Noisy pots

[bsco]

Yes, Bernie, definitely contact them. Often times with my vendors, they will issue a refund and not even ask for the defective parts back. Regardless, you shouldn't have to pay to send them back anyway. It's not your fault. On the rare occasion this happens to me, I simply ask for a refund and tell the company that they can send my a prepaid shipping label if they want their parts back. On something this small, they probably won't mess with it. The cost of shipping probably exceeds the parts cost.

I sent them an email late this afternoon.....I'll see what happens......To tell you the truth, I really don't expect them to do anything about it...but who knows...they might send me out six more....from the same bad batch?? Thanks for the post.....I'll let you know what happens.......if anything does happen....
Cheers,
Bernie

[bsco]

+1!

Usually if I get bad or wrong parts, they send me new parts, free shipping. On a couple occasions, they send me the wrong tube, and say, "keep both!" Usually if you're respectful and not whiny, they're much happier to keep a customer happy, especially if you have a history of working together in the past. And by notifying them, you could be saving them oodles of $$$ in other dissatisfied customers who aren't quite as polite.

Justin

I agree. I am not going to get all warped up over it...I have better places to expend my energy....But I did send them an email to let them know....Lets see how good they are in solving manufacturer defect issues....
Cheers.....

[Chuck H]

Seeing as all the pots are in different circuits and al the pots are suffering the same noise in the same area of travel I'm entirely inclined to agree with the other posters on this. But...

I wanted to mention another thing that might cause pot noise, even with a new pot, in a consistent area of travel at a consistent speed (as was mentioned as a criteria). Many tube circuits don't adjust instantly. That is, they suffer a lag in operating parameters changing the operating conditions of a tube. I can see where this could result in a DC like condition on a pot under very specific circumstances that could make a scratchy noise even though there is no DC present in any state of rest. I mention it because I think I've run across this a couple of times. At least, I didn't have a better explanation at the moment considering bench test results.

[bsco]

Seeing as all the pots are in different circuits and al the pots are suffering the same noise in the same area of travel I'm entirely inclined to agree with the other posters on this. But...

I wanted to mention another thing that might cause pot noise, even with a new pot, in a consistent area of travel at a consistent speed (as was mentioned as a criteria). Many tube circuits don't adjust instantly. That is, they suffer a lag in operating parameters changing the operating conditions of a tube. I can see where this could result in a DC like condition on a pot under very specific circumstances that could make a scratchy noise even though there is no DC present in any state of rest. I mention it because I think I've run across this a couple of times. At least, I didn't have a better explanation at the moment considering bench test results.

Thanks for that Chuck......Much appreciated.....funny how the linear pot works fine....but the new audio taper pots do not....It is 7:30 AM here and I am going to make a run into the local electronics parts store to see if I can get a couple of 1M audio taper pots...If I can I am going to install one just to see......I really need to get the the bottom of this if I can...Thanks for the info......

[catalin gramada]

sometime ganz new pots are noisy from beginig ,specialy old stocked ones. the carbon film develop a sort of oxide at surface. It is not necesary to clean it , just turn slowly the shaft all way forth and back for few times and the wiper itself will remove the oxid film

[bsco]

Well. The store didn't have any 1M audio pots.....I got them to order me some....that's a bummer......
Cheers

[Drewline]

A friend who builds pedals has had problems with brand new Alpha pots being intermittant after the pedal is assembled & sits a few days. Usually Deoxit takes care of the problem. I wonder if it how the pots are stored prior to his receiving them. It seems to happen from one source much more than any other.

[J M Fahey]

The cost for me to ship six pots back to the US isn't worth the trouble

Which means ...... ?

FWIW I think *everybody* should state place-of-residence or whatever, many (most) answers are Country specific and don't apply elsewhere, so that alone makes it worth filling that info at the User page.

A $50 pawnshop/garage sale special old amp can be an excellent not-to-be-repeated offer in, say, Rumania or Bolivia or Indonesia even at $200 if nothing similar is available.

Importing from USA would cost much more in Air Freight, let alone Customs Tariff (which might be up to 200% once you add all expenses involved) and not even considering red tape and plain Customs Officials greed.

I exportb to neighbouring Brazil from Argentina, we are both Mercosur members so in theory no Customs barrier between us.

In practice it means I don't pay raw 20% Import Tax ... but there is a ton of other taxes with colourful names as IPIM, COFIN, etc. which add up to ..... grasp!!! .... 50 to 63% !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And they are applied, not to raw product itself (that would be FOB price) but to CIF price, which includes Freight and Insurance .

So may times a locally available product must be found, even if not exactly the same.

[bsco]

Which means ...... ?

FWIW I think *everybody* should state place-of-residence or whatever, many (most) answers are Country specific and don't apply elsewhere, so that alone makes it worth filling that info at the User page.

A $50 pawnshop/garage sale special old amp can be an excellent not-to-be-repeated offer in, say, Rumania or Bolivia or Indonesia even at $200 if nothing similar is available.

Importing from USA would cost much more in Air Freight, let alone Customs Tariff (which might be up to 200% once you add all expenses involved) and not even considering red tape and plain Customs Officials greed.

I exportb to neighbouring Brazil from Argentina, we are both Mercosur members so in theory no Customs barrier between us.

In practice it means I don't pay raw 20% Import Tax ... but there is a ton of other taxes with colourful names as IPIM, COFIN, etc. which add up to ..... grasp!!! .... 50 to 63% !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And they are applied, not to raw product itself (that would be FOB price) but to CIF price, which includes Freight and Insurance .

So may times a locally available product must be found, even if not exactly the same.

Actually, J M, I live in Eastern Canada....not ALL that far from where the Titanic sank........For me to ship back 6 pots for replacement isn't going to be worth the cost......Most of the time, the local electronics parts shop here does not carry a huge assortment of parts....

for an example....they don't deal with vacuum tubes any more.....not enough of a market here for that......they won't even consider placing an order for them......If you want belts for your turntable or tape deck they don;t stock it....but these they can order, but only if their suppliers can provide it.....

they have a certain number of suppliers that they deal with......if the parts that I am looking for are not carried by their suppliers, then I have to look else where....such as Digi-Key, Mouser, Newark, Antique Electronic Supply, Simply Speakers, etc.....Vintage Electronics is another one that I order from sometimes.....so whenever possible I try to obtain parts locally but quite often, they are not available, which means that you have to source them from some other part of the world...

I just very recently had an order arrive from China....took 2.5 months but I got it and then fixed a bunch of lasers...if the parts were D.O.A. like these pots, then it wouldn't be worth my while to send them back for credit for the sake of 10 or 20 bucks...I just wouldn't order from them anymore.....so, like yourself, I try to source parts locally whenever I can...........

.and it sounds like you have a lot of taxes to deal with....we have the exchange rate on the dollar, customs, there is also a tariff levied on all orders placed outside the country,just because they were placed outside the country..... and a sales tax of 13% which is applied through the customs people...FWIW, I did email the vendor of the pots but haven't heard anything back as of yet....If I do hear back from they I will certainly let you know....
Cheers,
Bernie

[bsco]

Yes, Bernie, definitely contact them. Often times with my vendors, they will issue a refund and not even ask for the defective parts back. Regardless, you shouldn't have to pay to send them back anyway. It's not your fault. On the rare occasion this happens to me, I simply ask for a refund and tell the company that they can send my a prepaid shipping label if they want their parts back. On something this small, they probably won't mess with it. The cost of shipping probably exceeds the parts cost.

I never heard back from that company since.....so I guess they don't care?? Oh well....I will have to buy my pots somewhere else from now on.....too bad...they have a few things there that I would need from time to time....but I am quite sure there are lots of other places that supply the same inventory......so be it.....
Cheers

[Enzo]

Pick up the phone and CALL customer service at the part seller, you didn't mention who they were. Email, and you are just one of a thousand emails that can easily get misdirected. I find emails in my junk mail file all the time that are not really junk.

[DrGonz78]

.so I have a half dozen pots that came in from Antique Electronic Supply that appear to be bad......

So Antique Electronic Supply seems like the company and really it is Amplified Parts at the same address>>
6221 S Maple Ave, Tempe, AZ 85283
(480) 296-0890

I just bought a bunch of pots from them last week so I will definitely check them out too. I agree with Enzo about calling them and how email can get lost. I had one time where I dealt with their customer service department and I was pleased with the level of service offered.

[Enzo]

I missed the name reference, sorry. They are not a little fly by night place. I have dealt with them for decades.

[DrGonz78]

I guess I have to add something too. A few months back I was placing an order from Antique Electronics Supply (tubesandmore.com) and had some difficulties. I spent a couple of nights on and off putting together a parts order on the AES website. At the very end of it all I go to checkout screen and it will not work. I thought I was having problems on my end but that was not the case. Eventually, I went to the identical Amplified Parts website and placed the order that way. It worked that time and ever since I have placed all my orders through the Amplified Parts website. Just seemed strange that the tubesandmore.com site would not work for me.

[bsco]

So Antique Electronic Supply seems like the company and really it is Amplified Parts at the same address>>
6221 S Maple Ave, Tempe, AZ 85283
(480) 296-0890

I just bought a bunch of pots from them last week so I will definitely check them out too. I agree with Enzo about calling them and how email can get lost. I had one time where I dealt with their customer service department and I was pleased with the level of service offered.

The pots I had were 1M audio taper....Alpha.....just so that you will know....
Cheers
P.S> I'll take Enzo's advice and give them a call anyway.......I'll post the outcome here.......