volume & tone knob removal

[hsquire]

Hi! I have a fender squire strat standard series which I'm trying to mod (read mess with). I cant figure out how to get the volume and 2tone knobs off so I can pull the pick guard completely clear.. Can anyone help?

The knobs are white plastic as is the pick guard. There is a small patch of foil between the controls and the pick guard. There are no screws around the knobs...

Thanks

[ccso8462]

Hi hsquire,
First of all, welcome to Guitarnutz! Loads of good info here. As to your problem, the shafts of the pots are vertically grooved (knurled) and are friction-fitted to the knobs. You should be able to grasp the knobs and pull straight up to slide them off. It will probably be easier if the pick guard is mounted on the guitar.

Under the knobs you will find nuts on the outer shaft of the pot that will unscrew to release the pot. What kind of mods are you going to try? I'll bet somebody here will be glad to give you some input.

HTH

Carl

[ChrisK]

While you can buy knob removers,

StewMac DeKnobulator

for split shaft pots


I've found that by using two 1/4" tip flat screwdrivers, one under each side of the knob, one can easily lift them off. Gently slide them under each side and lift, don't turn the screwdrivers to avoid "scratching the scratch guard" (sorry, I couldn't resist).

Conversely, if you used ice picks, you would have to be careful about "picking the pickguard........"

[hsquire]

Amazing! Was just afraid of tugging too hard. Have made messes of many bits of equipment (laptop cases and the like) by assuming that I have tried everything else and that a bit of brute force was the way to go. The knobs were easy but the tip on the switch required a pliers.

I want to try the shielding described on guitarnuts.com to see if there is an improvement in the sound...

I also have an inclination to cut the hell out of the body, reposition the controls.. emulate a hohner steinberger.. perhaps even more compact.. general mayhem. The guitar I'm currently disassembling has sentimental value and I don't want to kill it so I won't be doing any of that in a hurry.

[wolf]

Unlike Chris K and his humorous icepick "suggestion", what I like to use is not an icepick but 2 guitar picks - one on each side of the knob.

[ChrisK]

Hmmm, you must play with a pretty stiff pick'er upper.

[sumgai]

Chris,

Like wolf, I find that one Fender Medium will usually get most knobs off the shaft (don't you dare - don't you even think it! ), and two will definitely get every knob I've ever seen. Well, excepting the few that had screws, but were so mashed in (by an alleged 'accidental' fall) that I missed the fact that smooshed plastic was covering a screw hole...... but I can be forgiven for that one, can't I?

Leo was always an ecomomical sort, I figure I can do no less than to pay him homage, right?

HTH



sumgai

[ChrisK]

So, you prefer the spiritualistic approach. However, in the interest of balance I'd use two.


That's interesting because................I play with Fender medium picks.

Hmmm, I never thought to use them as levers as I felt that they were kinda thin (compared to the many thicker/stiffer picks in my jar thereof).

I guess that it was too simple for me to consider, eh!

[Ripper]

Yep....Ive been using the 2 pick method for years.
Sometimes the knobs shoot across the room like a Champagne cork...so be careful.

[jimrib]

sumgai said:

Chris,

Like wolf, I find that one Fender Medium will usually get most knobs off the shaft (don't you dare - don't you even think it! )

You can think about it, but doooooooooonnnnnn't do it...