Discontinued Fender pots - where to buy?

[Axtman]

I am looking for a linear "B" 100k ohm potentiometer with long plastic "D" shaft and all my sources say it is discontinued and not available. The part is Fender 0034720000. Does anyone have a source for these? (I need 2 or 3). Thanks,

[Enzo]

What is broken? The shaft or the wafer?

Those are 12mm are they not? I think I have a few Fender long shaft pots in stock, just not 100k. But shafts can be swapped out from other pots. If the wafer is cracked, find 12mm pots of proper resistance, and swap the wafer into a bad pot but good shaft.

And please, tell us what it is from, because that might make it easier to determine if we have them.

[Axtman]

The amp is a modern SS Fender Bassman 60 bass amp. The volume and bass controls are broken off. I have not purchased the amp yet because I wanted to see if the parts were available before I try to fixi it. I guess it is good thing I checked because the pots (and knobs) have been discontinued and may not be obtainable.

[nevetslab]

I just checked Darren Riley's website for Fender Amp parts Fender amp potentiometers (darrenriley.com)

They list this pot, but are presently out of stock on it. They have many others with the same form factor, so if the wafer/terminals are intact, you could cobble the part together, as your shafts have broken off. Carefully pry open the metal tabs that are folded over locking the fiber wafer in place and have a look at the mechanics of the wafer. If all are intact, you could do the same with the new parts having the same shaft detail and cobble the 100k Linear (B) taper pots together that way. This is a common practice amongst our members when necessary.

[Enzo]

If you can find any pots of the same series, we can swap the shaft out of it into your broken pots. There are probably other fish in the sea...

[J M Fahey]

^^^^^^^ THAT

Absolute worst case, measure case size, just to get an idea of available space, and pin to pin separation (so it fits in PCB) and get what you can.

You can grind a D shape into a solid or knurled shaft so it takes the original knob.

If splined, fill that with a thin piece of plastic that fits, held in place with a drop of krazy glue, so it becomes "solid".

I(f new case has no "wings", use a plain one (round or square), missing 1 or 2 won´t make the preamp board fall out but if too wobbly, I solve that by lightly grinding/scratching/sanding pot case sides (so it solders easily without much overheating , I keep a piece of brass wire for that purpose, pass it thrugh PCB "holding holes" and solder it there and to the case.

Better than nothing, saved my bacon many times; being in Argentina I can NOT order "just 2 or 3 pots" from USA (U$35/40 minimum freight plus some fighting at Customs) so I have to be "creative".

[Axtman]

Warning: Rant Ahead. Please use caution when reading.

I hate, loathe and despise it when manufactures build their gear to the lowest price point possible. Many amps I have worked on were built cheaper than inexpensive consumer stereo gear.

Amplifiers are working tools. Many modern amps are designed as if they will never leave the bedroom. We all know i the real world amps are throwing the back of a back, dropped by roadies, fallen into by drunk rock stars and climbed over by groupies. These amps aren't delicate flowers that will be played lightly, lovingly polished, put back in their cases and kissed good night. They will be rocked hard and will have road wear to show it (coffee/beer/urine stains, cigarette burns, dents, tears, bullet holes, vomit residue, etc.)

The pots in question are just out flapp'n in the breeze only held on by the pcb solder. How much did Fender really save by not putting a nut on pot? Oh and don't get me started on plastic shafts and push on nuts! ;-)

Rant Over. We now resume our regulary scheduled program.

[J M Fahey]

I HATE unsupported stuff , SPECIALLY pots, which by their very shape *multiply* pressure and flexing applied to pins, pads, solder, tracks.

[nevetslab]

I couldn't agree more with those comments ^^^^^^^^^!! I think they use that same form factor pot on the Fender Blues Jr, and the only addition to the pots are those wimpy plastic collars that go over the shaft and seat between the panel and the pot. Always feel like you'll break the pot when setting them. I never did take the time to see what could be retrofitted in their place.

[g1]

I would say you need to complain to the people who are buying them. The manufacturers build what the market is buying.
I don't think a lot of these kinds of amps are being used by gigging players. Most of them stay in the bedroom, and that's also where most of the buyers come from.

The lowest price point is just one segment of the market. There are also a lot of players who spend way too much money on niche name products because they believe the quality is determined by the highest price tag.

[Enzo]

Hey those wimpy little collars actually worked. If you whack the knob toward the panel, they stop it from pushing the shaft out the back of the pot.

[Axtman]

I want to thank Enzo and the group. I was able to locate Fender post of the same type and different values. I took it and my old pots apart and swapped out the plastic shafts. Plus I bought and installed those little plastic collar bushings. Now the amp works great!

I was a little hesitant to do this procedure because sometimes you cannot remove the shaft from the threaded housing. I am not sure how they built those types of pots in the first place.

Thanks again guys!

[g1]

I was a little hesitant to do this procedure because sometimes you cannot remove the shaft from the threaded housing. I am not sure how they built those types of pots in the first place.

Some of the ones with metal shafts have very small circlips that can be removed.

[Axtman]

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