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Possible problem with volume pot?

M

MKS

Apr 19, 2002
1,208
7
55
South East Kent, England.
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#1
Just a little question for anyone with a Lakland 55-02 or anybody with a similar preamp:

My volume pot seems to be really sensitive in the last small turn (about the last eighth of a turn) where the volume increases a lot, very quickly. Below this the volume drops really quickly as well. Have I got a logarithmic pot instead of a linear one by mistake? Anyone else with that same issue? I played a 55-02 in London before I bought this and my recollection is that it had a much smoother roll-off on volume. The problem is that I sometimes knock the volume pot, which effectively "turns off" the bass. The effect is that severe. Also, I would like to be able to dial out some volume if I crank the bottom end EQ.

Any thoughts?
 
#2
So the volume knob is only active in a very small portion of it's rotation? When you roll it off, it turns off much sooner than it hits the end of its rotation?

If you answered yes here's some info:
You are supposed to have a logarithmic (a.k.a. audio taper) pot. Your problem sounds typical of what happens when you use a pot with too much resistance. Using a pot of lower resistance will fix this problem, but make sure its an audio taper (log) pot.

Hope this helps!
 
#5
When I took it in to get set up recently the technician put in a new volume pot. He discussed with me afterwards that he could have put in a 50K pot (?) instead of the usual 25K (again ?) which would have resulted in a much smoother volume transition in active mode but that would have reduced the passive volume quite a bit. Fortunately, in some ways, he didn't have any of those lying around and so put in a new version of what came out. It now works much better. However I have to say that it now seems to be much smoother at the top end and dies away quite quickly at the low end. Still, that's easier to live with - I don't accidently "switch it off" by nudging the volume pot, and I can trim the volume if I add in more bottom EQ.

It's an awesome bass...
 
#6
FWIW:

don't use pots anymore so it's not fresh but this, or something close, has come up at least a couple of times and was either out of phase (pups wires need switched) or wires crossed on the jack, can't remember.

Supposedly a linear pot for volume will give some wierd gradation but I've never had it happen and I've got a Carvin pot unopended still in the package that explicitly states: P1 volume control/linear 500K - so go figure.

You should be able to locate the thread I was referring to going through the TB search - it may resolve your problem and make it as it should be.
 
#7
Hey...just a follow-up with the resolution to my issue with my 55-02.

I had emailed Lakland in mid-September asking about the vol. pot issue and the best way to repair/replace it. I got an "out of office" auto-reply back saying they would be out for another week or so. I didn't hear anything back so about mid-October I emailed them again.

A couple days ago I just got an email back from Brian at Lakland, he said he'd mail me a new vol. pot free of charge.

So that's cool, even though it was quite a delay in getting back to me -I understand they are busy, I can't complain about being sent a new pot for free!!!

Just thought I'd share my experience as it sounds like others have had similiar issues with their 55-02's...

~Steve
 

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