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mmistudent
New member
hi. I got some dirty pots on my early 80's marshall JCM 800 amp.. anybody know the procedure on cleaning them?
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outlawtorn86
New member
i second that on my jcm900
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Major Tom
New member
A lot of guys will tell you that you need to use a spray cleaner made for that purpose that contains a lubricant for the pot, to replace the lubricant that is believed to be in the pot from the factory. There may be something to that, I have never seen anything from a pot mfr. to confirm it, but then I haven't exactly researched it thoroughly either. One reason I doubt the lube thing is that run-of-the-mill pots in amps and guitars are not sealed, and lubricants tend to attract dust. Since the biggest enemy of a pot in an amp is dust and dirt, as opposed to actually wearing out from thousands and thousands of turns (a typical pot will be rated for something like 50, 000 - 100,000 + turns) I personally don't want any lube in my pots.
I use isopropyl alcohol from the drug store, and apply it with a syringe - just a few drops in the opening, turn the knob back and forth several times, repeating this process 3 or 4 times. Sometimes a stubborn pot will need more than that. If you have a compressor, blow air into it after each application. Isopropyl alcohol is pretty harmless, and doesn't leave any significant residue. I have been using it for a few years now, ever since I decided to break from conventional wisdom and quit using the $8. per can stuff, and haven't seen any evidence of premature pot failure. So far I would have to say that I have been successful with every pot that wasn't completely bad, except for a couple that had just a tiny bit of scratchiness left that won't go away.
I use isopropyl alcohol from the drug store, and apply it with a syringe - just a few drops in the opening, turn the knob back and forth several times, repeating this process 3 or 4 times. Sometimes a stubborn pot will need more than that. If you have a compressor, blow air into it after each application. Isopropyl alcohol is pretty harmless, and doesn't leave any significant residue. I have been using it for a few years now, ever since I decided to break from conventional wisdom and quit using the $8. per can stuff, and haven't seen any evidence of premature pot failure. So far I would have to say that I have been successful with every pot that wasn't completely bad, except for a couple that had just a tiny bit of scratchiness left that won't go away.
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Major Tom
New member
Oh, yeah always wait until the alcohol or whatever flammable substance you use has evaporated, just in case there is some that leaked onto a high-voltage section of the amp - an arc across a bad solder joint or whatever could cause it to catch on fire....
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mmistudent
New member
thanks, I'll try that
Light
New member
The traditional thing to use is T.V. tuner cleaner. You can get a product which is plenty adaquite from Radio Shack.
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"Cowards cane never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi
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"Cowards cane never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi
matty_boy
New member
I use a spray. Electrical contact cleaner.
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outlawtorn86
New member
aight, i guess i got another question. where are the pots located? are they like right there when u take off the knob?
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amt7565
New member
Kerosene
Raxy
New member
You can try blowing the dust out with a can of compressed air. If that fails I use the Radio Shack tuner spray stuff already mentioned. It works well.