Knobs on my P-bass dont turn "smooth"

[cire113]

this is a weird but annoying problem.. My knobs on my fender p bass deluxe dont have that nice smooth turn anymore...

They almost have no resistance and its very annoying because i can accidently turn my volume knob without even realizing it..

Do i need new pots? Or is there any other remedy for this situation..

Do you guys know what im talking about?

So of the knobs still have that nice "smooth" resistance when i turn them but my volume and my mid knob do not.. its terribly annoying

[john grey]

Electronic parts run the gambit from unbelievably cheap to seriously expensive. With pots, high quality units can cost real money. They WILL stay at a certain tension (or "feel") but they have the same effect on electrical resistance as those costing $5. What took place is that a ring shaped bit of Teflon wore as you turned the pot.

IF it were REALLY important to you, you could buy high end pots that always provided the same resistance. But I can't see that as being practical what so ever. Those are generally seriously expensive (even from a distributor).

[walterw]

so they turn fine, just with no resistance?

try stuffing a felt washer or two under the knobs, enough to provide a little drag when turning them.

[PCR]

You can (usually) fix this...

It may take you 15-30 mins.

You will need to take the knobs off from the pickguard, and unsolder the ground lug from the back of the pot (vol) and probably the cap from the back of the tone pot.

Next take a small screw driver and pry up the four little tabs holding the metal treaded top to the bottom of the pot. The pot should come apart in 4 pieces (threaded top, trace disc, shaft and bottom).

To tighten up the lug, carefully bend the two legs on the shaft piece out a little more to put more spring pressure against the bottom piece, then smear the excess grease in the bottom piece to fill in the area where the legs had wiped the grease away.

Re-assemble the four pieces, then use a pair of pliers to squeeze the four tabs back down to hold the threaded top piece in place.

This link is to a tutorial on how to make a no-load pot. You don't want to make a no-load pot; but the link does show good pics and instructions on how to take a pot apart, and put it back together.

[cire113]

yeah they turn fine but they are way too loose; and lack that cool turning smoothness...

^^^ uh man i doubt ill try this..Are you sure thats going to fix my problem?

just because it involves a bunch stuff i dont understand...

I have this really cool luthier ill take it to him hopefully he can fix it on my 2 knobs

[bassbenj]

Originally Posted by cire113

yeah they turn fine but they are way too loose; and lack that cool turning smoothness...

^^^ uh man i doubt ill try this..Are you sure thats going to fix my problem?

just because it involves a bunch stuff i dont understand...

I have this really cool luthier ill take it to him hopefully he can fix it on my 2 knobs

What's to understand? The friction in the pots is too low. Some guitarists LOVE that! I guess so they can spin the knobs around. I've got a guitar like that and I hate it (because of the bump the knob thing) so I guess I'll have to install new pots.

I'd guess unless you are going to be real picky almost any pot sold for volume and tone use will be better. Usually new pots have some reasonable friction. I really don't know where guitarists find those super-loose pots!

So have your repair guy (luthier not required for this job!) just replace your pots with new ones. People seem to like CTS as being better quality, but I just replaced a CTS pot in my Fender because it was loosing contact (not that old either) so I guess anything can happen. (I replaced it with another CTS!) .

Or better learn how to do it yourself. A worthwhile thing to know even if you usually have someone else do it for you.

[SGD Lutherie]

Originally Posted by bassbenj

What's to understand? The friction in the pots is too low. Some guitarists LOVE that! I guess so they can spin the knobs around.

Bourns makes those low friction pots that get sold as EVH pots and YJM pots (by Duncan). They are good quality pots, but they feel cheap to me. I like the smoother feel better.

Guitarists must love them because EVH gets $15 for a $2 pot!

[cire113]

but i need the specific pot that will work with my bass and electronics right? or any will do?

sorry i dont know much but i appreciate the help

[grendle]

Easy fix one of 2 ways. Either smear a little bit of thick high temp grease on the bottom of the pot shaft, or use the lightest locktight they make and put 1 drop on the pot shafts. Other than that replace the pots. Most people like that broken in feel