Cleaning Tone & Volume controls on Lap Steel

Gerald Ross · Post by **Gerald Ross** » 27 Apr 2000 4:49 am

I have a Gibson EH-150. The volume and tone controls are a bit scratchy sounding. How do I clean these without removing the back of the guitar? Can I just spray contact cleaner into any available opening of the controls?

Maurie Junod · Post by **Maurie Junod** » 27 Apr 2000 9:10 am

Hi Gerald,

There is usually enough space around the base
of the solder tabs to get the spray into the
control. I usually soak it through those
openings and then work the shaft back and
forth through it's entire travel, then let
it set for several days to dry out. The last
action may not be necessary.

regards, Maurie

Smiley Roberts · Post by **Smiley Roberts** » 27 Apr 2000 9:22 am

Gerald,
Try this B4 you try spraying. Take the knobs off of the controls,get a length of string,wrap it around the shaft of the control several times,grasp the string on each end & work it back & forth,rapidly. This could possibly,clean it up,temporarily.

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Billy Jones · Post by **Billy Jones** » 27 Apr 2000 4:37 pm

This one reason I don't like controls on my guitars. The climate here and many other places I've played was so dry this it seemed that any static dust is attracted to the pots including the amp. Another reason is that I feel that there is some interaction between the guitar and amp tone wise if I use the volume control.
Just my thoughts... Billy

Jason Lollar · Post by **Jason Lollar** » 27 Apr 2000 8:20 pm

Contact cleaner can be bad to use for pots as it has no lubrication and some pots depending on what they are made of can lock up. There is a special tuner cleaner used for the channel selectors on "anchient" televisions you can get at rat shack or electronics places or use WD 40 it works ok.
How many people already guessed how I found that out?
You dont have to dry the pots out either for guitar controls.
Contact cleaner can also eat finish off and can make you more than dizzy if concentrated fumes are inhaled! Not reccomended.

Mark van Allen · Post by **Mark van Allen** » 27 Apr 2000 8:44 pm

Gerald, ditto on the TV Tuner spray- works great, should come with a little tube that fits on the nozzle to let you get into the control housing, just a short squirt and work the control back and forth for a while. Works great on your Vol pedal pot too. How've you been by the way?

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Mark van Allen-"Blueground Undergrass" Pedal, Non-Pedal, Lap, and Dobro

Kevin Mincke · Post by **Kevin Mincke** » 27 Apr 2000 10:08 pm

I have used "Krylon" electronic spray product that actually has a light lubricant in the cleaner vs. the others that completely degrease.