scratchy pot

bombidol

The tone pot / Coil tap on my Schecter is kinda scratchy. whats the handiest way of fixing this? ill have the guitar open tonight to attempt installing an Invader so ill try it then.

gar

Kenny_D

Here's a quick test to determine if your potentiometers need to be replaced or just cleaned. With the guitar plugged in, try turning the scratchy pot back and forth quickly a few times. If the scratchiness starts to lessen, then the pot needs cleaning. If the scratchy sound doesn't go away or sounds more like a "click," then the pot needs to be replaced.

To clean dirty pots, you'll need a spray cleaner or lubricant commonly available at any electronics parts store. With the guitar unplugged and the pots exposed, give the pot one shot of spray through the opening in the back of the cover that protects the pot. The access hole is small, but by using the tube supplied with the spray can, the spray will reach inside the pot. One shot should suffice. Let it set for about 10 seconds and hen rotate the pot back and forth quickly. Plug the guitar back in and give it a test. The noise should be gone or reduced significantly. If there is still some scratchiness, unplug the guitar and repeat the process one more time. If the scratchy sound doesn't go away at this point, it's probably a bad pot and it'll need to be replaced. Just a note of caution -- before you spray anything in or around your guitar, protect the paint job by putting a towel or old T-shirt around the body.

bombidol

nice one

Johnny Storm

Very good advice from GStormcrow.
FWIW The guy in Maplins recommended Maplin brand "Switch cleaner" spraycan. I haven't actually gotten around to using it yet.
Don't (as I did the first time) get "Contact Cleaner" which is for a different purpose.

Kenny_D

Dont use WD40

Eoin Madsen

The Maplin stuff seems grand. Not sure about WD40 tbh. It leaves residue.

Johnny Storm

I have read elsewhere that WD40 is a total no-no on your guitar. As Eoin said it can leave a sticky residue which can build up dust and dirt in the pot over time. On the other hand a lot of people seem to use it.
Here's a quote from another forum from a guy who makes his living building boutique amps and IMHO usually knows what he's talking about:-

Well, first off, WD40 is actually a water displacer, hence the "WD." It is very similar to an oil, and is a compound in an oil suspension. The big reason you don't want to use it on parts attached to your guitar is that it can soak into the wood, causing the wood to soften and swell. When the wood shrinks, any screws in that area will now be loose. It is good, however, to use for a rust remover on strat bridge saddles, provided they are pulled off the guitar prior to cleaning. Don't take shortcuts with your instrument.

WetDaddy

I've used those electronics spray cleaners on pots before (both amps and guitars). They work a treat. They even work quite well on pickup selectors, too.

The one I have I picked up in the states. Looks like a can of deodorant with a long tube coming out of the nozzle (for applying the stuff more accurately), but at the end of the tube was a light brush, which you use to remove any excess cleaner.

Go for it, you won't know yourself!