Fender Musicmaster bass pot replacement/repair.

[mr.noisy]

Hey guys,

So I just got myself a '72 Musicmaster at a bargain price that needs some work. The electronics work, but the tone pot is not doing anything, it seems like it is just always 100% on on the treble side. I looked under the pick guard to see if any cables been broken, but everything seems to be okay (but it isn't). I am just thinking about replacing it, but my electronic knowledge starts and ends at the part that the plug goes into the socket. I have absolutely no idea about it unless I have a clear instructions. Can someone recommend or even post the link to the parts / pot I should get? The only thing I have done once in my life was replacing a jack socket in one of my basses because I knew which cables should be soldered to which parts.
And as it was a real cheap bass I just want to do some of the work myself rather than taking it to the workshop.

[gary mac]

Well if you are happy to wield the soldering iron, take some close up pics first, which will help massively if you forget what cable goes where. Check out which pot you need, there will be a set of numbers on it as identity. Order yourself a replacement pot, cts are great and not much dosh. Fire up the soldering iron.

If you are not concerned about keeping all the rest original, you could get a drop in, complete new wiring loom and controls from our very own Kiogon, no soldering required.

[Twincam]

[quote name='gary mac' timestamp='1451891458' post='2944260']
Well if you are happy to wield the soldering iron, take some close up pics first, which will help massively if you forget what cable goes where. Check out which pot you need, there will be a set of numbers on it as identity. Order yourself a replacement pot, cts are great and not much dosh. Fire up the soldering iron.

If you are not concerned about keeping all the rest original, you could get a drop in, complete new wiring loom and controls from our very own Kiogon, no soldering required.
[/quote]

Yes indeed.

I would add to this if this will be used for gigging maybe it's a good idea for reliability sake to take out the electrics and jack and keep them with the bass and replace the whole loom say get kiogon to make one up as suggested. Again this will ensure reliability. And you still have the original loom.

Oh and before that try some contact cleaner sounds like the pot is dead but you never know I've had pots work again after being cleaned.

[mr.noisy]

To be honest, I am not concerned about keeping it original, as it was already messed up with a bad, spray paint job on the body and that's why I got it for about a 3rd of a price that it's usually selling at the moment. I got some pics and will post them here in a minute, but there are no writing on the actual tone pot.


Edit: here are the pics

Edited January 4, 2016 by mr.noisy

[Paul S]

Easiest course would be to get a new loom from Kiogon here and a new Hot (or Cool) Rails pickup. Doesn't involve any soldering, just screwing the pup wires into the screw terminals of the junction box. Maybe look at replacing the bridge, too, which is about as elementary as a bridge can be.

[mr.noisy]

Thanks guys, I have just sent a message to Kiogon. I was thinking about replacing the pickup, but I read mixed things about those Stratocaster pickus on the internet, some people say that it is just fine, and some that replacing is a must. It does sound a bit thin, not even close to my P bass but the tone is stuck on the open side, so I want to try changing the electronics first and if it will be still a bit thin sounding, I will order the pickup too. Bridge as you said, is quite bad, are there any companies doing direct replacement?

Edited January 4, 2016 by mr.noisy

[KiOgon]

Thank guys for the recommendations - PM's exchanged

[Paul S]

Re pickups and bridge. (stuck record alert) I have recently acquired a Squier Musicmaster bass 'Vista Series' that has a 4 pole 'proper' bass pickup in it and also a 'proper' adjustable bridge fitted into a plate that is the same as the Fender Musicmaster. Both are significant improvements over the Fender ones. I haven't searched but am sure that these could be had as separate components.

FWIW I did what you are doing - pimped a tatty old Fender Musicmaster. Eventually I had someone (The Bass Doc - is he still doing it?) rout a bigger pup cavity to fit a Wizard Trad Precision pickup, new scratchplate, new Kiogon loom. It sounded MUCH better.

But the Vista sounds better The pickup from that, if it or an equivalent can be bought on its own, would be where I would look I think.

[ikay]

The Vista series 4 saddle bridge used to be available as a replacement part some years ago but sadly no longer. The Hipshot vintage bridge is a possible alternative and you can get a version with narrower string spacing to suit the Musicmaster. - [url="http://store.hipshotproducts.com/cart.php?m=product_detail&p=209"]http://store.hipshotproducts.com/cart.php?m=product_detail&p=209[/url]

Aero do a four pole Musicmaster replacement pickup (see about half way down the page) - [url="http://www.aeroinstrument.com/pickups.html"]http://www.aeroinstrument.com/pickups.html[/url]