:00 PM

Basically my cousin (3 years old) got a hold of my bass and was playing with the knobs, and spun both my tone and volume knobs to the point where they popped right out. i'm in the midst of attempting to repair it, they don't screw in to it, and i've tried pushing them in, i'm not sure how to fix this. please help if you can. Thank you.

monti2889 · #2 10-06-2012, 09:07 PM

http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Electron...tiometers.html

or

http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Electron...or_P-Bass.html

that's provided you can get the shaft out of the old knobs...if not, you may need to go shopping for new knobs too.

ddnidd1 · #3 10-06-2012, 09:40 PM

The knobs aren't what's broken. The shafts of the potentiometers (volume and tone controls) have been ripped out.

The knobs have a small set screw in the side. Loosen the screw and remove the broken shaft from inside the knob. The entire pots beneath the pickguard need to be replaced and the appropriate wires re-soldered. Then the knobs can be re-attached to the new pot shafts.

No offense, but you're obviously not familiar with the hardware and electronics. Take it to a guitar tech. It's a relatively small job.

Johntheson · #4 10-07-2012, 08:30 AM

The force a 3 year old had to use to completely snap those pot shafts off like that is unreal. No offense but he needs his butt spanked for that one.

CBRXJ · #5 10-07-2012, 08:38 AM

You need some new pots...and you need to keep that bass away from that shaftsnapper.

Thick McRunfast · #6 10-07-2012, 10:05 AM

I'd think twice about spanking a kid that strong

Stilettoprefer · #7 10-07-2012, 11:25 AM

Holy sh*t.... How the hell does a 3 year old do that? I didnt even know that possible....

klegdixal · #8 10-07-2012, 11:47 AM

can't see why cheap pots would be a challenge for an inquisitive 3-years old

pots with torn out shafts = pots to be replaced
most probably 2x250k audio taper pots (though it would be good to check the actual values on destroyed ones) and some soldering gun job are needed.

coincidentally anyone suggesting that a corporeally punishing a 3-years old would solve or improve anything would IMO find a swift run right into a concrete wall head first absolutely refreshing.

Johntheson · #9 10-09-2012, 09:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by klegdixal

can't see why cheap pots would be a challenge for an inquisitive 3-years old

pots with torn out shafts = pots to be replaced
most probably 2x250k audio taper pots (though it would be good to check the actual values on destroyed ones) and some soldering gun job are needed.

coincidentally anyone suggesting that a corporeally punishing a 3-years old would solve or improve anything would IMO find a swift run right into a concrete wall head first absolutely refreshing.

I don't know what your idea of punishment is dude; but what I meant is a small tap on the hands or butt, and then take the time to try to communicate his error to him. This wasn't done by accident, and contrary to some opions; children can learn at an early age to respect other's property, as they play.I'm 60 years old, and I've raised 4 children, and I did have to give them a slight slap on the butt or the hands sometimes, to help teach them; so you take your concrete wall comment, and....... I'll leave it at that.

klegdixal · #10 10-09-2012, 10:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Johntheson

I don't know what your idea of punishment is dude; but what I meant is a small tap on the hands or butt, and then take the time to try to communicate his error to him. This wasn't done by accident, and contrary to some opions; children can learn at an early age to respect other's property, as they play.I'm 60 years old, and I've raised 4 children, and I did have to give them a slight slap on the butt or the hands sometimes, to help teach them; so you take your concrete wall comment, and....... I'll leave it at that.

well, you have an advantage over me, i only step-fathered to one. to my knowledge never a person rising him rised a hand on him in any way with or without the cheekiness to tell him it's for his own good. the bugger turned out fine IMO.
when we first met he was older than 3 but still actively trying out what he can get away with. so we hit it off with "i don't have to listen to anything you say" thing. i just admitted that indeed he doesn't and i won't do anything about it except returning the favour. he tested the concept in practice for a short while and decided that cooperation is a way more attractive option.
later he did something in a ground school and was told by a teacher that he'd get spanked when he gets home. it was second or third grade i think. as i picked him up and we went home he asked me if he gets spanked as the nice lady at school told him, the idea being a bit foreign to him. the look of his face when i explained to him that i don't have the least intention because IMO it would be inefficient and counter-productive compared to say a monthly ban for a computer/games/going out/something like that i don't remember
will be something to keep me smiling for the rest of my life.
that would be my idea of punishment, dude

Pilgrim · #11 10-09-2012, 11:24 AM

I have two daughters. A three-year-old isn't responsible..they just grab things and pull.

NOT a matter for discipline other than being told "don't do that". At three, that's about all you can do. Striking kids does NOT improve discipline. Talking with them and being honest does.

You need to replace both pots, which also means you will need to re-solder all connections. Take some good close-up digital pics before you remove wires, and do one pot at a time...you can do it.

Johntheson · #12 10-09-2012, 05:11 PM

I agree with him needing to replace the pots also. I also agree that we, as parents have our own ways of raising our children; it doesn't make my way wrong, or your way wrong. The concrete wall thing is what riled me a bit, as our close friend just lost a daughter when the car she was riding in left the road when the driver fell asleep, and it killed 3 occupants of the car. Nice story about you being a step father though; I wish there were many more like you. Peace.
John Sr.

darkstorm · #13 10-09-2012, 10:51 PM

The pot must have been defective or just cheap for the shaft to rip like that. I havent seen stuff like that except from cheap soft chinese metal screws etc. Still it would take the kid using full strength purposeful turn to try and force it more then it wanted to go. So yes at least a scolding is in order.

klegdixal · #14 10-10-2012, 04:56 AM

it's not even a matter of forceful turning, with cheap ones a good tug can be enough. i've heard of this happening because someone thought a knob was supposed to be push-pull.

if by scolding you mean shouting at well, myself i found that speaking with tends to work a bit better. on account of both sides listening.
kids this age tend to understand a lot, some of them are even quite gobby by then, but naturally they are as inquisitive as kitten and have about as much attention span. which unfortunately tends to be a good if tiresome thing - they have a whole new world to explore for themselves.
not much can really be done beyond having a constant eye on them and keeping things out of reach

Nev375 · #15 10-10-2012, 05:57 AM

It does not take that much effort to pull the shaft out of some pots (even good ones). I've had it happen while trying to remove the knobs from some instruments where the press-on knob didn't have the correct number of splines as the shaft of the pot. How they got it to fit on there in the first place is beyond me. But, you try to pull it off even with wiggling and the shaft rips out.

This is an easy repair if you know how to solder. If you don't, let a technician do it. Amateur soldering is a terrible thing. I can't tell you how many amateur broken joints or cold joints i've seen done by people who think soldering is just heating up a glob of solder until you get the wire to stick.

I would not recommend beating the children. I only got spanked a few times as a kid and I did not turn out ok.

hharda9791 · #16 03-08-2013, 07:18 AM

I am looking to buy a used MIM fender p bass from craigslist and I see a lot of knobs missing. I have replace the pickups on my squire j bass. So my question is are the knobs / hardware for knobs simple replace even if it is stripped and how much should I discount on the price when I see the knob is missing.

example
http://inlandempire.craigslist.org/msg/3624370326.html

http://inlandempire.craigslist.org/msg/3558223997.html

Howard
Thanks

Rocky McD · #17 03-08-2013, 10:45 AM

Some basses have solid shaft pots (nearly impossible to break off) and some have splined split-shaft pots that break fairly easily. Make sure you have the correct ones installed or you will need to buy new knobs, which cost more than the pots. By the way, trying to reason with a 3 year old may not be fruitfull. Put your bass out of his reach.

johnson79 · #18 03-08-2013, 10:59 AM

My son is about to turn 4 in a few weeks. He destroys everything he touches. Just last night he put too much tp in the toilet and it overfilled. He didn't mention that to us when he came downstairs. My wife noticed water leaking from our kitchen light and I figured it out in about a second.

Kids are curious and don't know any better, it's up to us to teach them.

They're also the reason I can't have nice things.

JLS · #19 03-08-2013, 11:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by K0W

Basically my cousin (3 years old) got a hold of my bass and was playing with the knobs, and spun both my tone and volume knobs to the point where they popped right out. i'm in the midst of attempting to repair it, they don't screw in to it, and i've tried pushing them in, i'm not sure how to fix this. please help if you can. Thank you.

You need to replace both destroyed pots. No way around this, sorry.

bjabass · #20 03-08-2013, 11:53 AM

Assuming a 3 year old cannot learn from corrective action (a slap on the butt) is asenine . Not to mention going against centuries of proven success....