Need new volume pot in my S2...

[titansfan4196]

For a while now, when I twist the volume knob on my guitar, its causes this unpleasant crackling... Kind of like brushing a newspaper against your ear... I've taken it to the shop and they've always told me to apply some Deoxit. Its worked a few times but I'm pretty sure it's an electronic issue because it's never completely gone away. Is there anything real specific I should be looking for? I have an S2 Custom 24. Thanks!

 

[Boogie]

There are lots of fixes for a scratchy pot. How old is it? Are you the first owner?

 

[László]

The issue with a scratchy pot is simply contamination in the potentiometer wiper, which is an electromechanical thing.

Deoxit will lubricate it and it won’t make noise for a little while, but Deoxit leaves its own residue that builds up.

Guitar pots are inexpensive. There isn’t very much point in screwing around with it. Just put a new one in!

 

[JJJ]

Before you bin it, grab the knob (lol) and turn the pot vigorously side to side. Full range of motion. Do it for 15 or 20 mins if you have to just turn it heaps and heaps.

If the pot is just dirty from lack of use this will clear it up half the time without any sprays or any further work. Good trick for amps I find

 

[garrett]

I was not a fan of the S2 volume pot. I would use the core PRS branded one. You'll have to widen the hole a little, but that's no big deal.

 

[Boogie]

Before you bin it, grab the knob (lol) and turn the pot vigorously side to side. Full range of motion. Do it for 15 or 20 mins if you have to just turn it heaps and heaps.

If the pot is just dirty from lack of use this will clear it up half the time without any sprays or any further work. Good trick for amps I find

30 to 60 seconds will suffice. Cheap pots have a very thin, printed carbon trace and aren’t rated for 100k cycles. Compressed air can work if the pots aren’t sealed.

Deoxit also removes the lubricant that is put there from the factory, so it may turn differently after cleaning with a strong astringent.