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Scratchy Tone Pots


JohnWhirl

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I was thinking about this today, and thought this would be an awesome place to ask for help with this!

 

My '04 LP Standard has had scratchy tone pots since the day I picked her up. They crack and snap with the lightest touch, let alone turning them to try to adjust. Is there a quick, easy and inexpensive way to repair this?

 

What would you all recommend trying to do?

 

Thanks so much!

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It could be related in that there might be a loose connection in there, or the pot is really dirty and when you are playing, it's loosing contact.

 

I would take off the strings, unscrew the pickguard and pull the assembly out, NOT disconnecting any wires.

 

Plug the guitar in the amp (clean setting, please) and then with a pencil (something non-metal), move the wires around a bit here and there. Check connections, etc. If there is a loose connection, it will make a ton of noise when you touch it like that.

 

Tap the eraser end of the pencil against all three pots as well. You'll hear if there's a problem with one.

 

While you are in there, clean all three pots. Easy to do: I use WD40, but know other repair people who use electronics cleaner. Just point the little red tube into an opening in the pot and spray the hell out of it while you twist the pot back and forth. Let the stuff drip out of it, along with whatever dust and dirt was in there.

 

You should be good to go with those steps. On ocasion, a pot goes bad and needs to be replaced. It's pretty simple if you are handy with a soldering iron and the part is very inexpensive.

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I have had the same problem for the with my '02 Epi LP for the last 6 years, and when I took it to my tech, he said that they were crap (and that's when it was new!). So my advice would be to buy a set of new ones, and be done with it, cause' I tries every "pot" cleaner there is, and nothing. Heck! mine are so bad that I CAN'T adjust the tone for either p/u, so I have to use an effects peddle, or the EQ on my amps, to adjust my overal tone. I would get them replaced, but I see it as a waste of money, considering I'm saving for a Gibby LP.

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It's worth it to try and clean the pots using DeoxIT or similar pot cleaning solutions available at Radio Shack, Home Depot, etc. Stew Mac sells DeoxIT as well as a cool little pot cleaning cap that fits over the shaft collar to force the spray into the pot. You can also make them inexpensively with plastic tubing, hole caps, glue and a drill. I've made several for different collar sizes from stuff laying about and the cost was $0.00.

 

However, if they've been scratchy since day one, they may just need to be upgraded. New pots are relatively easy to replace on an LP, and if you're reasonably handy with a soldering iron you can do the whole job in less than two hours.

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Why didn't you bring it back? I reinstalled new pots on my Joe Pass to solve the problem, but also found a ground falut.

 

This is why people love to work on Fenders and not Gibsons...their electronics are difficult. Never had one problem with a Fender...but you'd have to pay me to work on these pain in the butts....I'm too old and not patient enough for the naturing they seem to need. I like things simple...Having a Gibson is like having my old BMW, if you need it worked on Bring Your Money with You! Now I know why....you'd think for what they charge, they would make the archtops more accesable and electronics more dependable....gotta love the sound, but....

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