Author Topic: Ever Had a Tone Pot or Cap Blow Out?  (Read 1134 times)

jmcgliss

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Ever Had a Tone Pot or Cap Blow Out?
« on: March 18, 2010, 12:11:57 PM »
Had a weird incident with my Dark Star P-bass where the tone pot (CTS) or .047 cap seems to have blown out. Was playing with moderate aggression, heard a loud noise, then the bass lost volume so I quickly shut things down. The amp is fine since I carried on using another bass. Testing later at home, I have a working Vol pot but no tone attenuation. A quick visual looks like all connections are normal.

I'm assuming a Dark Star doesn't put out enough energy to blow out a pot or cap, but I'd appreciate hearing if anyone thinks this could be component failure. I'll double check solder connections for now.
RD Artist w/ Victory headstock (sold)
2009 Epiphone Thunderbird IV silverburst (mods pending)
2005 Lakland Decade Dark Star | 2009 55-02 Chi-Sonic
2005 Dark Star P-Bass | 1986 Pedulla Buzz |
Eden heads with various 12's and 10's | Ampeg B-15N

exiledarchangel

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Re: Ever Had a Tone Pot or Cap Blow Out?
« Reply #1 on: March 18, 2010, 12:40:13 PM »
There's no way a pickup, even Mudbucker the Mighty, could blow up a pot or cap.
Check your wiring for cold solder joint(s) and ofcourse the tone pot and cap itself.
Music was better when ugly people were allowed to make it.

Highlander

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Re: Ever Had a Tone Pot or Cap Blow Out?
« Reply #2 on: March 18, 2010, 12:47:47 PM »
"Aggressive" playing has been known to colapse a pot or two if your playing is in line with them...
The random mind of a Silver Surfer...
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exiledarchangel

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Re: Ever Had a Tone Pot or Cap Blow Out?
« Reply #3 on: March 18, 2010, 12:51:13 PM »
Well, if that's the case then it's normal to break a pot, the bass, or your geetard player's head...
Music was better when ugly people were allowed to make it.

saltymonkey

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Re: Ever Had a Tone Pot or Cap Blow Out?
« Reply #4 on: March 18, 2010, 02:41:09 PM »
I had the same thing happen to a Lakland DPLEII. Don't know the reason but the tone pot died. I replaced it and the cap and never had another problem.

bassvirtuoso

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Re: Ever Had a Tone Pot or Cap Blow Out?
« Reply #5 on: March 18, 2010, 02:52:53 PM »
I had the same thing happen to a Lakland DPLEII.

:'( The one that got away from me...
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jmcgliss

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Re: Ever Had a Tone Pot or Cap Blow Out?
« Reply #6 on: March 18, 2010, 07:39:04 PM »
Thanks for the responses.  The DS harness came from Butch Ammons 3 years ago. Since he does impeccable soldering work as you probably know, I'll look for what I might have cocked up.
RD Artist w/ Victory headstock (sold)
2009 Epiphone Thunderbird IV silverburst (mods pending)
2005 Lakland Decade Dark Star | 2009 55-02 Chi-Sonic
2005 Dark Star P-Bass | 1986 Pedulla Buzz |
Eden heads with various 12's and 10's | Ampeg B-15N