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Cleaning Scratchy Pots???

gjbassist

gjbassist

Sep 7, 2005
6,039
3,131
60
Kansas City, MO
#1
My daughter started playing guitar recently. I dug a small Fender bass amp out for her to practice on as I really don't want her messing around with my Carvin rig. Anyway it hasn't been played through in a while and several of the pots are scratchy and cut out at certain settings. I was going to pull them out and clean or replace them but they are all attached to one circuit board. Is there any easy way to get them out and clean them or am I gonna have to pull out the whole board?
 
#3
I'm getting ready to do this on an old Yorkville head. Where exactly do you spray the Deoxit? Do you take all the knobs off first?
 
#4
Hi.

IMLE (25 years) cleaning scratchy pots is a PITA, and usually waste of time.

The resistive track isn't thick enough to last very long, and when there's a groove or the wiper wears through, all is lost.

How to do it if You insist on trying?

First You remove the PCB if the potentiometers are mounted on one. Taking all the screws, nuts, sockets etc. off first of course. Then You spray the cleaner to the opening where the track and wiper lugs exit the casing, turning the shaft as you spray.

Use only a cleaner that is intended to be used for potentiometers, a dry electrical cleaner will seize the shaft in no time.

Cleaning sealed potentiometers is a lost cause. But so is cleaning any other ones too. IME/IMHO only of course.

Regards
Sam
 
#5
I use the Caig Deoxit or even WD40. Take off the cap, spray the shaft or switch and work it work it work it, meaning rotate the control back and forth quickly letting the spray seep and clean. In tougher cases, remove the washers for better access. Worst case (before replacing) take the guts out and spray from the back side. Of many many controls and switches I've done this to, it's never failed to work. :cool:
 
#6
T-Bird said:
Hi.

IMLE (25 years) cleaning scratchy pots is a PITA, and usually waste of time.

The resistive track isn't thick enough to last very long, and when there's a groove or the wiper wears through, all is lost.

How to do it if You insist on trying?

First You remove the PCB if the potentiometers are mounted on one. Taking all the screws, nuts, sockets etc. off first of course. Then You spray the cleaner to the opening where the track and wiper lugs exit the casing, turning the shaft as you spray.

Use only a cleaner that is intended to be used for potentiometers, a dry electrical cleaner will seize the shaft in no time.

Cleaning sealed potentiometers is a lost cause. But so is cleaning any other ones too. IME/IMHO only of course.
Click to expand...
I've had very good luck cleaning pots. Sometimes they don't clean, but for the vast majority of times they do. Many basses 50 years old still have their original pots. Why get rid of them if cleaning will work?
 
#7
Deoxit is like gold when it comes to cleaning pots. Some other products like TV tuner or cleaner sprays will often make the problem worse.

You have to get the Deoxit into the pot and twist the shaft back and forth to allow it to penetrate the gunk and work. This is easier to do on some pots than others. If there are holes in the pot's case where the three lugs/solder tabs are, you can spray it in there.

Usually, the pots in inexpensive amps are about as cheap as you can get. They don't stand up that well. It is always better to try cleaning the pots rather than resorting to surgery but you have to weigh the cost of buying the Deoxit versus simply replacing the pots.
 
#9
Oren Hudson said:
I use the Caig Deoxit or even WD40. Take off the cap, spray the shaft or switch and work it work it work it, meaning rotate the control back and forth quickly letting the spray seep and clean. In tougher cases, remove the washers for better access. Worst case (before replacing) take the guts out and spray from the back side. Of many many controls and switches I've done this to, it's never failed to work. :cool:
Click to expand...

+1 on wd40 or contact cleaner.
 
#11
* Changing pots greatly decreases vintage instrument and amp values
* Many amps have pots soldered to the PCB; not a job for the novice
* Many times the replacement pot is not as good as the one you are replacing
* Older pots with fragile carbon wipers can be destroyed with aggressive contact cleaner; Cesar Diaz was a good friend of mine and I have on of his first hand built amps; yes he used gunk, brake cleaner and wd40 but not on really nice guitars or black face amps regardless of what you've read; that quote did get him noticed though
* Pros use Deoxit (formerly called Cramolin Red) as it cleans, lubricates, and does not hurt older pots

Our stuff is junk compared to vintage recording equipment and that's what the best techs use

Anything else you've heard from your friends brothers cousin, or read, in guitar queers hi-perf modification mag is just plain wrong
My 1960 P-bass has the original pots as do all my 60's and 70's Ampegs; none of the pots are scratchy or have dead spots
 
#12
keyboardguy said:
I've used this for years with no problems, and you can get it at your local Radio Shack... er... "The Shack"

Invalid Link Removed



Regards,

Mike
Click to expand...
+1 here. I just cleaned my pots out with this. Works like a charm.. kinda pricey for that small size but it seems worth it to me.

EDIT: I should mention that the stuff I bought, which is the same, is called Control/Contact Cleaner and Lubricant. I only mention it because I wrote down TV-Tuner/Control Cleaner & Lubricant and the Radio Shack guy and I spent a good 15 minutes looking around and calling other stores before we realized this was the same.
 
#13
WD is probably a bad idea, it gets sticky over time...... LPS 2 I seem to remember using years ago and it did well. Similar stuff, much better quality.

At least any more there is no such thing as "TV tuner wash"............. that stuff gave pot cleaning the bad name it has.... it had a gritty contact cleaning abrasive in it, and any pot cleaned with that stuff would fail soon from having its little carbon track insides "sanded off".

problem is, once you start with the pot cleaning, you end up doing it again and again..... the cleaning seems not to last.

And some pots are damaged by certain cleaners, the carbon tracks are softened and wear badly.

But if the unit is unusable now, you may as well try it.

Another scary thing is when you have pots with that nice 'gooey feel". Often they will be very loose after cleaning........so you start saying bad things..... but usually they will be OK after a few days.
 
#16
DeoxIT Faderlube (formerly called CaiLube Moving Control Lubricant) is the solution. It lubricates as well as cleans and if it doesn't cure the scratchiness, then replacement is the only cure. Good luck with the Radio Shack preparation if that's where you're going...
 

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