Mesa Boogie Subway Rocket pots

bitcat · 09-27-2007, 10:58 PM

Hi!
I want to replace the Master and Gain pots on said amp as they became noisy when turning them. I looked in many different places but nobody seems to offer the right ones. It is mainly about their size. They need to be about 1/2" to 9/16" in diameter preferably with a 1/4" flatted shaft. Can anybody recommend a source for them? Thanx.

Enzo · 09-28-2007, 12:26 AM

Pots in guitar amps are almost always made to order for the OEM. Mesa would have the controls. You would not find them at Mouser or someplace like that.

Have you tried cleaning the existing pots?

bob p · 09-28-2007, 12:49 AM

IME Mesa support for end users is great. They may not be able to route your call to the right person in real-time, but somebody will call you back and that person will have the answers.

xFallen · 09-28-2007, 01:27 AM

+1 on Mesa support. Pretty decent typically.

I'd try Caig Deoxit cleaner and lubricant on the pots first.

Barry

Enzo · 09-28-2007, 05:38 AM

Also make sure the pots are not getting sprung. On a lot of recent era Mesas, if you swat the knob so it pushes inwards, it can actually push the back off the pot. SOmetimes it just gets loose.

IN those cases, demount the pot, and with large pliers, squeeze the little tabs tight again. The little tabs that hold the back cover on the pot. When it is loose, the wiper does not make as good contact with the resistive element.

bitcat · 09-28-2007, 03:18 PM

Thanx for all the replies. I will try cleaning them first. Aaaaa... do I have to open them for that? Or just spray them or something? Mechanically they look sound. If that fails I will try to contact them.

xFallen · 09-28-2007, 04:50 PM

This goes throgh the typical questions. I use the Caig cleaner then follow up with the protectant.

http://www.thegearpage.net/board/arc...p/t-13956.html

Barry

bob p · 09-28-2007, 05:29 PM

helpful link. see Dexter Sinister's post about different cleaning chemicals.

I'm not too embarrassed to admit that I've used WD-40.

xFallen · 09-28-2007, 05:45 PM

Well, nobody is born with this innate knowledge so...what do you do.

I haven't used WD-40, and not because I knew better so call it luck, but certainly lots of contact cleaner over the years. I think the contact cleaner is probably just as bad of an idea. I also used to quickly move pots back and forth to clean them out when they got scratchy. Oops.

jcollins · 09-28-2007, 10:23 PM

I had a some recent model boogie on my bench not long ago. Forget the exact
one.

Just about every pot on the thing was scratchy. That was a real head scratcher. Some how (maybe it was from here), I found out that Mesa put
some bad pots in some of their amps.

I called mesa and they sent me a replacement set. I think there was a nominal
charge.

They are great guys to deal with. Always courteous and prompt.

Chuck H · 09-29-2007, 02:38 AM

Second that (or third rather) on Mesa support. about 5 years ago I was having a problem with my Subway. I called them up for a schem and they asked me if it was the one with the potted FX loop board. It was. They had me send the chassis to them and they replaced the entire board with a new one with fresh componants (including new filters

, the amp was about 9 years old at the time). All I paid was shipping, even though I was well past the warranty date. They even asked me if I wanted a "bright" switch or a "fat" switch installed with the new board. Top notch service.

Of course the entire amp is now modified into something else. As it turns out, I just didn't like the amp the way it was anyway

.

Never had a problem with the pots on mine, but Mesa will almost certainly help you if you call them.

Chuck

Enzo · 09-29-2007, 03:10 AM

Cleaning pots.

Look at the pot where the three legs come out. Ther should be a space around them. Squirt cleaner in there.

09-27-2007, 10:58 PM	#1
bitcat Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 2	Mesa Boogie Subway Rocket pots Hi! I want to replace the Master and Gain pots on said amp as they became noisy when turning them. I looked in many different places but nobody seems to offer the right ones. It is mainly about their size. They need to be about 1/2" to 9/16" in diameter preferably with a 1/4" flatted shaft. Can anybody recommend a source for them? Thanx.

09-28-2007, 12:49 AM	#3
bob p Senior Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: What's left of NW Indiana Posts: 1,072	IME Mesa support for end users is great. They may not be able to route your call to the right person in real-time, but somebody will call you back and that person will have the answers. __________________ "I know nothing." - Schultz, Hogan's Heroes

09-28-2007, 05:29 PM	#8
bob p Senior Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: What's left of NW Indiana Posts: 1,072	helpful link. see Dexter Sinister's post about different cleaning chemicals. I'm not too embarrassed to admit that I've used WD-40. __________________ "I know nothing." - Schultz, Hogan's Heroes

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09-28-2007, 12:26 AM	#2
Enzo Senior Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Lansing, Michigan, USA Posts: 10,359	Pots in guitar amps are almost always made to order for the OEM. Mesa would have the controls. You would not find them at Mouser or someplace like that. Have you tried cleaning the existing pots?

09-28-2007, 01:27 AM	#4
xFallen Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 71	+1 on Mesa support. Pretty decent typically. I'd try Caig Deoxit cleaner and lubricant on the pots first. Barry

09-28-2007, 05:38 AM	#5
Enzo Senior Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Lansing, Michigan, USA Posts: 10,359	Also make sure the pots are not getting sprung. On a lot of recent era Mesas, if you swat the knob so it pushes inwards, it can actually push the back off the pot. SOmetimes it just gets loose. IN those cases, demount the pot, and with large pliers, squeeze the little tabs tight again. The little tabs that hold the back cover on the pot. When it is loose, the wiper does not make as good contact with the resistive element.

09-28-2007, 03:18 PM	#6
bitcat Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 2	Thanx for all the replies. I will try cleaning them first. Aaaaa... do I have to open them for that? Or just spray them or something? Mechanically they look sound. If that fails I will try to contact them.

09-28-2007, 04:50 PM	#7
xFallen Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 71	This goes throgh the typical questions. I use the Caig cleaner then follow up with the protectant. http://www.thegearpage.net/board/arc...p/t-13956.html Barry

09-28-2007, 05:45 PM	#9
xFallen Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 71	Well, nobody is born with this innate knowledge so...what do you do. I haven't used WD-40, and not because I knew better so call it luck, but certainly lots of contact cleaner over the years. I think the contact cleaner is probably just as bad of an idea. I also used to quickly move pots back and forth to clean them out when they got scratchy. Oops.

09-28-2007, 10:23 PM	#10
jcollins Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 36	I had a some recent model boogie on my bench not long ago. Forget the exact one. Just about every pot on the thing was scratchy. That was a real head scratcher. Some how (maybe it was from here), I found out that Mesa put some bad pots in some of their amps. I called mesa and they sent me a replacement set. I think there was a nominal charge. They are great guys to deal with. Always courteous and prompt.

09-29-2007, 02:38 AM	#11
Chuck H Old Timer Join Date: May 2007 Location: pacific north west Posts: 1,482	Second that (or third rather) on Mesa support. about 5 years ago I was having a problem with my Subway. I called them up for a schem and they asked me if it was the one with the potted FX loop board. It was. They had me send the chassis to them and they replaced the entire board with a new one with fresh componants (including new filters , the amp was about 9 years old at the time). All I paid was shipping, even though I was well past the warranty date. They even asked me if I wanted a "bright" switch or a "fat" switch installed with the new board. Top notch service. Of course the entire amp is now modified into something else. As it turns out, I just didn't like the amp the way it was anyway . Never had a problem with the pots on mine, but Mesa will almost certainly help you if you call them. Chuck

09-29-2007, 03:10 AM	#12
Enzo Senior Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Lansing, Michigan, USA Posts: 10,359	Cleaning pots. Look at the pot where the three legs come out. Ther should be a space around them. Squirt cleaner in there.

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