https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/tone-pot-not-functioning-as-it-used-to-update/ Guitar Noise Discussion Board en-US Thu, 04 Jun 2026 19:58:03 +0000 wpForo 60 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/tone-pot-not-functioning-as-it-used-to-update/#post-388812 Sun, 05 May 2019 18:44:00 +0000
For more information, you may want to see this blog article on understanding guitar pots and caps, which includes links to other relevant articles from top guitar related websites.]]> Guitar Repair and Maintenance Artisan Luthiers https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/tone-pot-not-functioning-as-it-used-to-update/#post-388812 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/tone-pot-not-functioning-as-it-used-to-update/#post-369664 Wed, 12 Oct 2011 03:41:55 +0000 Guitar Repair and Maintenance Blue Jay https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/tone-pot-not-functioning-as-it-used-to-update/#post-369664 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/tone-pot-not-functioning-as-it-used-to-update/#post-369663 Wed, 12 Oct 2011 01:48:04 +0000
Thanks for your help and especially that last wiring diagram. It gave me piece of mind that I was at least putting it back together properly. It actually was connected properly all the way around. Bad POT. It's a bad thing on many levels. :mrgreen: :mrgreen:]]> Guitar Repair and Maintenance rparker https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/tone-pot-not-functioning-as-it-used-to-update/#post-369663 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/tone-pot-not-functioning-as-it-used-to-update/#post-369662 Wed, 12 Oct 2011 00:35:40 +0000 Guitar Repair and Maintenance Blue Jay https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/tone-pot-not-functioning-as-it-used-to-update/#post-369662 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/tone-pot-not-functioning-as-it-used-to-update/#post-369660 Wed, 12 Oct 2011 00:15:33 +0000
The tone pot functions well for both pickups, but it does channel volume on it's own still. there's also that crazyness about the mid-position toggle behavior where the neck will put out volume no matter what the bridge pup vol knob is set to, but not visa versa. Just looking at the other two, I am willing to bet that both of the remaining POTS could be questionable.

I remember having to borrow some solder once. I wonder if this was the time and if the solder was not the right type for the job. regardless, I think it's time to print out a diagram, look deep inside myself and decide if I want to tackle this right now. My soldering handy is NOT steady in the very least.

BUT, I do have functionality as needed and it sounds great. worse comes to worse, I let it fly like it is and replace the next POT that goes bad and so on and so forth. doesn't sound too appetizin when I put it that way, does it?]]> Guitar Repair and Maintenance rparker https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/tone-pot-not-functioning-as-it-used-to-update/#post-369660 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/tone-pot-not-functioning-as-it-used-to-update/#post-369653 Tue, 11 Oct 2011 04:28:37 +0000
Thanks, Blue Jay, for all the ontel and the links. 8) 8)]]> Guitar Repair and Maintenance rparker https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/tone-pot-not-functioning-as-it-used-to-update/#post-369653 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/tone-pot-not-functioning-as-it-used-to-update/#post-369651 Tue, 11 Oct 2011 03:54:02 +0000
Ceramic caps are fine, except they are sensitive also and can crack from heat, as well as handling. I've crumbled a few. I'll try to find a diagram on http://www.guitarelectronics.com, but will send this off now. :)

Okay, so here is a general diagram, for 2 humbuckers and your configuration. I know you have P90's which can be visualized with this layout. Good luck. Let us know what's happenin'.

http://www.guitarelectronics.com/product/WD2HH3T21_00/Guitar-Wiring-Diagam-2-Humbuckers3-Way-Toggle-Switch2-Volumes1-Tone.html]]> Guitar Repair and Maintenance Blue Jay https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/tone-pot-not-functioning-as-it-used-to-update/#post-369651 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/tone-pot-not-functioning-as-it-used-to-update/#post-369647 Tue, 11 Oct 2011 02:01:37 +0000 http://store.guitarfetish.com/Ceramic-Disk-Tone-Caps-047uf-for-StratTele_p_151.html

My guitar has much smaller looking POTs, but no idea the specs. Covered in solder, and the Ibanez Web site is showing the diagram for a year earlier, acive instead of passive pickups and 50k pots as a result.

It's also got some sort of bigger cap on it. I'm running P90's instead of the stock humbuckers, so I'm not sure that I even need to stick with those big, flat things. Sorry, I can't even see the writing at this point. the Ibanez site's non-matching diagram does show the approx size and shape of the CAP. http://www.ibanez.com/supportResources/wiring/2008/ART2008.pdf Blue Jay, I don't see anything on that site you pointed to that's like it and Googling this thing hasn't produced anything of value. Notice in the pdf that the cap has the #s 104 right above it.

So, Will the full size POT work? It appears that I have the space. Do the POTs all have to be the same ohm or whatever the rating is? I've got enough here to replace the lot if I need to do so.]]> Guitar Repair and Maintenance rparker https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/tone-pot-not-functioning-as-it-used-to-update/#post-369647 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/tone-pot-not-functioning-as-it-used-to-update/#post-369646 Mon, 10 Oct 2011 23:35:22 +0000
Ohh, and in the interest of showing an educational and enlightening variety, here's really good deals on polypropylene (chiclet style) Orange Drop capacitors as well as Angela, tin foil in a can? Umm... they have paper in oils too, but they are anywhere from $5 a pair to $20 each and that is a bit much. But, I haven't seen this supplier's name come up here yet. 8)

http://angela.com/sbeorangedropsscrandangelatinfoilcapacitors.aspx

At the end of this, I see your last post Roy :shock: , and what seems like a myriad of problems. Yeah, change the pot and cap first. And you are right to suspect the switch now too, but leave that till later.]]> Guitar Repair and Maintenance Blue Jay https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/tone-pot-not-functioning-as-it-used-to-update/#post-369646 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/tone-pot-not-functioning-as-it-used-to-update/#post-369645 Mon, 10 Oct 2011 23:26:00 +0000
Toggle Up:
tone does not work
Neck P/Up works, but only clear in loudest position. Maybe last 10%. Very muffled below that.

toggle mid:
both pickups work if POT on
tone has minimal effect on bridge p/up and no effect on neck pickup
bridge and neck pickups behave similar, meaning the top 10% thing volume wise.
bridge POT off, neck POT on has output. Bridge on, neck off. NO output, like with Les Pauls. (turn neck about 1/4 on and there's tone just like with LPs.)
Bridge vol POT way up, neck vol POT 20% on and the tone POT works just fine. Do opposite and tone POT has almost no effect.

Toggle bottom position:
Tone POT 100%, bridge and neck p-ups both off = as loud as if bridge volume position was at 50% or more. turn tone off and it's total silence, as expected.
neck vol POT off, bridge vol pot 75%, tone zeroed = no volume
neck vol POT off, bridge vol pot 100%, tone zeroed = volume
neck vol POT off, bridge vol pot 100%, tone any level = volume, with tone at what you'd expect for it's setting.

This thing is messed up. It wasn't recently. These scenarios make no sense unless I accept that the center-piece for this clustermess is the tone POT and it's just doing whacky things. Having said that, I there's a chance for a faulty switch. Hmmmmm I'm pretty sure I have the spare POT and CAP. I'll probably start there. tomorrow. :)]]> Guitar Repair and Maintenance rparker https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/tone-pot-not-functioning-as-it-used-to-update/#post-369645