Contact Cleaners?

[BJPUC]

JUst wondering what all i could use as a contact cleaner?

[donbenjy]

my gutiar teacher said WD-40, but i've neer tried it

[unclej]

wd 40 was invented to clean/dry electronic parts for the military so it might work on pots but there are other parts of a guitar or amp that you wouldn't want the residue to stay on.

i'm sure some of the old hands here will have a few suggestions for you..myself? i stick with radio shack's contact cleaner because it's handy.

[donbenjy]

i didn't know that! so i guess it would work on contacts? what kinda contacts?

[lovekraft]

For pots, try Radio Shack TV tuner cleaner - it's generally fairly effective without being destructive. For switches, DeOxit® or something similar should quiet the contacts, but keep it off the finish and any unprotected plastic parts uness you know they're not affected by it. Using compressed air (available in aerosol cans) to blow dust and debris out of the way is always a good idea before resorting to any kind of cleaner, and I wouldn't bother cleaning any component that felt mechanically unsound in its operation (excessively loose, stiff, or binding) or showed obvious signs of corrosion, pitting or plating wear. And use your judgement - if it took you 2 hours to get the old pots and switches out for cleaning, it might be easier to replace them than to risk having to take them loose a second time!

[BJPUC]

thanx so much.

[mj_gant]

Alot of the products out there break down the factory grease in sealed pots. Always best to try and work out the dirt by rapidly working the pot first. Out of all the stuff available Deoxit is a safe bet, mind the laquers.

[lovekraft]

Be extremely careful using Deoxit or any of the other new contact cleaners on conductive plastic pots - the only thing I've found that is 100% safe for all pots is the Radio Shack tuner cleaner.

[BJPUC]

thanx again....Radio Shack hear i come! WHHEEEEE!