Stringmaster tone pot issue...

Todd Weger · From: Safety Harbor, FLAUSA

So, my 1960 Stringmaster tone pot is wonky and I think I need to finally replace it. It's always been a little bit scratchy, but nothing to get geeked about. However, it now does this thing where, if you have it turned all the way to treble, it can then go immediate to bass tone (??), as though it just went all the way around.

Also, when I make a hard chord stab (or even hard picked single notes), there's a crackle. My other Stringmaster doesn't do this. The Volume pot is a bit scratchy, but otherwise seems OK.

This diagram indicates a 1Meg LIN pot for tone, and 250 for the volume, but they're the opposite on my steel. I see a 250K tone pot, and 1Meg LIN for the volume.

So yes -- now I'm confused. Should I just order a 250K pot to replace for the one in my steel, or should this be upped to a 1Meg?

Thanks!
TJW

Scott Duckworth · From: Etowah, TN Western Foothills of the Smokies

The difference in the pots may be that your steel has guitar style pickups, and not pedal steel pickup. Different impedance values of the pickups. Pedal steel pickups are on the order of 16-20K, guitar type pickups 5-8K.
_________________
Amateur Radio Operator NA4IT (Extra)
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I may, in fact, be nuts. However, I am screwed onto the right bolt... Jesus!

Todd Weger · From: Safety Harbor, FLAUSA

Thanks!

UPDATE: I think I figured out the "crackle" part of the issue. I took the strings off and lifted the back neck's (it's a Double Eight) plate. I noticed that when I had that plate actually touching the front neck's plate (to ground it), the signal was perfectly strong and clear. Hmmmm... that made me wonder. I looked and noticed the ground wire that that plate (back neck) is supposed to touch was pretty low, and realized that the back neck's plate was not making good contact with that ground wire. Put a little-dabble-dooya bit of solder on there to raise the contact point up about 1/32", put the plate back on and voila -- that fixed that!

The actual tone pot is still wonky though with that other issue. Sad

It works good enough that I can "set it and forget it," but I do want to still replace that pot with a new one. I think since it's a 250K, that's what I get.

George Piburn · From: The Land of Enchantment New Mexico

Follow the Duncan Schematic EXACTLY it makes a true difference ,
use the 1 meg linear taper on the tone , and the 250k Audio taper on the volume and mix positions.

also make certain to wire as shown too.

Remember the image is of the bottom of the plate and controls.

George-io Very Happy

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Scott Duckworth · From: Etowah, TN Western Foothills of the Smokies

As for the grounding issue, if you can get a piece of CB radio (ham radio) coax, and take the braided shield out of it, they make good bonding straps for grounding. I had to do that on my Rogue Lap Steel.
_________________
Amateur Radio Operator NA4IT (Extra)
http://www.qsl.net/na4it

I may, in fact, be nuts. However, I am screwed onto the right bolt... Jesus!

Todd Weger · From: Safety Harbor, FLAUSA

Thanks. That sounds like a great idea!

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