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Potmeter stuck - superglue? (feddit.de)

submitted 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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I recently bought this modified Ibanez Soundgear SR-1000 1987. Some past owner had it defretted, replaced the electronics with passive vol-vol-tone, replaced the black finish on the body with a natural one and somehow got the tone pot stuck. No problem, I thought, I'll just remove it and replace it with an active stacked pot thingy.

But the problems started when I removed the screw holding the knob and the knob stayed put. After a lot of WD-40 and brute force, I managed to pull it off to find the cause, and the next problem:

The potmeter had once broken off and been superglued into place. The superglue affected not just the potmeter itself but also the knob, which was solidly stuck to the upper part of the potmeter (right in the picture), and the locking nut holding the potmeter in place in the body.

I know acetone dissolves superglue, but I am afraid it will also ruin the finish. Is there any other way I can get this cursed tone pot out of the bass?

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[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago (4 children)

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago (3 children)

The whole pot is stuck to the body? Damn. Only solution I can suggest is to fixate the pot from the backside and carefully twist the nut off. If the spacer is stuck as well you can carefully try to lift it from the outside. In any way not the best solution!

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago (2 children)

In the meantime I've pulled out most parts of the potmeter, including the shaft. The problem is the locking nut is glued to the thread. I don't have much left to exert force on on the inside, might have to start using acetone if I can't find a tool that fits over the hexagon on the inside and allows me to lock it in place.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

You should be able to carefully apply some acetone to so kind of cloth or brush and very precisely get it onto the thread. It'll take some time but because it evaporates so quickly I guess you should be able to do it without getting it onto the finish in the process

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

After spending all morning pouring acetone on the ridge and scraping off bits of CA glue, I went to the professionals (the mechanical department at my girlfriend's lab). They used a heavy-duty drilling machine. Due to the way the nut was glued on, the whole shaft assembly started spinning with the drilling machine, but after a few tries, the drill had damaged a large enough part that the nut finally came loose. I saw some smoke rise from the drill as whatever spirit haunted the tone pot finally found peace.

The cursed potmeter is no more.