I think I blew my guitar volume pot

[AntKnee]

I was testing a pedal a while back and inadvertently hooked up my power/grounds backwards. I caught it immediately, and no damage to the pedal, but my guitar was plugged into the pedal and since then, the volume pot has no effect. There is sound coming from the guitar but it is very low volume. I apparently fried the volume pot, or something. Anybody know what the problem might be? I'm hoping its something simple to replace, like the pot, and not a greater problem.
Thanks

[jkokura]

I doubt that fried the volume pot. It sounds to me more like you've got a wiring issue in your guitar. Open it up and see, but don't assume at this point that the pot has blown. It could me a crazy circumstance of failed pot at the same time as the other issue.

Jacob

[jimilee]

If you reverse the wires on a pedal, it simply wouldn't power on. Is check the guitar cable also.

[AntKnee]

I doubt that fried the volume pot. It sounds to me more like you've got a wiring issue in your guitar. Open it up and see, but don't assume at this point that the pot has blown. It could me a crazy circumstance of failed pot at the same time as the other issue.

Jacob

I'll open it up and check it out, but the guitar functioned fine up to that point and then the volume didnt work anymore. It still puts out sound, but it sounds about half volume and the knob has no affect on it.

If you reverse the wires on a pedal, it simply wouldn't power on. Is check the guitar cable also.

Tried multiple cables and the same cables with other guitars work fine.

Its definitely the guitar. I may not have reversed the wires, but I hooked some to power that wasnt supposed to be. I'm not sure what I did exactly, honestly. I was testing a partially wired confidence boost with a 9 volt battery. I don't know exactly which wires I crossed, but it made the battery really hot and then the guitar stopped working.

[rullywowr]

It may be the pickup...unfortunately. If you switch pickup positions, what happens?

[AntKnee]

It may be the pickup...unfortunately. If you switch pickup positions, what happens?

Just tried that upon your suggestion. All pickups work the same. Volume has no affect. All pickup switch settings sound like they output at about half volume. Tone control seems to work fine.

[AntKnee]

Bump for any more help?
Anyone know a good guitar tech forum?
I gotta fix this!

[billstein]

Just thinking out loud here, so somebody please chime in if I'm wrong. Wouldn't shorting the two outside lugs of the pot bypass it? Wouldn't that just be setting the volume to max so you could tell if the pot has anything to do with this problem?

[Govmnt_Lacky]

Just thinking out loud here, so somebody please chime in if I'm wrong. Wouldn't shorting the two outside lugs of the pot bypass it? Wouldn't that just be setting the volume to max so you could tell if the pot has anything to do with this problem?

Typically, shorting the 2 outside lugs of the Volume pot would short your entire signal to Ground. Remember, the Volume pot's responsibility is to allow a variable resistance between the full signal and ground.

You would need to short the non-grounded outside lug to the middle lug. That would short your incoming signal directly to the jack output.

[AntKnee]

Just thinking out loud here, so somebody please chime in if I'm wrong. Wouldn't shorting the two outside lugs of the pot bypass it? Wouldn't that just be setting the volume to max so you could tell if the pot has anything to do with this problem?

Typically, shorting the 2 outside lugs of the Volume pot would short your entire signal to Ground. Remember, the Volume pot's responsibility is to allow a variable resistance between the full signal and ground.

You would need to short the non-grounded outside lug to the middle lug. That would short your incoming signal directly to the jack output.

Ok. I will try that. There is currently a capacitor there. Think it fried?

[pryde]

could be the cap but not likely. like said above jump those 2 lugs together and listen for full output. if you get it then the pot/wiper is bad

[AntKnee]

Thanks, guys.
I jumped lugs 1 and 2 together, gets full output.
Looks like PRS sells 500k pots with 180pf capacitor. I doubt I'll buy theirs, though. 28 bucks?

[billstein]

Just thinking out loud here, so somebody please chime in if I'm wrong. Wouldn't shorting the two outside lugs of the pot bypass it? Wouldn't that just be setting the volume to max so you could tell if the pot has anything to do with this problem?

Typically, shorting the 2 outside lugs of the Volume pot would short your entire signal to Ground. Remember, the Volume pot's responsibility is to allow a variable resistance between the full signal and ground.

You would need to short the non-grounded outside lug to the middle lug. That would short your incoming signal directly to the jack output.

Ahhh. That makes sense. Well, at least I'm learning enough here to almost be right. Getting closer. 

[billstein]

Thanks, guys.
I jumped lugs 1 and 2 together, gets full output.
Looks like PRS sells 500k pots with 180pf capacitor. I doubt I'll buy theirs, though. 28 bucks?

Might be a nice opportunity to experiment. I know I've read about people taking pots apart and being able to clean the disc and get it working again. So why not, you've got nothing to lose and you might save a few bucks and learn along the way.

[pryde]

Yes you can try some deoxit cleaner but it sounds like the wiper is toast. Don't buy a PRS pot, that's a ridiculous price for the pot and pf cap. Look for a CTS pot for around $6

http://www.mojotone.com/guitar-parts/guitar-and-bass-potentiometers-resistance/Mojotone-CTS-500K-Short-Split-Shaft-Guitar-Potentiometer#.UvKxtmCYZjo

Also for kicks try to clip the pf cap out of there and see if any change