Volume Pedal distortion

Fred Rogan · Post by **Fred Rogan** » 4 Jul 2023 1:53 pm

I have two Goodrich volume pedals that I have had for 10+ years and have replaced the pots in both at some point. I was getting a little hair (slight distortion) kind of on top of notes with both pedals and through a long process of elimination I narrowed it down to the two pedals. And even if I do not touch the volume pedals there is a little hair there. In other words, it is not the scratchy pot sound that is the usual evidence that a pot is going bad.(I don't use the two Goodrich pedals at the same time, one was making the noise and when I tried the other it did the same.)
I have a Stage One vp not nearly as old as the Goodrich pedals and when it is in the signal path, things are as clean as a whistle, as the Goodrich pedals used to be.
Question: Can a bad pot cause that kind of distortion when you don't even have your foot on the pedal or is there something else in there besides the pot that can age and cause a very slight distortion?
thanks

Bobby D. Jones · Post by **Bobby D. Jones** » 4 Jul 2023 7:18 pm

Time has a way of some of our equipment being older that we think it is.

A little cleaning and checking may find the problem.
Check input and output jacks, Clean the in and out jacks with a good contact cleaner. Make sure the springs in the jacks have good tension and hold plugins in solid contact with ground and tip contacts. Check ground and solder joints, For cold solder joints or corrosion.

May be time for new jacks and wiring too.

Good Luck finding the problem.

ajm · Post by **ajm** » 5 Jul 2023 5:41 am

Can we assume that these are passive volume pedals, and not active?

Tony Prior · Post by **Tony Prior** » 7 Jul 2023 4:07 am

What Bobby says. Bad POTS make scratchy noise, bad JACKS make for poor contact which MAY cause a distorted sound, typically though they are intermittent.

Burnish the Jack tips and grounds ( scrape with a file ) then clean with a spray cleaner.

See if it improves the situation on the OLD AGE V pedals !

Fred Rogan · Post by **Fred Rogan** » 9 Jul 2023 4:43 am

thanks and yes they are passive pedals.
I appreciate the suggestions!

Ron Pruter · Post by **Ron Pruter** » 9 Aug 2023 12:10 pm

A file seems a little radical. I'd use something a little milder. I use a brass bore brush made for my 22 rifle for the jacks and some 000 steel wool for the plugs. RP

Fred Rogan · Post by **Fred Rogan** » 10 Aug 2023 3:38 pm

I did use something like you suggest Ron and some contact cleaner and it did some good at least for now!