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Cleaning pots on an amp


Jono Bolton
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I'm going to get myself some Servisol to clean the pots on my Peavey as they're incredibly scratchy (they're 30 years old), and I was thinking about doing the same with my Ashdown head because they're also scratchy and crackly. Before I go taking my amp apart, how easy is it to do? Do I run the risk of electrocuting myself?

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Let it evaporate fully after you've spun the pots round a few times before you plug it back in but in any case there won't be much current going through the pots - just avoid touching anything if the cover's still off when you power it back up!

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Take a look a Deoxit D5, this stuff is the business...proper clean plus. I've used it on, amongst other things, a '70s Fender Champ that had severe crackling on the volume pot, probably its first ever clean! Result...back to 'as new' and still crackle free after two years. Not all cleaners are equal.

P!

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[quote name='PMcC' timestamp='1438166211' post='2832163']
Take a look a Deoxit D5, this stuff is the business...proper clean plus. I've used it on, amongst other things, a '70s Fender Champ that had severe crackling on the volume pot, probably its first ever clean! Result...back to 'as new' and still crackle free after two years. Not all cleaners are equal.

P!
[/quote]

I'll have a look as I'm fairly certain that the pots on the Peavey have never been cleaned and cut in and out from time to time.

Regarding the amp, is there anything I need to be wary of when taking the amp out of the sleeve? I don't fancy blowing myself - or it - up.

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I don't know what the innards of either head is like but you need to be careful of large capacitors as they can store charge for hours (I've read even a day or so) after the amp was last used. As long as the thing is unplugged then you should be fine, obviously be careful with any valves/glass cased fuses in there if you're holding cans of switch cleaner or screwdrivers etc just in case you drop anything.

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If you've got the patience, old pots can often be revived without sprays or chemicals. Gently remove the cover and run the tip of a lead pencil over the track. The pencil is hard enough to remove any crusty stuff and leaves a little graphite on the surface of the track for lubrication. Used to work a treat on ancient radios when replacements were not easily available.

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[quote name='PMcC' timestamp='1438166211' post='2832163']
Take a look a Deoxit D5, this stuff is the business...proper clean plus. I've used it on, amongst other things, a '70s Fender Champ that had severe crackling on the volume pot, probably its first ever clean! Result...back to 'as new' and still crackle free after two years. Not all cleaners are equal.

P!
[/quote]

+1 for the Caig DeOxit products

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