Replacement pot for Fender Volume pedal

Daniel Policarpo · Posted 5 Jun 2014 4:15 am

I purchased my Fender Volume pedal (used) about 8 months ago and the pot went out on me a few days ago.I had been expecting it for some time. I can see that Fender does not manufacture the Re-Issue Classic Series pedals any longer. Finding a replacement pot of the 250K audio taper variety that would actually fit the seat and be long enough to give the string and pulley mechanism the original tension and alignment took a little doing.

I did not want to spend as much on the replacement pot as I did on the pedal. And I hate the idea of scrapping a pedal just because there isn't a cost effective replacement part. That's one of the things I've always liked about Fender products; you could usually fix them yourself with a little understanding of the components and you could usually find the parts easy enough.

It took a little time, but I found a good source and the product seems to work great. $7.95 for two 250K audio pots, shipping included. I figured, 'fine I'll get two in case one of them doesn't work or is scratchy, etc'.
I needn't have worried.
This pot feels great, gives me that nice wide taper, and is very smooth. The highs are cut a little bit, just what I was expecting! Laughing

but I thought I'd post the information for others who really like the old Fender Volume pedals and also do not want to pay an arm and a leg for a simple pot.

Product is specifically a CHERKFAN CF-r1610ny 250K audio potentiometer.
I purchased through Musiclily.com advertising a 2-pack 250K Long-Shaft Audio-Taper Potentiometers on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0077CY9RO/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

A little research provided that the OEM, SHENZHEN CHERKFAN ELECTRONICS CO.,LTD., is an ISO9000 quality assurance company. That might not mean much to most people here, but the product is definitely up to that standard.

Thanks,
Dan

Tim Whitlock · From: Colorado, USA

Thanks for the heads up Daniel. I was considering buying the CTS version, but at 1/4 the price I might give these a try.

The pot in my vintage vol/tone is kaput. I have had to replace it 4 or 5 times and can't seem to find a source for good pots. I can't remember when I got my re-issue pedal - must have been 4 - 5 years ago, but the pot is just now starting to get a little noisy. I would love to find a source for the pots Fender used in the re-issues.

Daniel Policarpo · Posted 5 Jun 2014 9:13 am

I hear you, Tim. I could not find anything that was like the original smooth shaft used on the re-issue. I spent hours and hours looking at every little distributor, manufacturer, wholesaler, old-parts stores, everywhere. While what I found was not exact, it is not slipping and it fits the parameters perfectly. So far, so good.
I was dreading re-hooking the string on this thing. I did work up a little trick using another spring that I hook on to the pedal spring, giving me the extension I need to wrap around that wheel on the pot. Not so bad. Still, I hope not for another 4-5 years!

You have one of the true vintage vol/tones? that is awesome! I wanted to buy one of those, but I was already using a Morley and at the time just wanted to see if a pot pedal was the way to go. But not for $200-300. So I lucked out on a deal for the RI Volume. I immediately noted the difference a pot pedal makes and I like the Fender taper quite a bit.

Are there significant differences between the original and RI Fender pedals?
Thanks,
Dan

Tim Whitlock · From: Colorado, USA

I went through the same exercise years ago trying to find the smooth shaft version, but ended up using the Les Paul type pot. I emailed Fender to see if they could tell me where to get the ones used in the re-issues and I'll share the answer when it arrives.

Re-attaching the string is something I don't enjoy either. My best solution is to route everything in the full on position, but without tying the string to the pot side of the spring. Then when everything is in place I tie the string on and use it to tension the spring.

Fender did a good job at replicating the vol/tone pedal. The main difference is both the output and the input jacks are on the right hand side of the originals. This is better for pedal steel of course because it keeps your cords clear of the pedals. Other than that the re-issue works just as well as the original. The tone action was very stiff on the re-issue at first, but it's pretty easy to loosen it up if you play around with it.

Donny Hinson · From: Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.

I wish you luck...those are very cheap pots, and probably won't last very long at all in a pedal. They're made for applications where you might turn them a few times a day, not a few times a second. Shocked

Tim Whitlock · From: Colorado, USA

Do you know of a suitable pot for this application Donny?

Donny Hinson · From: Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.

I've heard good things about the ones Tom Bradshaw is selling, but I've not tried them myself. I'm still using a Made in Mexico Clarostat in my Fender pedal, and it;s been in there almost 10 years. The bottom line is that a good potm of any brand, will probably cost you about $30.

Daniel Policarpo · Posted 15 Jun 2014 8:33 pm

I hear you Donny. I am trying to avoid paying as much for a pot as I did for the pedal. But dangit, I love this volume pedal. Aside from its gleaming chrome exterior, the mechanism feels really good under my feet and i can even do a decent vibrato sound. Not as good as Kayton Roberts or Tim Whitlock, but passable.
I might be lucking out with these cheapos. The one I put in there (of the two I purchased) sounds really good and supports the required width of the volume band we like as steel players. The current form of the company is young but, but they are doing quality pots for everything from toys to high-tech applications. That's all they do is pots. About 23 years ago I ran into a similar situation trying to find pots that would work well for my Custom St. Louis Music Les Paul. It was a little outfit out of Korea back when they were going through an electronics boom. Those pots are still working in that Les Paul.
Hopefully my gambler's instinct will hold out here, too. But if not, the sound and effect from this pot allowed me to see what this pedal is really capable of and I will not mind getting more expensive pots.
I mean, they are just little simple things, and we are being charged an arm and half a leg. Maybe I ought to start my own American Pot Supply Co., Potentiometer that is.
So far so good on these, though...

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