The Steel Guitar Forum

I just picked up a really great War-era Rickenbacher B6 lap steel - one I've pined for for many years - and it sounds amazing. The one fairly serious problem it has is that the volume and tone pots cut out badly and I'm finding it hard to find a spot where this doesn't happen. I don't want to ruin it's vintage vibe but do people replace these and if so is there something I should know about what to replace them with? May need caps as well. Thanks!

Your concern for the "vintage vibe" of the pots is shared here on the forum. However, you can bet if Sol Ho'opi'i of Jerry Byrd had a scratchy sounding pot, the would have replaced it. Then you get into the idea that the pots had a specific if not better tone back then. I find it a bit of stretch. My 1935 B6 sounds great with its new pot.

Just replace the enire harness with all the pots and electronics. Keep the original one. De - Solder as little as possible. I collect old guitars and old motorcycles. The motorcycle guys have a sense of what needs to be done over the years. On a 60 year old guitar the guitar guys are constantly whining that "this looks like someone has repaired the input jack." "The solder joint looks new." LMFAO
BTW if it had the original strings on it you could likely retire!! (the price tags wouldn't hurt either)
Turn this steel into something you can use......
Trust me.... the world is full of guitar nerds who know the specs for every guitar made..... sadly 99% of them couldn't play Mary had a Little Lamb without dropping a pick.
Keep the old harness..... if you have to sell it later.... the guitar nerds will love you!!!

Pots can sometimes be taken apart and "rebuilt." Personally, I'd replace them with new or new old stock pots and keep the original parts in the case with the guitar.

Dave

Thanks, guys. Yeah, I always keep my old parts. I have several electric guitars and a couple of steels and, in general, I don't like to work on the electronics at all. I have someone who knows what they're doing do it. I will replace the guts and keep the old in the case. This guitar is amazing!! Thanks much for your help!