Help with a simple pot project

Thread Starter

TheGinerOne

Joined Jul 16, 2009
2
Hello all. I am trying to build a very simple project to take a signal from a guitar (1/4 inch) and run it through a pot so that the volume could be adjusted and output the signal to an amp (1/4 inch). I am following a diagram which i found online.



Here is what i got. Input is on left, output is on right:



Now I get a little bit of very fuzzy sound only when i hold both inputs. But when i do this, the volume does not go up or down when i adjust the pot. ANy ideas on what I'm doing wrong? Thanks
 

SgtWookie

Joined Jul 17, 2007
22,230
It's hard to tell the way you photographed them, but looks like you might have the tip/sleeve connections reversed on the jacks.
 

ELECTRONERD

Joined May 26, 2009
1,147
Wookie is right, you have it incorrect. You need the first and second pins on the pot connected to the longest ternimals on the jacks. Make sure you have the wires coming from the third ternimal correct.
 

Thread Starter

TheGinerOne

Joined Jul 16, 2009
2
Well I reversed them and no luck again :(



Could a shotty soldering job the the problem be the problem maybe? Im no expert, but i honestly don't see anything which would make this not work???
 

nomurphy

Joined Aug 8, 2005
567
Verify the pot is actually 1Meg (or 250K) and not something else (it may be bad, mismarked, or you've read the value incorrectly).

Be careful not to plug the guitar into the OUT jack, or vice-versa. It may help to place a piece of tape on the wire close to the jack for the guitar side, to prevent mix-ups. Most electric guitars have at least one built-in volume control, make sure it is turned up all the way.

The two wires that go to one end of the pot, should go to the pin on each jack that connects with the threaded portion.

The wire on the other side of the pot should go to the pin that connects with the spring on the INPUT (guitar-side) jack.

The wire to the center of the pot should go to the pin that connects with the spring on the OUTPUT (amp-side) jack.

If you swap the end wires on the pot, it will work in the other direction. For instance , it will get louder when going clockwise instead of counter-clockwise (or whichever).
 
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ELECTRONERD

Joined May 26, 2009
1,147
Well that certainly is interesting...wonder what is going on! Are you sure that pot is working okay? Take a multimeter and make sure you get 1MΩ when it is turned fully counter-clock-wise. Then move the dial around to see if it is adjusting the ohmic value. To do this you take the probes and put it on the second and third ternimals.
 
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