Can this volume pot issue be fixed?

[metropolis_4]

My Strat volume pot is doing a thing where when it’s turned all the way off there is still sound and when I turn it up a little then it is off. When I roll back the volume it is “off” when I get around 1-2 on the knob, and then it comes back in when I go past that to 0.

Like the position of “off” has shifted and is now around 1-2 on the knob instead of all the way counter clockwise.

Is that something that can be fixed or do I need a new pot?

 

[Eagle]

My Strat volume pot is doing a thing where when it’s turned all the way off there is still sound and when I turn it up a little then it is off. When I roll back the volume it is “off” when I get around 1-2 on the knob, and then it comes back in when I go past that to 0.

Like the position of “off” has shifted and is now around 1-2 on the knob instead of all the way counter clockwise.

Is that something that can be fixed or do I need a new pot?

I would replace it in anything other than serious vintage. You could however try cleaning it but you would need to remove and disassemble it because it sounds like a build up of the lube in the pot and carbon worn off the track . It can accumulate at the end of the travel and conduct signal from anything it’s in contact with. This usually works but it depends on the condition of the track as to whether it was worth it because the presence of the build up usually means considerable wear.
Some modern pots have a very thin carbon track and don’t last. These will probably need replacing anyway.

 

[BFRaid]

I have had a similar issue with a vintage guitar, and it turned out to be the resistive strip had worn down over time. In my case, I could not replace the vintage pot so taking it apart and replacing the component with the strip with one from a new pot was the fix. It is an easy swap.

 

[metropolis_4]

Sounds like it’s time to replace the pot! Thanks for the info

 

[Chocol8]

If it's not vintage, replace the pot. I view pots as a wear item, something like brake rotors or wheel bearings. With enough use they are going to wear out and need replacing. That's OK, and if you can solder, quick and inexpensive even if it's every few years.

Eagle's comment about some having thin tracks got me thinking. The 50k volume pots in my Strats with the mid-boost kit don't last more than about 3-5 years. Some of that is I use the volume control on those guitar a LOT, more than on other guitars, but some of it may be that those lower value pots simply have a thinner less durable trace. Either way, they wear and I swap them. They cost less than a pack of strings and take less time to change, so no big deal.

 

[metropolis_4]

There are few things I hate more than soldering pots

But I guess it’s time to dust off the old soldering iron and get to it

 

[metropolis_4]

@Eagle do you have any good tricks for soldering to the back of the pot?

It always feels like I hold the soldering iron to it forever and it never gets hot enough. I guess I probably need a more powerful soldering iron?

I always have a hard time getting all of those ground wires on there

 

[EOengineer]

There are few things I hate more than soldering pots

But I guess it’s time to dust off the old soldering iron and get to it

Was just thinking this. I have all the stuff here to rewire my SG from the modern PCB to 50s wiring and I’d rather go get a tooth pulled.

 

[Chocol8]

I guess I probably need a more powerful soldering iron?

I much prefer a soldering station to an iron. If you get one with temperature control you can have more wattage when needed and not too much for the smaller stuff. To solder on the back of pots, a 60+ watt station with a heavy tip works wonders.

That said, if I am redoing a guitar these days, I use a heavier piece of copper as a ground bus/bar and only have a single ground connection on each pot. That's better than having all the pickup grounds etc. soldered to the back of pots, especially when it's time to replace one.

 

[Eagle]

@Eagle do you have any good tricks for soldering to the back of the pot?

It always feels like I hold the soldering iron to it forever and it never gets hot enough. I guess I probably need a more powerful soldering iron?

I always have a hard time getting all of those ground wires on there

I just use a 25watt iron. The key is good solder. I uses lead still locktite multicore 60/40 . Tin all the wires and pots first.

I have no issue using this solder.