Sho-Bud Volume Pedal Question

Jim Fogarty · Post by **Jim Fogarty** » 19 Jun 2023 9:57 pm

Hi……I just bought a nice Sho-Bud LDG from the early ‘80’s. It came with this volume pedal and bracket to connect it to the pedal bar. It works, but is super scratchy. Questions:

Is this the way they came, with no casing……the guts just wide open like that?

When working, is it any good?

What’s a good replacement pot, if it’s worth fixing?

Thanks!

Dale Rottacker · Post by **Dale Rottacker** » 20 Jun 2023 3:36 am

Jim that is the way they came... and looks like you have a prized Allen Bradly pot as well... if they've sat a while they can get scratchy but keep cycling it and it should/could clear up... if not perhaps spray a little DeOxit in it. WAY Back in the day, I used to open the tabs on the casing and clean them out, but those old AB pots were much desired as they sounded so good, so work with it a little, pump it a lot and hopefully it will clear up for you.

Dave Grafe · Post by **Dave Grafe** » 20 Jun 2023 4:02 am

My favorite pedal-bar mounted VP, but I carry a spare as I have known the pot metal casting to break (yes that

). Otherwise it will last forever, if you are unable to clear up the scratchiness of the pot you can get excellent new 500KA Goodrich pots from Tom Bradshaw.

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 20 Jun 2023 7:34 am

I doubt very much if that is a pot metal casting.

Erv

Dave Grafe · Post by **Dave Grafe** » 20 Jun 2023 7:42 am

I can dig up my broken one to photograph if you doubt my veracity, Irv

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 20 Jun 2023 7:46 am

You maybe broke it but it's not pot metal.
Erv

Dave Grafe · Post by **Dave Grafe** » 20 Jun 2023 7:56 am

Erv Niehaus wrote:You maybe broke it but it's not pot metal.
Erv

Please then to educate me further, Irv, it looks like pot metal and it breaks like pot metal, thus my comment. If there is more to be known please share.

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 20 Jun 2023 7:58 am

That's cast steel.
Erv

Tom Bradshaw · Post by **Tom Bradshaw** » 20 Jun 2023 11:05 am

Don't throw the pedal away. Get it welded. Are you sure it isn't just "crummy" aluminum? I've seen aluminum casting that are bad (foreign material in the mix), but this looks like the worst ever!

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 20 Jun 2023 11:22 am

Tom,
Don't you think that pedal is too heavy for that part to be aluminum?
Erv

Dave Grafe · Post by **Dave Grafe** » 20 Jun 2023 11:41 am

It's very lightweight, not at all like the big enclosed ShoBud pedals.

Jim Fogarty · Post by **Jim Fogarty** » 20 Jun 2023 5:53 pm

Thanks kids.....

Had a repair knowledgeable friend look it over, and apparently the Allen Bradley pot is an overseas reissue (I think he said Korean), and he also suggested a pot from Tom Bradshaw.

Chris Boyd · Post by **Chris Boyd** » 21 Jun 2023 3:05 pm

Can't go wrong with the Dunlop pot that Tom sells...bought and installed 2 in my Goodrich L120's easily 10 years ago and they're still quiet and working perfectly.

Bobby D. Jones · Post by **Bobby D. Jones** » 23 Jun 2023 8:14 pm

DAVE Be Careful. Have the broken part checked close before trying to weld it. If it is magnesium it can catch on fire, instead of be welded.

I have 2 of those pots in Goodrich pedals.
They both got scratchy about 2 years ago. I removed the covers, Drilled a small hole in the covers. Squirted some State ELC-NF contact cleaner in them, They are still going, No scratching. They will both go tomorrow night on a gig, Both are living on borrowed time.

DO NOT TRY TO DRILL HOLE IN COVER ATTACHED TO THE POT, METAL CHIPS GETS IN POT WILL TRASH IT.

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