Just a thought on scratchy pots

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bclaire
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Just a thought on scratchy pots

Post by bclaire » Wed Oct 24, 2018 4:12 pm

With mixing boards, the thinking is that you always return the faders to the off position to avoid any carbonizing to take place.

Why wouldn't that apply to guitar amps? Scratchy pots result from carbon build-up where the wiper sits in the pot - am I wrong to think that if we turned all the pots to zero after each time we use an amp that it would eliminate scratchy pots?

What do you think?

Jondog
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Re: Just a thought on scratchy pots

Post by Jondog » Wed Oct 24, 2018 7:28 pm

I suppose it does help. It would help keep the tracks "wiped". Perhaps recording studios are a bit more anal about it for recording purposes. Not sure it would eliminate it, but help. Depends also on the environment and quality of the pot.
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Mystic38
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Re: Just a thought on scratchy pots

Post by Mystic38 » Thu Oct 25, 2018 7:47 pm

i think just a weekly or monthly 0-11-0 turn would work.. but your point is valid.. other than a small gain change for volume my knobs get little action.
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Orange Rocker 30c, PPC212 & PPC112, Fender DRRI, Marshall 2266
2012 Gibson LP Standard, 2001 Gibson LP DC Standard
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Gladmarr
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Re: Just a thought on scratchy pots

Post by Gladmarr » Thu Oct 25, 2018 11:07 pm

Mystic38 wrote:
Thu Oct 25, 2018 7:47 pm
i think just a weekly or monthly 0-11-0 turn would work.. but your point is valid.. other than a small gain change for volume my knobs get little action.
This is basically what’s needed. It’s not that one needs to zero the pots, it’s that they need to be “exercised” once in a while.

LD50
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Re: Just a thought on scratchy pots

Post by LD50 » Fri Oct 26, 2018 6:41 am

Since using Deoxit Gold fader lube I've found scratchy pots are a thing of the past (no I'm not a spammer!!) :o in amps and guitars.

satchmodog
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Re: Just a thought on scratchy pots

Post by satchmodog » Tue Nov 27, 2018 6:09 pm

I have one SS amp and it's a fender rumble 100. SS amps have that annoying pop when you turn them on, so I always turn the volume pot to zero. As it happens, my volume pot is scratchy and no others are. This amp is about a year old, so I doubt it's worn.

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