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1badelement

Member
Joined
Oct 11, 2004
Messages
9
Hello,
Got a Musicman Axis with a cold ground solder (rusty), real scratchy and buzzing (bad ground?). Tried working it free (back and forth), shot contact cleaner at the cold solder(don't know how to get it inside the casing, never had to do that before). Any advice here would really be appreciated. I may have to get a replacement volume pot, anyone know where I can find an actual replacement, know the Axis has a particular taper to it. Thanks
 

Eric O'Reilly

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Joined
Jun 16, 2013
Messages
968
Location
Revere Mass
Get a new one there only about $5.00 and are very easy to install. And show us some pics of your axis, we have a saying round here , no pics, it dont exist! Lol, seriously we'd all love to see it, what year? And color, quilt? Flame?
 

AndyK

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 29, 2012
Messages
114
Location
NJ
I got a Bourns volume pot off eBay for $7 shipped. I also have a scratchy, cutting-out volume pot on my '01 Axis. The Bourn pot is low friction (easy to turn with a pinky) and should be a drop in replacement. I have to install it this week!
 

beej

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Aug 16, 2004
Messages
12,334
Location
Toronto, Canada
shot contact cleaner at the cold solder(don't know how to get it inside the casing, never had to do that before).
The problem is inside the pot, so you have to shoot the contact cleaner inside the pot housing. There's usually an opening if you look closely.

Otherwise, yeah, replacement pots are cheap as well.
 

AndyK

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Joined
Nov 29, 2012
Messages
114
Location
NJ
I opened up the wiring cover, and have never been so confused by a simple volume/3-way setup! The 3-way is connected via the mini circuit board (?), and all the pickup wiring goes to the underside of the board.

I plan to just gut the wiring and start over with a new volume pot and toggle. No circuit boards for me!!
 

beej

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Aug 16, 2004
Messages
12,334
Location
Toronto, Canada
Why?

I'd just unscrew the pot, and while loose, inject the contact cleaner in the housing. That'll fix it. If you have to replace it, solder it up the same way. Then you just have to solder 3 wires and not deal with everything else.
 

AndyK

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 29, 2012
Messages
114
Location
NJ
Why?

I'd just unscrew the pot, and while loose, inject the contact cleaner in the housing. That'll fix it. If you have to replace it, solder it up the same way. Then you just have to solder 3 wires and not deal with everything else.

I've tried the contact cleaner into the pot, to no avail. After 13 years, I guess it's just worn out. The way it's wired from the factory leaves no room to work - I'll give it another look, but I'm pretty sure starting over would be easier.
 

AndyK

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 29, 2012
Messages
114
Location
NJ
Take a photo or two of the setup before you unravel it, then easier to put it back together.

Yeah, I'll give that a try first. If I mess anything up, I can always start from scratch.
 
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