[BGood]

And if you don't trust any of those methods, buy pots in bulk and replace them when they start acting funny. More junk to the landfill ...

 

[mhammer]

Just a footnote to the general consensus here re any contact cleaner. Yes, this is true, we can argue til the cows come home about whioch specuifric contaqct cleaner is best (I have used some generics and Deoxit; Deoxit is better than the other cleaners I have used) but that's not my concern here.

The above ONLY applies to carbon track pots. Granted, the vast majority (99%) of guitars use carbon track pots, but some (more and more every model year) have switched to conductive plastic (like the pots/faders in most high end mixing consoles) ... and I guess we all have other gear with pots in it that might need cleaning (e.g. my 70s Tapco 4400 reverb has CP slide pots on it). You can usually tell because they look very different. Some CP pots are sealed so you cannot clean them and don't need to, but some aren't. You cannot use just a contact cleaner; they require conductive lube to operate properly and contact cleaner will strip it. Instead use a CP safe product such as the Fader series by Craig (makers of Deoxit).

Carbon track pots do not require FaderLube (and Craig does make 2 in 1 products that both clean and lubricate), though it may improve the feel of the pots after cleaning (I do not recommend that for the same reason people above are skeptical about using WD40 - dirt sticks to the lube requiring more frequent cleaning). CP pots (and sliders) require it to function properly.

If you haven't used Stabilant yet, you owe it to yourself to try it. I was first introduced to it by busy Ottawa studio owner Phil Bova, who relies on it to keep his ultra-long-throw faders crackle free. As luck had it, a now out-of-business electronics distributor in Ottawa had a bin of 0.5ml "sampler" vials of the stuff for 50 cents a pop, so I bought fistfuls (though I'm now down to my last 5) and gave them out to folks as gifts.

As you can see here, t'ain't cheap - Amazon.com: Stabilant 22, 5ml Kit Makes 30ml of 22A - 22: Everything Else -but a teensy bit goes a loooooonnnnggg way. I'm constantly knocked out by what I can restore with it. It used to be sold to audiophiles under the brand name "Tweak". NOT a substitute for a decent cleaning, but a worthy adjunct.

 

[KapnKrunch]

Good info. Everyone. Thanks. That's what we are here for.

 

[Granny Gremlin]

Amazon.com: Stabilant 22, 5ml Kit Makes 30ml of 22A - 22: Everything Else

I think I heard of that but not tried it because couldn't find or just too expensive; will keep my eyes peeled, thanks.

 

[Joe-Bin]

Thanks for all the good information guys. This gives me a few good products to try. I guess I will try and get some dioxit first since that is what was named the most in this thread.

 

[Cracked Patella]

I was coming back in to answer this, but it looks like some folks already did. Specifically in relation to pots/switches/faders/etc: WD40 leaves residue behind (intentionally). Residue that dust and other particulates love to stick to. Yes, spraying it in will clean up the contacts in the short term, but it will only cause more problems down the road. Spraying dirty parts with WD40 will leave you with a clean part now, but a dirtier part down the road.

Proper contact cleaners do everything WD40 does well and none of the things WD40 does poorly (like leaving lots of residue behind).

There are other reasons, but that is the main one.

Everybody’s right!!!!!!!!

 

[KapnKrunch]

Everybody’s right!!!!!!!!

LOL! Gotta hand it to WD40 recognize an opportunity. Goodbye swanky music store, hello Canadian Tire!

ALTERNATIVE REALITY: everyone is wrong, except the guy who said open the pot and actually REMOVE the oxidation. Not just dissolve it and spread it around.

 

[Latole]

I use Deoxit , it is the best one, very expensive $35 at L&M !! They are crazy, my electronic store sell it for $25
Second best one is MG Chemical

Cheap contact cleaner may damage plastic part and job may not last

Don't use WD40 lubricate, In some country WD40 make a contact cleaner, I never saw one in canada

 

[Latole]

In ottawa area, you can order one;

MG Chemicals - Nu-Trol Control Cleaner 140g (Aerosol)

The 401B Nu-Trol Control Cleaner For Electronics is a unique blend of high purity solvents and a lubricating mineral oil that is excellent for cleaning and lubricating delicate moving parts in electronics. This solvent system also effectively dissolves oil and organic residues, and is thus...

nextgenguitars.ca

 

[mhammer]

LOL! Gotta hand it to WD40 recognize an opportunity. Goodbye swanky music store, hello Canadian Tire!

ALTERNATIVE REALITY: everyone is wrong, except the guy who said open the pot and actually REMOVE the oxidation. Not just dissolve it and spread it around.

Just exactly how often do people end up needing to clean a pot? The method one employs will depend on the environment one's pots live in. My suggestion of carefully removing the back assumes this only need be done once or twice in the lifetime of the pot. It also assumes that the crackle stems from a buildup of scraped residue from the resistive strip; not the sort of thing that might occur any more frequently than every 5 years or so of moderate use. The sprays do a nice job of removing oxidation from the wiper and surface of the resistive strip (which is why it is called DeOxit), but some of the built-up sludge will not budge for a light spray passing over it.

There is also something to be said for not drenching a device in spray that continues to drip and leave you with a slime on your hands every time you pick it up. Personally, I try to avoid that sort of thing.

And, since the question cropped up in the sub-forum on building and repairing guitars, I doubt people want any excess spray to find its way into the wood of the body. One can always remove the pots to clean them and avoid that problem. But that long skinny tube, and the nuisance of removing and re-installing pots makes it soooooo tempting.

 

[ricky_b]

I've always used Deoxit D5 until I ran out and started using a can of Deoxit F5 (Fader series) that I had. I think it works a bit better as it provides a bit of lubrication as well cleaning up oxidation and other crud.

 

[Mike_Blaszk]

I just cleaned out the pots on the used Mesa Mark V (2011 unit) I recently purchased. Some of the knobs weren't as smooth as others and a couple had 'sticking' points in their sweep. I used Deoxit D5 first and this helped to smoothe things out but I felt like it removed some of the lubrication as the pots kind of felt a little dry afterwards. Then, the next day, I hit all of the pots with Deoxit F5 and they work completely perfectly now. I feel like the D5 cleaned things out really well and the F5 re-lubricated everything. Not sure if its necessary to use both but everything sure feels great and like new now.