Volume Pot Question

[knj316]

Hello All,

How difficult is replacing the volume pot in an Axis? Mine appears to be failing as I can no longer zero-out the volume. I can turn the volume to zero, but, if I play something I can still hear it coming through the amp.

I have spoke with Dan in customer service and followed his troubleshooting suggestions and we concluded the pot was faulty. A new pot should be arriving at my house today or tomorrow.

I can always take it to the dealer and have them do it. However, I've done alot of soldering in the past; computers rc/cars etc... I'm contemplating doing this myself as it doesn't appear that difficult; just remove the old pot, solder the wires to the new pot and install. That's about it, right?

Obviously be careful not to splatter solder on the finish or scratch anything. I guess I can be extra careful and setup my workspace like a surgery room; get a cloth, cut hole in it and place it around the control cavity

Thanks for any tips and/or suggestions. I apologize if this post was a little drawn-out.

Thank you to BP, Ernie Ball and his staff for taking such good care of the customers. There are not to many places I've dealt with where you can get a response to a question so quickly, or, call and talk to an actual person

Thanks,

Joe

 

[Sweat]

Sounds to me like you have it down, while I have not worked on my EBMM guitars, I have replaced pots, switches etc on other brands and it is as simple as you stated, good luck

 

[HunterSThompson]

First ...To be fair..I'm doing a bunch of switch & volume pot replacing myself on my EBMM Axis guitars..But look at the years I've had them..I've posted on that subject ...But I see within the EBMM forum this happens from time to time..But I truely think ..this in IMO...People whom get EBMM..Just play the shiite out of em'...I wish i could just tuck my 2 balls in my back pocket ..and just walk around with em'...and at any moment..Just bust my balls out...they just play like a broken in axe..straight out of the box...So I have put my balls in harms way plenty of times in the past .So the elements will get the best of them at times .It's just routine maintenance..I've recessed my straplock buttons..so not just any joker could just walk by ..and now..I'm installing Neutrik locking jacks..so they can't just yank my balls off anymore..The show will go on....40 years from now..You'll never see a EBMM at a vintage/ trade show with"Original Strings" ..These are players guitars .EBMM customers are like the gamers of the music industry..If there's a flaw..We'll find it..We play em' enuff..But BP & his staff come thru..Go read about the changes just in neck width on the Axis from it's former day as a EVH..Bp could have just blown people off ..ANY problems..Just call customer service..It'll save your fingers typing time...And your needs will get met..well your needs having to do with your balls

Hunter

 

[Spudmurphy]

So you've never done it before ?- it's a good job to start with, as long as you have soldering experience. Don't use the type of soldering iron I use on my stained glass projects - 75 watts cos it's too big!

Take a digi camera shot before you start and/or draw a diagram.
If there is a locking washer make sure it goes back on.

Cover yer guitar with some cloth and be careful with that iron.

Other than that take it to a guitar guy - it's gonna take him less than an hour - better still get him to show you how its done - oh BTW we want photos of yer guitar in the nude just like this Bwaaa haaaaa!

 

[HunterSThompson]

So you've never done it before ?- it's a good job to start with, as long as you have soldering experience. Don't use the type of soldering iron I use on my stained glass projects - 75 watts cos it's too big!

Take a digi camera shot before you start and/or draw a diagram.
If there is a locking washer make sure it goes back on.

Cover yer guitar with some cloth and be careful with that iron.

Other than that take it to a guitar guy - it's gonna take him less than an hour - better still get him to show you how its done - oh BTW we want photos of yer guitar in the nude just like this Bwaaa haaaaa!

Or you could just close your eyes and just start cutting..Pretend your Jack Bauer on 24..and just snip every wire starting with red..then polish the guitar with an 80 grit garnet paper with acetone or just go with the advice Spudmurphy just gave you...because he had pictures & I didn't

 

[Spudmurphy]

Yunno I could really do with this - a good laugh!!!
Nice one Hunter!!

 

[peterd79]

One of the easiet things you could do yourself and helps you get to know your guitar...
I just ran though all my stuff last week and changed faulty pots... on a few of my guitars (non EBMM)...
What I woud do is go to youre local automotive store and buy two or three microfiber cloths... and lay around where you're working... they won't scuff the finsih while you're working and if you should happen to drop the pot or solder...

And as a tip Solder on the outside edge by the numbers... all the goods are in the center and if you heat that up you could ruin the pot before you even get going. and also keep in mind that that cleaner the solder joints the better it will sound... no joke!

 

[knj316]

???

First ...To be fair..I'm doing a bunch of switch & volume pot replacing myself on my EBMM Axis guitars..But look at the years I've had them..I've posted on that subject ...But I see within the EBMM forum this happens from time to time..But I truely think ..this in IMO...People whom get EBMM..Just play the shiite out of em'...I wish i could just tuck my 2 balls in my back pocket ..and just walk around with em'...and at any moment..Just bust my balls out...they just play like a broken in axe..straight out of the box...So I have put my balls in harms way plenty of times in the past .So the elements will get the best of them at times .It's just routine maintenance..I've recessed my straplock buttons..so not just any joker could just walk by ..and now..I'm installing Neutrik locking jacks..so they can't just yank my balls off anymore..The show will go on....40 years from now..You'll never see a EBMM at a vintage/ trade show with"Original Strings" ..These are players guitars .EBMM customers are like the gamers of the music industry..If there's a flaw..We'll find it..We play em' enuff..But BP & his staff come thru..Go read about the changes just in neck width on the Axis from it's former day as a EVH..Bp could have just blown people off ..ANY problems..Just call customer service..It'll save your fingers typing time...And your needs will get met..well your needs having to do with your balls

Hunter

Hunter,

I'm sorry if I touched on a sore subject.

 

[Spudmurphy]

^
I'm looking forward 2 his reply!!!

 

[HunterSThompson]

Yunno I could really do with this - a good laugh!!!
Nice one Hunter!!

Anything to help ..But I do have a drawer in my techbox with tons of switches..toggles...pickups..etc etc...they probably work..But I'm just lazy..So I dont use them but for practice .When I'm done practicing guitars..and think to myself...self ..you still have fingertips..I go bust out mysoldering irons.I make a cardboard cutout of the contol cavity..usually just trace the cover..cover it in tin-foil ..punch holes for the pots...and use that as a working practice & schematic..You can buy tons of old parts on Ebay for pennies....try it that way...sometimes it gets crazy..i use this pot with the cap. or that resistor..all of asudden you have a Marshall AVT in your control cavity...Just keep it simple...You can spend so much time..You have a cross between an old Philco radio ,a 1980 Rich Bich..and a Ripley stereo guitar...Just go for a C.A.E system and call it a day..What Would Petrucci Do ???.What was the original question ??? I just like hearing myself type


Hunter

 

[HunterSThompson]

Hunter,

I'm sorry if I touched on a sore subject.

I'm not sore now....Or maybe I'm in the denial stages....Sure..It stays sore for awhile..But when you poke around your balls with a soldering iron..Or get into a cavity with clippers.Well it's to be expected . Just dont make a habit of it..Just in the future any problems with your balls..before it gets to out of control..Call customer service..they are trained professionals and can answer all your questions ..about your balls or your friends balls for that matter

Hunter

 

[knj316]

Thanks

Thanks you everyone for the advice and tips. I have a pretty nice 40w iron from my rc/car days that works good and spools of solder.

When the part arrives, I'll give it a go and let you all know how it turns out.

 

[Larry]

Just take your time. I fixed the battery on my LUKE with a 15watt iron. Worked great and customer service was great as always when I called.

 

[Spudmurphy]

^
see 15 watt not 75 like mine!! ha!

Hey not only can we discuss the merits of high or low wattage on our amps, we can discuss the wattage on our 'irons.
I'd also like to place on record that I have a (liquid butane) gas powered soldering iron too

 

[HunterSThompson]

Thanks you everyone for the advice and tips. I have a pretty nice 40w iron from my rc/car days that works good and spools of solder.

When the part arrives, I'll give it a go and let you all know how it turns out.

Thats what I'm talking about ......I'm using my gear from when I use to build/race Tamiya SuperChamps back in the late 80's..Now your cookin with gas knj316 . Now if i can find a way to use the little lathe I had to put grooves in my speedskates wheels ..well convert it to do pickup windings..man I'd only have to find a use for my old Peyo Smurf collection to justify keeping all my old crap from the 80's..My miniature Pac-Man arcade game is working out wonderfully as a GPS in my car...screw Garmin..I have Coleco

Hunter

 

[HunterSThompson]

^
see 15 watt not 75 like mine!! ha!

Hey not only can we discuss the merits of high or low wattage on our amps, we can discuss the wattage on our 'irons.
I'd also like to place on record that I have a (liquid butane) gas powered soldering iron too

I have a soldering iron that is powered by Strontium-90 from a decommisioned Russian lighthouse generator I got it off of Ebay...I'd use it..By my balls are still glowing from the last time....

Hunter

 

[Spudmurphy]

That's it - I'm off.

Love to have a beer with you one day Hunter.

 

[Jimmyb]

^
<snip>
I'd also like to place on record that I have a (liquid butane) gas powered soldering iron too

Doesn't everyone?