Freezing Guitar Pots Trick

[OranJuice]

It seems to me that a lot of pro players who are tone freaks have been freezing their guitar pots lately.

 

Apparently, freezing the pots before soldering them on makes the pots give a much clearer and toneful sound because it counteracts the damage caused from the heat of the solder.

 

It also seems to just help it out in some weird way, just by freezing them.

 

 

I tried this myself and it really works.

 

There is a big noticeable difference in sound.

 

 

Weird:confused:

[nickeroo]

wow...never ever heard this one before! Weird indeed. I may have to try it, too. I'm thinking there's not much heat damage anyway done to pots normally though?

[Runn3r]

...the REAL 'pros' freeze their soldering iron AND solder AND guitar bodies before using them for music-related purposes...

 

...freezing pots might only just be a temporary solution requiring re-freezing periodically...

[OranJuice]

 

...the REAL 'pros' freeze their soldering iron AND solder AND guitar bodies before using them for music-related purposes... ...freezing pots might only just be a temporary solution requiring re-freezing periodically...

 

 

 

Well yeah, you may think so but like, don't batteries last longer if you freeze them and stuff too?

 

I think it alters the metals of the pots or something somehow.

 

+ I think it pretty much eliminates any of the "small" damage which is done to pots when soldering them.

 

It's been day 2 so far so we'll see if the effects are temporary I guess.

[tiltsta]

Never heard of this before in more than 30 years of playing. Wow.

[OranJuice]

 

wow...never ever heard this one before! Weird indeed. I may have to try it, too. I'm thinking there's not much heat damage anyway done to pots normally though?

 

 

A lot of us know that if you take too long to solder, or if you use a soldering iron with too much wattage, that it does in fact damage the pot a lot.

 

This leads me to believe that even under the best normal circumstances, at least some damage is done to the pot.

 

(I mean, try holding a soldering iron and pouring hot solder over any other material, it does get damaged. Heck, even soldering irons themselves get damaged from their own heat)

[Runn3r]

[Bubbluz]

 

 

heh...Google freezing pots,and see what is at the top of the page.

[zenbu]

hey...they just found dozens of new life forms in Australia...so maybe that frozen pot thing is not as far fetched as it sounds.

[bucky]

Yeah, an old tech friend of mine told me about this years back. He said that it's one of the lesser known tricks out there, as most guys are too lazy to pull out their pots and stick them in the freezer.

 

However, it does make a noticeable difference it sound quality in my opinion, much clearer and more bell like. It's also a good trick to try if you have older pots that are starting not to work as well, and a lot cheaper than throwing them out and having to buy replacements!

 

I would definitely recommend trying it out at least once or twice to see if it's for you or not.

 

Cheers.

[Guitarfetish]

But if you put your head in the freezer EVERYTHING sounds better-

 

Residential freezers are not cold enough to make any changes to the molecular structure of the metal, phenolic, carbon or plastic in guitar pots...

 

Google "placebo effect"

[Doctorx]

I heard that if you strip naked, build a fire outside on the night of the full moon and offer a pick used by SRV, a George L cable used by EJ, and a pair of panties from a woman Jon Mayer had sex with as sacrifice while chanting lyrics from Houses of the Holy that better tone will result when you play guitar.

 

Just about as much chance that will succeed as will doing something inane like freezing your pots.

 

If you heard a difference then it's because you wanted to, not because it as there.

[Ryan Trevisol]

But if you put your head in the freezer EVERYTHING sounds better- Residential freezers are not cold enough to make any changes to the molecular structure of the metal, phenolic, carbon or plastic in guitar pots... Google "placebo effect"

 

So no cryo-frozen pots available from the guitarfetish store anytime soon?

CRAP!

 

Another point of view on why this is stupid:

 

The whole concept of soldering is that you heat two pieces of metal hot enough that they are above the melting point of solder, which then melts into/onto them. You don't use the heat of the iron to melt the solder, but rather the heat of the heated up components (wire & pot casing for example). You still need to bring the pot up to temperature in order to solder it.

 

If you freeze the pots, it will only take longer, and MORE heat applied to the pot to get it to reach the temperature it needs to to bond to solder. So you're actually doing more damage than good.

[Uma Floresta]

 

But if you put your head in the freezer EVERYTHING sounds better- Residential freezers are not cold enough to make any changes to the molecular structure of the metal, phenolic, carbon or plastic in guitar pots... Google "placebo effect"

 

 

W3rd.

[OranJuice]

 

But if you put your head in the freezer EVERYTHING sounds better- Residential freezers are not cold enough to make any changes to the molecular structure of the metal, phenolic, carbon or plastic in guitar pots... Google "placebo effect"

 

 

 

Actually, i'm pretty certain that it does indeed help.

 

I can turn my amps up higher, with the freeze treated guitar with much less "fizz" then I could before.

 

Of course, turn it up high enough and you still get fizz, but i'm assuming a lot of that is from the amp.

 

The fizz is a good indicator that it actually helps, because it's actually something you can gauge, unlike "it has better tone"

 

However, I KNOW that my guitar sounds better now.

 

It's like a pillow has been lifted from my Les Paul's tone.

 

I even know a guy who owns a guitar shop who does it to his guitars now.

[belief bone]

you didn't happen to change strings in all of your adventures, did you?

[Professor Tom]

 

Never heard of this before in more than 30 years of playing. Wow.

 

 

Me neither, it sounds like guitar voodoo to me.

However, I have heard of luthiers putting Strat and Tele bodies in the freezer overnight to induce finish checking in new nitro refinishes, to help with the instant aging process.

[nighthawk15]

I highly doubt that this does anything, but I gotta admit I'm a bit tempted to try it:facepalm: I just don't see how any normal freezer would be cold enough to change anything about a metal component.

[OranJuice]

 

I highly doubt that this does anything, but I gotta admit I'm a bit tempted to try it:facepalm: I just don't see how any normal freezer would be cold enough to change anything about a metal component.

 

 

 

It's a known fact that even a normal freezer can do weird things that are good for electronics.

 

Like the battery thing I mentioned.

 

I even heard of dead laptop batteries that won't recharge, working again after being frozen.

 

Hard drives as well.

[tumbleweeed]

 

Apparently, freezing the pots before soldering them on makes the pots give a much clearer and toneful sound because it counteracts the damage caused from the heat of the solder. Weird:confused:

 

So if you dont overheat a pot then freezing wont help, right? By overheating a pot a little you may lower the resistance a tad, but you cant make a properly handled pot sound more "toneful":facepalm: by freezing it.

[JoeBoy]

Dip your hand holding the pot in liquid nitrogen. That will give you a way different sound.

[mick8882003]

If you can actually solder properly you will not damage your pots.

 

 

Soldering is a professional skill, same as welding.

 

 

I am guessing you freeze your CDs?

[RaVenCAD]

Actually, i'm pretty certain that it does indeed help. I can turn my amps up higher, with the freeze treated guitar with much less "fizz" then I could before. Of course, turn it up high enough and you still get fizz, but i'm assuming a lot of that is from the amp. The fizz is a good indicator that it actually helps, because it's actually something you can gauge, unlike "it has better tone" However, I KNOW that my guitar sounds better now. It's like a pillow has been lifted from my Les Paul's tone. I even know a guy who owns a guitar shop who does it to his guitars now.

 

Could that maybe have ANYTHING to do with the new pots you installed? Clearly, you thought you needed to replace the old pots, so there was clearly something wrong.. Now you've installed the new pot, with this new method, and you think the new method is what made the difference. Perhaps it's just the pot itself?

 

And yes, I concur, freezing is pointless. There is a specific temperature that solder is going to flow. If you come from -459 degrees or ambient room temperature, it doesn't matter. No solder is going to melt until you heat the terminal/back of pot up to your solder's melting point. If you are just melting the solder with the iron and throwing it on the the terminals, it will not last long because the solder won't be bonded to the pot.

 

There may be some mojo behind what you are saying, but there is no science..

 

Plus, did you stop for one second and consider the condensation you introduced to the inside of that pot?

[milosch]

This is BS. Might give you a second or two. I'd rather avoid the condensation.

[Cliff Fiscal]

So no cryo-frozen pots available from the guitarfetish store anytime soon? CRAP! Another point of view on why this is stupid: The whole concept of soldering is that you heat two pieces of metal hot enough that they are above the melting point of solder, which then melts into/onto them. You don't use the heat of the iron to melt the solder, but rather the heat of the heated up components (wire & pot casing for example). You still need to bring the pot up to temperature in order to solder it. If you freeze the pots, it will only take longer, and MORE heat applied to the pot to get it to reach the temperature it needs to to bond to solder. So you're actually doing more damage than good.

 

FTW.