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#1 freddie's gone to pot

Posted: Wed Sep 29, 2021 6:47 pm
by ed
Oh waily waily

Sebastian wanted to have a play with my fretless bass this afternoon. He hasn't been out of his case since I changed the bridge some time back. Well waddyaknow, all three pots are shagged and only work(stutteringly) on max setting....bit frustrating not to mention embarrasing when a chap wants to introduce his youngest to a bit of burp de burp.

I think, although I'm not sure, that they are 250k linear. Googling tells a confusing and conflicting story...

has anybody got a clue what a mid 90s fender jazz should have in the way of pots?...

#2 Re: freddie's gone to pot

Posted: Wed Sep 29, 2021 7:04 pm
by andrew Ivimey
250k log pot for volumes and 250k linear for tone.

It's fascinating, though unrewarding, ultimately, playing round with 100k ( hi fi) 250k ( single coil) 500k ( humbucker) 1meg ( the fabulous far out Jazzmeister, I love it....way beyond a P90..... ) using the 'wrong' value alters the tone but as Miles said, ' So what'.

The log linear distinction is more important - don't get me started on tone bleeds, gut bucket or whatever fender call it and tone cap type and value.... groan, its worse than ....well something, I can tell you.

I bought a six string bass recently. Outrageous red colour, three P90s and... a whammy bar!!!!!!!!!!!! Deep love, great fun - it's just a fender jaguar an octave down - pppppphhhhhhhrrrrrrroooooooooaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrr

300squid from Revelation- Big value!!!!

#3 Re: freddie's gone to pot

Posted: Thu Sep 30, 2021 12:13 pm
by The Stratmangler

#4 Re: freddie's gone to pot

Posted: Thu Sep 30, 2021 12:49 pm
by andrew Ivimey
When pots get scratchy I reach for the isopropyl alcohol first but so often they can't be 'cured'.

#5 Re: freddie's gone to pot

Posted: Thu Sep 30, 2021 6:28 pm
by ed
more waily

I've just taken the switch plate off...and all I can read on the pots is 00k. The solder is masking the rest of the writing. Soooo I'm not sure if they are A or B pots. From all the confusing offerings on the internet I can't guess whether they are 100 or 500k....I will disconnect the pickups and try and measure them but that doesn't tell me if they are A or B, i.e log or linear.

also there is no direct ground wire from the socket, it relies on the body of all components being connected to the switch plate. Is this normal??

#6 Re: freddie's gone to pot

Posted: Thu Sep 30, 2021 6:37 pm
by Nick
I will disconnect the pickups and try and measure them but that doesn't tell me if they are A or B, i.e log or linear.
No but measuring them at 100% and 50% of their travel will.

#7 Re: freddie's gone to pot

Posted: Thu Sep 30, 2021 7:42 pm
by Mike H
What he said - except the wipers are not connecting to the tracks(?) :D

I have taken pots apart before, for 'direct treatment'

#8 Re: freddie's gone to pot

Posted: Thu Sep 30, 2021 9:58 pm
by ed
Mike H wrote: Thu Sep 30, 2021 7:42 pm What he said - except the wipers are not connecting to the tracks(?) :D

I have taken pots apart before, for 'direct treatment'
correct, not connecting to tracks...measuring the wiper half way is unlikrly to tell me anything reliable.

I'm just going to fit some 250 log to the volumes and 250 linear to the tone....

what's the worst that can happen

#9 Re: freddie's gone to pot

Posted: Thu Sep 30, 2021 10:12 pm
by andrew Ivimey
Nothing wrong with that.

#10 Re: freddie's gone to pot

Posted: Thu Sep 30, 2021 10:29 pm
by IslandPink
ed wrote: Thu Sep 30, 2021 9:58 pm what's the worst that can happen
A meteorite could hit you as you complete the soldering.

#11 Re: freddie's gone to pot

Posted: Fri Oct 01, 2021 1:17 pm
by ed
ed wrote: Thu Sep 30, 2021 9:58 pm I'm just going to fit some 250 log to the volumes and 250 linear to the tone....

what's the worst that can happen
Cor how confusing does this need to be...I've just read the following from axecaster:
You will find many differing opinions on which is better, but one thing on which nearly everyone agrees is that Linear taper is not the best option for tone pots.

Most manufactures use either Audio/Log taper pots for both volume and tone or Linear for volume and Audio/Log for tone.

#12 Re: freddie's gone to pot

Posted: Mon Oct 04, 2021 7:58 pm
by The Stratmangler
Try looking here, Ed https://guitarelectronics.com/original- ... -diagrams/
Scroll down the list and pull in what you need.
Fender themselves are bloody useless - there used to be a decent repository of service diagrams, but that's now broken.

#13 Re: freddie's gone to pot

Posted: Tue Oct 05, 2021 8:33 am
by ed
thanks Chris....I had 3 x cts 250k log delivered yesterday.
I think it's an age thing, but I do seem to be overthinking everything these days....having given it a bit more "sensible" thought I don't think it would matter what I put in because I'm unlikely to be able to tell the difference..

onward....if it blows up I'll be sure to publicise it.

#14 Re: freddie's gone to pot

Posted: Tue Oct 05, 2021 8:53 am
by Dave the bass
...and keep a lookout for meteorites too, just in case.

#15 Re: freddie's gone to pot

Posted: Tue Oct 05, 2021 10:53 pm
by Mike H
:D