KVR Audio

Monib · Post by **Monib** » Wed Apr 16, 2014 4:37 am

Hey Guys, I have some synths that I bought used, and the knobs have some grime on them. Its not the actual potentiometer, its the knob cover its self. Makes me almost not want to play the Synth. I wanted to find out how you guys clean them?

I tried soap and water, it clears up if the knob is wet, but one dry, the smudge is back.

Thanks,
Monib

ghettosynth · Post by **ghettosynth** » Wed Apr 16, 2014 5:09 am

Monib wrote:Hey Guys, I have some synths that I bought used, and the knobs have some grime on them. Its not the actual potentiometer, its the knob cover its self. Makes me almost not want to play the Synth. I wanted to find out how you guys clean them?

I tried soap and water, it clears up if the knob is wet, but one dry, the smudge is back.

Thanks,
Monib

It's often grease/oil combined with dirt and you actually have to use soap and water and gently wash them with a soft toothbrush or cloth. If the smudges are coming back, then might be because they weren't actually cleaned off.

sinkmusic · Post by **sinkmusic** » Wed Apr 16, 2014 5:45 am

+1 for water (a bit hot) + soap.

Kriminal · Post by **Kriminal** » Wed Apr 16, 2014 5:56 am

Are they solid plastic or rubbery type knobs?

Hopfully you are taking the off before cleaning....

Monib · Post by **Monib** » Wed Apr 16, 2014 2:52 pm

Kriminal wrote:Are they solid plastic or rubbery type knobs?

Hopfully you are taking the off before cleaning....

CRAP!!! I was supposed to take them off... J/K

They have a Rubbery Feel to them.

I tried a toothbrush and soapy water, maybe I can turn up the heat on the water. I'll try one knob today, and let you guys know.

Any other ideas? Any cleaner I can use safely?

Kriminal · Post by **Kriminal** » Wed Apr 16, 2014 3:54 pm

Iso alcohol and a cotton bud is worth a try.

sinkmusic · Post by **sinkmusic** » Wed Apr 16, 2014 4:20 pm

... or spending the night in a box, with semi-hot water and soap.
Then, in the morning, cleaning them up with a toothbrush.
It works for people, it works for knobs

sinkmusic · Post by **sinkmusic** » Wed Apr 16, 2014 4:22 pm

Ah, also : in France, we have a white-spirit alike product called "Essence F", which is amazing for cleaning nearly anything on old synths : it can remove stickers, strains, brighten surfaces, and... it is safe (unlike Acetone !).
You can use it on dirty keys, knobs, metal panels, etc.

fx1mark · Post by **fx1mark** » Thu Apr 17, 2014 10:33 pm

goo be gone

ghettosynth · Post by **ghettosynth** » Thu Apr 17, 2014 10:45 pm

fx1mark wrote:goo be gone

Before you put any chemical of any sort on gear that you might have a difficult time replacing, you should always test it on an identical material in a place that can't be seen. I know that those products "claim" that they don't harm the surface below, but I've had enough issues with such products that I use them only as a last resort.

Warm soap and water, overnight as suggested, usually does the trick. A soft toothbrush gets in the nooks and crannies. The only time you need something more harsh is if there was something more harsh stuck to the knobs. Tape, for example, or that godawful foam that disintegrates into a gooey mess.

Also, while we're talking about synth restoration, be very careful with (electronic) contact/control cleaners as some of them will destroy (some) plastic surfaces.

Synth Knob Cleaning?