Fender Volume/Tone Stiff Action

Jesse Valdez · Post by **Jesse Valdez** » 5 Jan 2020 4:01 pm

Hey all! Recently I acquired a 60â€™s Fender VolTone (not a reissue) and I love the sound and effects. However it takes a lot of pressure to swivel the tone plate and going up and down is a little stiff as well. What is the best way to maintain this pedal and what should be done to getting working normal again? Clean the pots, oil the string? Thanks!

Landon Jarrel · Post by **Landon Jarrel** » 5 Jan 2020 5:11 pm

The stiffness of the tone swivel plate is caused by the following factors, either independently or together:

1. Stiff pulley/ball bearings
2.Stiff potentiometer turning action

The tightness of the string does not matter so long as it is tight enough to not slip from the pot when the tone plate is swiveled and returns the pot to the same position. There's a point where the string is tight enough to not slip, and making it tighter only risks stressing the potentiometer shaft.

When I received my V/T pedal, it had an old Allen-Bradley 500K pot in the tone position, most likely the original pot. The action on it was so stiff that it was unusable.

I simply replaced the pot, and the action is very smooth.

The only components in the pedal that need oiling are the hinges of the pedal that unite the two halves and the string pulleys (two for the volume control and one for the tone control).

Good luck!

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 5 Jan 2020 6:05 pm

No, never oil the string. Get some spray (liquid) silicone, the cans that come with the skinny red nozzle-tube, and spray a TINY bit on the pulleys and at the base of the shafts of the two pots (where the go into the bushings). Then just use the pedal, and it should free up.

Jerry Overstreet · Post by **Jerry Overstreet** » 5 Jan 2020 7:43 pm

I think the halves were assembled with screws like the old Sho-Buds...if that's the case, you might check the fasteners at the pivot points to make sure they are not over tightened and hindering movement.

Some pedals that assemble with screws have shoulders that keep this from happening, but I don't know about the Fenders.

I wouldn't advise oiling anything else, but a drop or two of oil at those pivots should be OK long as it doesn't migrate where it isn't wanted.

Cartwright Thompson · Post by **Cartwright Thompson** » 6 Jan 2020 3:22 am

If itâ€™s rough on the side to side movement, the ball bearing may have fallen out.

Russ Wever · Post by **Russ Wever** » 7 Jan 2020 11:29 am

As far as the Tone Swivel, be aware that there
are supposed to be steel balls, that serve as
bearings, that ride in arced grooves in the 'toe'
area and in the 'heel' area, in between the main
frame and the top 'swivel plate'. I didn't realize
this until mine had lost the balls and became
'scrapingly difficult' to twist.
~Rw

Jesse Valdez · Post by **Jesse Valdez** » 1 Feb 2020 9:58 am

Thank you guys for your help! Living it right now. However, I bought the pedal used, and there are no ball bearings between the swivel plate. Is there a replacement for them or do I have to try and find the right fit?