The British Steelies Society

I have a Dunlop High Gain volume pedal, model GCB-80. I'm using it with a lap steel guitar. It's hums too much with volume postion up and seems on the noisy side in general, do you think it needs a new pot or a cleaning? If you think it might be needing a new pot, who's got them and is it easy to install it myself? thanks

Hello Moe Fun, sounds like a scratchy pot, I'd give it a few full travel up and down strokes with the foot control to see if it quietens down. if it doesn't you can spray in some cleaner (electrical contact cleaner) try to avoid switch cleaner, not so good for tracks. The hum issue could be that you are too close to your amp if you are using one, or you may need to set the Gain/volume. Turn your volume down to off, open the pedal all the way full on then bring up the volume to the loudest you feel you want to deal with, back off your pedal and hopefully it will be ok. But before all this check your leads for good screening connections,(I should have started with that, ) Hope that helps. I think Ken Byng put something up about Vpots a little while back, you could try a seach for it, and I'm sure more advice will follow from our well informed members. Happy steeling, ==== Baz,

Baz- thanks for the advice. Would WD40 be OK to use?

No, do NOT use WD40 - and the same goes for steel guitar changers, folks - it leaves a sticky residue that solidifies over time. Electrical contact cleaner works if the problem is an oxidised wiper on the pot, or crap on the track. But if the track is breaking up because it's old and at the end of its working life, it's likely that only a new pot will fix it. Good luck!

Thanks Will!

ooops! I was wondering should I warn you about that stuff, but Will saved ya! If you need to replace the pot Gerry Hogan is worth a shot === 01635-278321, Delivering quietly,or so it seems.So that's what he does when he's not on the road with that Albert Lee fella, he's a postman all the best Moe, === Baz.