Volume issue

[monofever]

I'm playing an ST80 Super Edition, and noticed a problem with the volume control. I can't wind the volume right down, so playing through a cranked amp the guitar can't be silenced. Also volume seems to be mostly controlled between 7 and 10.

I've had a look at the back and it looks original, I'm a bit baffled.

p.s. the pickups have V on them.

 

[Ozeshin]

Sounds like the pickups have gone microphonic...
I've had guitars do this before....if you can turn the volume all the way off and STILL hear the sound of you tapping your pick on the top of the pickups(or anywhere close to the pickups on the body) then it's time to upgrade pickups.

 

[monofever]

Thanks, I've not heard about this problem before, maybe it's time for some texas specials.

 

[monofever]

Just checked and it's the neck pickup, tapping on or around it does cause a knocking sound. Has anyone successfully potted these pickups in the past?

Am I right to assume that the pickup has no electrical influence on the volume pot once the 5 way switch is centre or lower (i.e. center and bridge positions)?

 

[Anonymous]

It sounds more like a dodgy volume pot to me. The volume pot on my 1980 TE70 was a bit of a pain, you lost half the volume turning it from 10 to 9, so I replaced it with a new 250kB pot (linear taper), & it works fine now.

Microphonic pickups (quite common on Japanese Strats & Teles) would howl & feedback at high gain, but the volume control should still do what it's supposed to do.

The cheapest option is to try a new 250k pot, costing a few ?s. (Alpha pots are ?2.20 each from www.axerus.com)

If the pickups do need wax potting, Shed pickups have done a few for me, including the bridge pickup from my TE70, which is now a great pickup. Last time I checked, Spencer charged ?10 per pickup. You can drop him a note to check.

http://www.shedpickups.com/

Mike

 

[leadguitar_323]

I have one guitar with the same problem and its the pot as well, brand new wax potted pickups, so its definitely the pot on mine.

Mick

 

[monofever]

I'll try replacing the pot then, it will give me a chance to pull apart the old one and see if it's broken.

Do you think linear taper is the way to go? I had assumed it was a log pot.

 

[Anonymous]

I'll try replacing the pot then, it will give me a chance to pull apart the old one and see if it's broken.

Do you think linear taper is the way to go? I had assumed it was a log pot.

I really struggled with this as I had decided ages ago that log was fine for volume & tone. But linear is better on my Tele volume, & it was the same with the Love Rock I re-wired recently. Tokai use B - linear - for volume & A - log - for tone on the 2 Love Rocks I have. Using a log volume pot didn't work at all, going back to B worked fine.

Could it depend on the guitar or the pickups? Even though I've sorted my 2 guitars, I'm not sure what I learned from the exercise!

 

[DaveWW]

I agree. I recently fitted these http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&item=200308469835 to my Love Rock. The pots are all Audio (Log). They sound great but most of the volume control is between 6 and 10.

Dave

 

[Ozeshin]

FINE...SHOOT MY SUGGESTIONS DOWN IN FLAMES....SEE IF I CARE

 

[Anonymous]

FINE...SHOOT MY SUGGESTIONS DOWN IN FLAMES....SEE IF I CARE

Oze, it's ?2.20 for a new pot, it's ?10 to wax pot a pickup, & it's ?60+ for a new pickup. Which one would you try first?