Dead Dimarzio pot

[MrBassman17]

Playing my P-Bass the other night, when out of nowhere, as I was adjusting the tone, heard a 'pop' sound, then nothing! The tone pot went dead, causing no output at all. Good thing I have other basses. Anyway, pulled off picguard to visually check for loose or grounded wires, etc., nothing. Back of pots read DiMarzio 250k ohms. Anyone out there ever experience this catastrophic pot failure? I'm replacing both pots with CTS solid shaft pots and Orange Drop cap.

 

[--Vissinger --]

Sometimes things hang up mechanically inside the pot and the slider snaps.

It just happens sometimes.

The marking on the back as "Dimarzio" tell you nothing about who actually made it. CTS pots are fine, people seem to think they're something holy, but there's a number of good manufacturers of those things.

What taper are you going to choose?

 

[MrBassman17]

This is a description of the replacement pots and cap I chose : New to the Texas Lone Star General Store! Custom upgrade for the Fender Precision Bass. Quit the off the rack sound with this handcrafted in the USA wiring harness. Put together by a master solderer certified in NASA high reliability and Mil-Std-2000 soldering techniques, and whose work was used on the Space Shuttle and other NASA and USAF projects, this setup will definitely bring out some serious tone from your bass. Top quality parts used: two 250K CTS 450G split shaft pots, Mojo Dijon tone capacitor for that extra tone with some punch, vintage style cloth covered wire,and a best in the business Switchcraft input jack.The 450G Series potentiometer is CTS's top of the line low torque 10% tolerance pot specifically designed for musical use. Easier to use for volume swells and tone control wah wah effects than the current Genuine Fender CTS pot. More features of the 450G include smoother rotation, low noise construction, proprietary anti static lube, reduced shaft wobble, solid brass threaded bushing and shaft and vintage style stamped top plate (the Genuine Fender CTS pots have a diecast pot metal top plate and bushing). Split shaft fits traditional 'push on' type knobs. Diameter of pot body .937". Threaded mounting bushing measures 3/8" diameter, 1/4" long. Exposed portion of splined slotted shaft measures 3/8" long. This pot is used for both Volume or Tone control. Standard 10% audio taper; at 50% rotation the pot measures 10% resistance.

 

[Hopkins]

This is a description of the replacement pots and cap I chose : New to the Texas Lone Star General Store! Custom upgrade for the Fender Precision Bass. Quit the off the rack sound with this handcrafted in the USA wiring harness. Put together by a master solderer certified in NASA high reliability and Mil-Std-2000 soldering techniques, and whose work was used on the Space Shuttle and other NASA and USAF projects, this setup will definitely bring out some serious tone from your bass. Top quality parts used: two 250K CTS 450G split shaft pots, Mojo Dijon tone capacitor for that extra tone with some punch, vintage style cloth covered wire,and a best in the business Switchcraft input jack.The 450G Series potentiometer is CTS's top of the line low torque 10% tolerance pot specifically designed for musical use. Easier to use for volume swells and tone control wah wah effects than the current Genuine Fender CTS pot. More features of the 450G include smoother rotation, low noise construction, proprietary anti static lube, reduced shaft wobble, solid brass threaded bushing and shaft and vintage style stamped top plate (the Genuine Fender CTS pots have a diecast pot metal top plate and bushing). Split shaft fits traditional 'push on' type knobs. Diameter of pot body .937". Threaded mounting bushing measures 3/8" diameter, 1/4" long. Exposed portion of splined slotted shaft measures 3/8" long. This pot is used for both Volume or Tone control. Standard 10% audio taper; at 50% rotation the pot measures 10% resistance.

That seriously sounds like a bunch of hocus pocus to me. Especially about the NASA certified, soldering wizard who uses pixie dust flux, and solder that was blessed by a magic monk that results in 10% better tone.

 

[MrBassman17]

Well, the picture on eBay looked real enough, so I guess I'll just have to instal it and see! I have always been of the mind that when something (mostly automotive) breaks, the replacement should be an upgrade. I did, however, order a factory replacement kit just in case.

 

[Hopkins]

Well, the picture on eBay looked real enough, so I guess I'll just have to instal it and see! I have always been of the mind that when something (mostly automotive) breaks, the replacement should be an upgrade. I did, however, order a factory replacement kit just in case.

I'm not trying to sound like a jerk man. But that was just a sales pitch to sell less than $10 in parts for $35. There are only two types of solder joints, good and bad. There is no way to change the tone of anything with your soldering technique. Pots are pots, and caps are caps. If they are the same value they will sound the same. And that out dated pain in the butt, cloth wire means absolutely nothing as far as tone goes. Again, I'm not trying to be a jerk, I just don't like seeing people get hosed.

 

[Bassamatic]

I'm not trying to sound like a jerk man. But that was just a sales pitch to sell less than $10 in parts for $35. There are only two types of solder joints, good and bad. There is no way to change the tone of anything with your soldering technique. Pots are pots, and caps are caps. If they are the same value they will sound the same. And that out dated pain in the butt, cloth wire means absolutely nothing as far as tone goes. Again, I'm not trying to be a jerk, I just don't like seeing people get hosed.

+100 Truest post I've seen in a long time.

 

[iiipopes]

The best way to eventually have an internal short in the wiring is to use waxed cloth covered wire. Leo used it because it was what was available at the time cheaply.

Caps are caps. The only difference in caps is whether or not the company is consistent in their manufacture, and if you can get the values desired for the application. For that reason, I do tend to prefer Sprague, because they are consistent and relatively inexpensive, and make the in-between values as well, but Radio Shack $.79 will do just fine.

Same for pots. CTS is the standard because of their reliability and consistency. Original instruments from decades ago are still functioning perfectly on original pots. I just had a vintage big muff rebuilt, and the tech took the wafer and lugs guts from a new pot and put it in the old casing and wiper and because of wanting to retain the original half-split shaft and knob. Perfect fit and tone.

 

[MrBassman17]

Well, not being an electronics guru, I don't know how to respond to the posts so far. As far as wire and solder quality, there has to be some difference in longevity in mil spec vs what I can do, the wire itself is, to me a non issue because it's not a heat or voltage intensive environment, so I don't think one is more prone to shorting than the other as long as it is routed properly. The cap, however, should make a difference. Here are the numbers from the ywo in question : Orange Drop: SBE715P 200V/473J/1033; Mojo Dijon : 47nF/630V. The only number on the Orange Drop I can make sense of is the voltage; 200 has to make a different sound than 630 on the Mojo. If I were anelectrical wiz and had great soldering skill, I wouldn't have even posted this, but, that not being the case, it's still cheaper to support a cottage industry than take it to a shop. I prefer supporting small business, the rest I can take care of myself.