Wobbly knobs - some help?

[tyrannosaurus mark]

Hi guys,

I've only ever played one Little Phatty, my own, and I'm concerned that perhaps the knobs (or rather, the pots) on it have been loose from day one. When I hold one of the knobs I can move it around quite a bit (in movements other than turning it), up, down, left, right. Only a little bit, but it means that the knobs are wobbly.

Is this usual? I will go into a music store and try out another LP to see if there's a difference.

If there is a problem, is it hard to swap out the pots on the LP? I'd love to have really firm controls on it, would be more fun to play.

[Sir Nose]

My stage has loose pots as well, especially the filter section. The value encoder is the knob the worries me the most. I hope at some point in the future if I get around to sending my LP in for the CV upgrade that I'll be able to throw some cash into getting the service department to give the knobs and keys an overhaul.

[tyrannosaurus mark]

So you can't open the phatty up and do it yourself, you don't think? The pots look kind of fancy... But so wobbly!

[chellebauer2]

How long have you been using it? For sure it is not like that when you get hold of it first.
It might be worn out already.

Also, you won't mind spending a little than replacing the whole just in case you can't get it back right?
Let the experts do it for you.

[tasters]

also mine, received NEW yesterday, are loose and wobbly.

there's a way to fix this?

thanks!

[tyrannosaurus mark]

Yeah, after reading stuff online I'm pretty sure this is a known fault, or just part of the synthesiser or something.

I can't send it back to Moog, I don't live on the same continent. I've swapped pots in electronic things before, hopefully this will be no different, I just need to get inside it, but I'm not going to do anything right now, very likely to break it!

[tyrannosaurus mark]

I've been using it for two years, but it's had this same problem the entire time and I'm pretty sure it hasn't gotten worse. It certainly hasn't become much worse.

Interesting to hear you're having the same problem. Probably just what the stock pots are like I guess.

[Prime NL]

When I hold one of the knobs I can move it around quite a bit (in movements other than turning it), up, down, left, right. Only a little bit, but it means that the knobs are wobbly.

Are you talking abut the value knob which is under of the screen..?
If so...this is normal behaviour for a encoder which can also be pressed in for the "select" function.
These encoders are also used on the MP-201...and feel also loose as they serve multiple purposes compared to a normal Pot meter.

These kind of encoders (smaller ones) are also used on my Jomox Xbase 999 drumcomputer...and also feel loose concerning the fact that they can also be pressed for a "select" function.

[tyrannosaurus mark]

I mean all the knobs, they're all wobbly! Guess I just have to live with it or something

[Wibble]

When I first saw a LP in person I too thought the knobs seemed a bit on the wobbly side. Now that I have my own LP though, and this is purely a guess, I suspect that the knobs are mounted on a rubber bush or something that allows a little bit of 'give'. I no longer consider them loose, but accept that that's how they're supposed to be.

[kiddell2]

I have a new one and mine are the same

[Amos]

the potentiometers (the turny bits underneath the "knobs" proper) are mounted to the circuit boards; they do not fasten with a nut to the metal panel itself. PCB-mounted pots such as on the Little Phatty typically have more give to them than panel-mount pots. They should be equally durable, though.