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Thread: Fender FM63-SCE/TR (pre lawsuit)

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    Default Fender FM63-SCE/TR (pre lawsuit)

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    This is our Fender FM-62SCE introduced in the early 2000's, now referred to as a "Pre-lawsuit" Fender mandolin, due to the copyright infringement by Fender about the earlier released Rigel G-110 (Fender backed down and modified next years' FM-62 series) . Knowing so few were made, some consider it a rare "vintage" instrument. In its day, it was offered in Crimson Red, Vintage Sunburst and black(I have seen a sunburst blue) Considered one of Fender's higher end mandolins, the offset double cutaway body sports a solid spruce top with F holes, body with maple neck, back and sides. The white-bound 29-fret rosewood fingerboard uses dot inlays and treble extension, 1-3/32" nut width on a 14" scale neck, adjustable rosewood bridge, and gold hardware. We purchased it in Cairns Australia from “Music City” in about 2001
    Now for the problem! Some time ago it went for a bit of a swim in the Coral Sea, was rescued by a good Samaritan still in its’ soft case. They had the foresight to strip of the strings etc and spray the tuners with RP7 they told us that the sea had not actually penetrated the case. For the next few years the instrument performed well, however, (and there is always a however) lately the potentiometers (Volume and Tone controls) have been acting up. I suspect that what they need is new ones! Problem is, how do I remove the pots’? do they fit out of the “F” holes? Any help would be appreciated
    Ted
    Last edited by tedburns; Jan-16-2015 at 7:30pm. Reason: misspellings

  2. #2
    Registered User LongBlackVeil's Avatar
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    Default Re: Fender FM63-SCE/TR (pre lawsuit)

    Now I don't have any experience with this particular model. But those look like standard les paul style knobs. And I have done a bit of rewiring on a few guitars

    You'll simply pull the knobs off, carefully (they might be though to pull off) and unscrew the nuts underneath. And then yes you will pull them through the soundhole. It's really a pain to work with. I imagine it will be twice as hard given that the f holes are small on a mandolin. Some people use fishing line to their advantage. They should fit out of the holes, surely. They had to put them in there and they have to be serviceable

    I assume you know that the wires will be soldered onto the tabs of the potentiometers. So replacing them will require soldering skills.

    Funny about the lawsuit, to me, rigels look like a mandolin/stratocaster anyway. It's basically fenders body shape anyway, they should be able to use it imo, but that's not how law works
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  3. #3

    Default Re: Fender FM63-SCE/TR (pre lawsuit)

    Thanx for that, I do have the necessary soldering and fiddley skills along with some funny shaped pliers, so I will give it a try. I am not in any hurry tho
    As a newbie I just found my way to some other threads that discuss this mando and feel a bit of a dill (like telling my Grandma how to suck eggs).
    As to the shape it seems to me that since the year dot (or at least since the strat' came from Leo Fender) that 70 or 80% of electric guitars have copied the shape.

    Regards Ted from OZ

  4. #4
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    Default Re: Fender FM63-SCE/TR (pre lawsuit)

    Have you tried tuner cleaner sprayed around the shaft, that will cure a world of problems.

  5. #5

    Default Re: Fender FM63-SCE/TR (pre lawsuit)

    The pots should fit (snugly) through the lower part of the treble f-hole which appears to be the largest open area. LBV's advice about using fishing line is a great idea. Who knows, you may get away with just spraying some electrical contact cleaner into the pots once you have them exposed. Worth a try I think. Good luck!!

    Len B.
    Clearwater, FL

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    Registered User Petrus's Avatar
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    Default Re: Fender FM63-SCE/TR (pre lawsuit)

    I recently got the Robert Schmidt edition of that mando. It's got a nice brownish color and a beautiful double dorje inlay on the headstock. Doesn't sound too loud unplugged ... sort of muffled, very thick lacquer on that thing, but still a fun instrument. Notice it's only got one control knob. I would've preferred the "oven dial" style as in the OP's rather than the metal one though. I also have a semi-solid body Fender emando which has a magnetic pickup and naturally more of an electric guitar sound.

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    Sorry to hear about your waterlogging troubles. That's a bad thing for any instrument, let alone an electric.

  7. #7
    fishing with my mando darrylicshon's Avatar
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    Default Re: Fender FM63-SCE/TR (pre lawsuit)

    Sometimes you can just turn your knobs back and forth a lot of times. Now when I say a lot that's what i mean, mabe 100-200 maybe more ,this has worked on many pods before, i work as a guitar tech sometimes and that's always the thing to do before spraying it , last time i had a nice vintage 60's les paul and the guitar player wanted me to replace the pods , instead i did the turning it to maybe 75-100 for his and now it is still everything original
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    Default Re: Fender FM63-SCE/TR (pre lawsuit)

    Thank You all for you helpful (and hopeful) suggestions. I especially like the multiple turns idea, I will keep them all in mind if that does not work when I give it a try. I will let you know how it went in due course.

    Regards Ted from Oz

  10. #9

    Default Re: Fender FM63-SCE/TR (pre lawsuit)

    OK,OK, I'm game, I gave it a try. Turned the controls back and forth 200 times, and even tho it seemed too easy to possibly work, IT DID!! you beauty ( pronounced,very loudly "YEW BEWDY" in OZ) I was really not looking forward to fiddling those pots out through the "F" holes.
    Thanks again darrylicshon
    Regards Ted from OZ
    Last edited by tedburns; Jan-20-2015 at 1:16am. Reason: missed a bit

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  12. #10
    Wood and Wire Perry Babasin's Avatar
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    Default Re: Fender FM63-SCE/TR (pre lawsuit)

    They used to have a spray can product at Radio Shack that is made to clean and lubricate switches, pots and electric motors

    http://www.radioshack.com/radioshack...start=25&sz=12

    I have saved many ceiling fans, electric motors and noisy volume controls knobs with this stuff. I would watch the interaction with the finish carefully, but it is worth a try to save the pots. Read the reviews on this page, the stuff is pretty amazing. BTW, my last name is not Tandy so NFI...
    ===================================
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    Registered User jim simpson's Avatar
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    Default Re: Fender FM63-SCE/TR (pre lawsuit)

    I like to use CAIG Deoxit for potentiometer cleaning. I use it to mostly maintain various vintage hi fi pieces. I know a local tech who likes to use WD40.
    Old Hometown, Cabin Fever String Band

  14. #12

    Default Re: Fender FM63-SCE/TR (pre lawsuit)

    The stuff you're looking for is generally called contact cleaner... because it cleans the contact points of electrical components. Goes on quick, evaporates quick. You can pull the knob off and try to trickle it down the shaft, rotating the shaft at the same time, and that will usually do it. Anyone who works on a lot of electric guitars knows that 9/10 times a bit of that spray will solve most small control trouble...

    The reason you get fizz at certain points most of the time is that one spot or a section of the pot has corroded just slightly from disuse.

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    Market Man Barry Wilson's Avatar
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    Default Re: Fender FM63-SCE/TR (pre lawsuit)

    I found that abs safe brake cleaner used the same stuff as electrical cleaner. we used to buy this stuff called motor cleaner for our electric remote control cars that wasn't cheap. I was doing a break job one day and sprayed this stuff and said to myself, hey this smells familiar... turns out the same stuff for half the price
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