How to not destroy pots when removing knobs???

[Krwkka]

It drives me nuts! I worked on a friend's son's Marshall Valvestate 100h. Replaced the 4316 switch and the amp worked great! No more hum/buzz. However, on reassembling the amp I discovered that I had destroyed a couple of the pots when I removed the knobs!

How can I avoid this problem? I screwed up a RAT pedal in the same way. Luckily, I found the replacement pots for the RAT online.

While on the subject, does anybody know where I can find replacement pots for the Marshall Valvestate 100 head?

Thanks for your responses!

Mark in Baltimore


_

[Enzo]

Through any MArshall dealer, or through marshallparts.com or even Antique electronic supply.

[Krwkka]

Thanks for the response, Enzo. Unfortunately, I tried AES and Parts-Is-Parts without success. I suppose I could order from the local Guitar Center, but I'm afraid it'll take a long time!

These are the pots with the plastic shafts and the flats for the knobs. See photos below:

[Jerry]

Antique Electronics has those pots, they're in the Korg section, not Marshall.

[Prairie Dawg]

Antique Electronics has those pots, they're in the Korg section, not Marshall.

I thought nothing could have been worse than the Piher pots in my KittyHawk M5.

[Krwkka]

Oh Yeah!

Thank you Jerry. I would never have looked there!

Antique Electronics has those pots, they're in the Korg section, not Marshall.

[Jerry]

Korg distributes Marshall, that's why I looked there.

[Enzo]

Also, when you tried parts is parts and AES, did you actually contact them and ask if they could supply the parts? or did you just look on their web sites and didn;t see the part? Parts is parts doesn't show all the parts they have on their web site for exampple. They show common ones, but not all.

[Krwkka]

No, Enzo. I did not call. I just assumed they had all their products online.

However, the BIG question remains unanswered: How the heck do you keep from destroying pots?

...

[Enzo]

I never have a problem with those. The ones I wind up destroying are older fender pc mount pots. The metal shaft would pull right out of the wiper assembly.

Of course when some idiot drips superglue into the knobs so they don;t fall off, then you are screwed. If they are just stuck, my inclination would be some gentle heating, but the stuff is all plastic, so you can;t get very aggressive.

[Dave Curtis, dB AudioTech]

No, Enzo. I did not call. I just assumed they had all their products online.

However, the BIG question remains unanswered: How the heck do you keep from destroying pots?

...

I take a rag and wrap it around (tightly) under the skirt of the knob and pull. Works great except the one time where some ding-dong superglued all his knobs on...

[Prairie Dawg]

I take a rag and wrap it around (tightly) under the skirt of the knob and pull. Works great except the one time where some ding-dong superglued all his knobs on...

That's an old radio man trick. Works pretty well too.

[J M Fahey]

Well, the guy who superglues his knobs , specially direct-to-board soldered, no wires, which forces you to unattach and replace *all* pots and jacks, is *begging* you to replace all pots and jacks at 50+ $ an hour plus parts.
What? $150 to replace one scratchy pot?
Yep, you'll pay *all* work needed to accomplish that relatively simple task turned nightmare.

[Dave Curtis, dB AudioTech]

Well, the guy who superglues his knobs , specially direct-to-board soldered, no wires, which forces you to unattach and replace *all* pots and jacks, is *begging* you to replace all pots and jacks at 50+ $ an hour plus parts.
What? $150 to replace one scratchy pot?
Yep, you'll pay *all* work needed to accomplish that relatively simple task turned nightmare.

Well, my hourly rate is much less than that, but still... The owner declined, and I'm sure he wasn't very happy with the guy who sold him the amp.

[earache]

Stew Mac Knob Puller

Check out the Stew Mac knob puller

Knob and Bushing Puller at Stewart-MacDonald

You could probably cobble something similar together with a long bolt and nuts, and a plastic tube of some sort