Piezo volume knob issue

[MorphineNoir]

Hi everyone - I am brand new to the forum but not new to the wonderful Parker brand

The issue I am having is with my 2003 Parker Fly Mojo

The Piezo volume is quite low - however, if I physically turn the knob so it is hard pressed at max, the volume kicks back in at the proper max volume

I have tried using contact spray on the pot but that did not do the trick

Has anyone had a similar issue? Perhaps that pot needs to be replaced...?

I look forward to contributing to the forum

Thank you and be well

[vjmanzo]

Hi @MorphineNoir—welcome! Glad you and your Mojo are here!

I’d try replacing the pot—the ones in the Mojo aren’t great, and I’ve had similar issues to what you’re describing.

We have the correct pot linked from the parts page, but any quality potentiometer will be an upgrade. It’s possible that the issue might instead be the toggle switch, so if you can, I’d order one of those as well.

I think that’s the ticket, but keep us posted!

[mmmguitar]

+1 to VJ’s post, with the added suggestion of considering replacing and upgrading all pots and switches once one develops issues. By 2003, very little of the stuff installed under the hood (other than the proprietary hardware) was built to last - But how else was the Washburn Custom Shop going to shave two dollars off production of a three thousand dollar guitar?

[MorphineNoir]

Hi @MorphineNoir—welcome! Glad you and your Mojo are here!

I’d try replacing the pot—the ones in the Mojo aren’t great, and I’ve had similar issues to what you’re describing.

We have the correct pot linked from the parts page, but any quality potentiometer will be an upgrade. It’s possible that the issue might instead be the toggle switch, so if you can, I’d order one of those as well.

I think that’s the ticket, but keep us posted!

Thank you - I am bringing it to my tech later on this coming week - contact spray is the extent of my ability to work on anything beyond changing strings lol

He has worked on the guitar in the past so I trust him - hopefully it's just a bad pot

+1 to VJ’s post, with the added suggestion of considering replacing and upgrading all pots and switches once one develops issues. By 2003, very little of the stuff installed under the hood (other than the proprietary hardware) was built to last - But how else was the Washburn Custom Shop going to shave two dollars off production of a three thousand dollar guitar?

OK - so, if my tech is under the hood replacing the Piezo pot I should have him replace all of them - good idea

[mmmguitar]

OK - so, if my tech is under the hood replacing the Piezo pot I should have him replace all of them - good idea

I replaced each electronic component of my 2011 Supreme as they went out, one after the other. Unfortunately, the quality of pots and switches was too easy a corner for USM to resist cutting. The only upside is that they’re common parts; and thus easy to replace. Essentially, whichever nicer components your tech feels like swapping in can’t help but be an improvement.

[vjmanzo]

I replaced each electronic component of my 2011 Supreme as they went out, one after the other.

Same here with my 2008 Mojo—mine had a shelf life of about four years, which is not saying much. Understandable as it is to reduce costs, cheap pots and switches can really damage a high-end guitar brand’s reputation. Not the kind of discussions you’d want circulating especially after Ken left the company.

[MorphineNoir]

OK - so, if my tech is under the hood replacing the Piezo pot I should have him replace all of them - good idea

I replaced each electronic component of my 2011 Supreme as they went out, one after the other. Unfortunately, the quality of pots and switches was too easy a corner for USM to resist cutting. The only upside is that they’re common parts; and thus easy to replace. Essentially, whichever nicer components your tech feels like swapping in can’t help but be an improvement.

WOW so I guess things really went downhill after Ken left

I replaced each electronic component of my 2011 Supreme as they went out, one after the other.

Same here with my 2008 Mojo—mine had a shelf life of about four years, which is not saying much. Understandable as it is to reduce costs, cheap pots and switches can really damage a high-end guitar brand’s reputation. Not the kind of discussions you’d want circulating especially after Ken left the company.

Yeah, how much could they have actually saved?

[vjmanzo]

Yeah, well—Flys didn’t take a terrible nosedive in quality, but cost-saving measure were introduced and some of them were not ideal! By contrast, Ken wanted/wants the best possible components installed in his instruments, so…there’s that!

Oddly, from what I understand, a three-cent savings really does become a big deal for a large company—I don’t think that’s something that a guy like Ken designs around, but I’d be shocked if he wasn’t reminded about it at ever meeting!

I remember reading an article on the differences between Standard Strats and Squier Strats, and IIRC, beyond quality control differences, the actual components themselves between Standard and Squier-level are only different in price by pocket change, but, scaled up, I guess that really pays off?! Ooof—that’s the other side of the musical instruments profession!

[MorphineNoir]

I just dropped the Mojo off at my guitar tech. He opened the back and immediately told me that the wires attaching the battery were hanging on by a thread and that he will extend and re-solder. He said that that might be the issue but, it might not lol

EDIT: Just heard from the tech - the issue was a combination of the battery wiring and the Piezo pot missing a fiber protective sleeve. He fixed both - nice and easy!