lots of play in my volume pot on my USA Fusion

[finstah]

I was dabbing around with VH's Cathedral last night and noticed that my volume pot is not very "tight" per say. Very loose to the fact that I sometimes would lose my hand placement on the knob and lose the swell effect.

I picked up my Ibby JCustom and the pot is nice and tight, not loose at all.

The Fusion pot works fine, no noise or any other issues other than being "loose". Question is, Is this normal for a 90 USA model or should I replace it with a new one? If so, any idea where I can find one? Specs?

[DonP]

Is this normal for a 90 USA model

Has nothing to do with the model, it's the pot.

Pots that get used a lot will wear out, just like any other mechanical part.

Someone will come along plugging R.S. Guitarworks of which I have no issues, but I prefer to not pay the premium and just buy regular over the counter CTS pots.

To get the correct value, open up the control cavity and look for yourself. That way there won't be any surprises or mis-information. Look for a stamp on the troubled pot of 250K or 500K.

[finstah]

never replaced a pot so excuse the n00b question. Does this mean it's worn out?

[dg]

Important question: Does your Fusion still have the original JE-1500 active electronics? If so, the volume pot is soldered to the the pc board and is most likely a 50K audio taper pot.

http://audiozone.dk/cm/displayimage.php?pid=444&fullsize=1

They can be changed out (and supposedly a 25K pot will work if you can't get a 50K), but if you have little experience with soldering, it's definitely a job for a good tech.

[finstah]

soldering is not an issue so okay there. I'll have to open her up and see what's going on. When I bought the axe the orig owner bypassed the "wah" switch circuit and tone knob and replaced the humbucker with an SD. The 2 single coils are orig I believe. So the only thing that works is the volume knob. (Which is cool by me as I hate that wah thing anyway. )

I'll post some pics and hopefully you guys can tell more about it then me.

Any idea where to get those 50k pots?

[dg]

If the circuit has been bypassed, then imo the easiest (& probably best tonal) option would be to just remove the board completely and install a 500K pot. If you have a pickup with a ton of high end, like a JB, then maybe go with a 250K pot.

[straycat]

Try tighteing the nut that holds the pot down.Duh.

[finstah]

Um duh it's not loose moving around. There is a loose feeling/give when going from off to full. (Volume swells) Not as tight as my new J Custom.

[Newc]

I still don't get it. If the pot is not wobbly from a loose retaining nut, then what do you mean by "loose"?

Smoother than your Ibby? As in easier to turn the knob? Or is it the knob itself that seems to wobble on the pot?

Or is there a detectable amount of "more turn" when you hit the stop at Full and Off?
If that's the case, check the nut anyway, or take off the cavity cover and watch the back of the pot as you turn it to either side to make sure it's not rotating.

Whoever replaced the pot may have not put the spiky washer in there, which is there to prevent the pot from rotating once the nut is tight.

[DonP]

never replaced a pot so excuse the n00b question. Does this mean it's worn out?

Yes. New pots are "tight" and get loose as they get used.

Better quality pots might stay tight longer. The original pots in my 1977 LP Custom are still tight.

[DonP]

The 2 single coils are orig I believe.

If those are original, they probably sound muddy because they have a high DC resistance.

With my Fusion, I like the "wah" with the singles, but not with the humbucker. The wah cleans up the muddiness of the singles.

[finstah]

I still don't get it. If the pot is not wobbly from a loose retaining nut, then what do you mean by "loose"?

Smoother than your Ibby? As in easier to turn the knob? Or is it the knob itself that seems to wobble on the pot?

Or is there a detectable amount of "more turn" when you hit the stop at Full and Off?
If that's the case, check the nut anyway, or take off the cavity cover and watch the back of the pot as you turn it to either side to make sure it's not rotating.

Whoever replaced the pot may have not put the spiky washer in there, which is there to prevent the pot from rotating once the nut is tight.

took the cover off. Pot doesn't move. I guess I'm not explaining it right. I hate this analogy but think of a tight girl. You go in and out and there is a little friction. With a loose girl there is no friction.

So when I go from full to off there is less resistance. Almost too easy to go from full to off. With the new Ibby I have more control on where I want to stop. Or think of bad brakes on a car versus' good one's good stops on a dime. Bad won't Make sense?

If those are original, they probably sound muddy because they have a high DC resistance.

With my Fusion, I like the "wah" with the singles, but not with the humbucker. The wah cleans up the muddiness of the singles.

Not too bad but I rarely use the singles anyway. I get a nice rich lead tone with the bucker.

EDIT: So it is the 50k pot. I attached a pic where in the circle is the switch. Nothing attached to it. The arrows indicate (red/white>S-S and black is 3rd slot on board.) wires that have been cut.

Can I get just a replacement 50k pot and if so where? I can solder so should be no problem. Just need to know what type of pot to get and where. All this linear, audio push pull blah blah. Totally f'ing Greek to me.




BTW, anyone know what model the SD is in this pic?

[dg]

http://www.guitarpartsdepot.com/Pots-50K_Pot_Audio_Taper-.html

[toejam]

BTW, anyone know what model the SD is in this pic?

With those allen pole pieces, it should be a Full Shred. Look on the bottom of the pickup for a sticker, it should say TB-10 or SH-10. http://www.seymourduncan.com/product...10_full_shred/

[Newc]

Ok, it's just a smoother pot.

I forget which is which between Linear and Audio taper, but one will have a smooth volume (the acutal audio) adjustment from 0 to 10 and the other will drop off sharply around 1 or 2, but be hardly noticeable between 10 and 3.

Those red & white haven't been cut, those are the split wires for the humbucker.