an advantage of a pacifica over a stratocaster guitar

I had to perform some minor maintenance on my Yamaha Pacifica PAC112VM guitar recently, and had a nice surprise.

What periodically happens is that after a while, either the volume or the tone controls will start developing a scratching noise whenever they're used. All electric guitars do this at some point. When it happens, this doesn't make the guitar unplayable, but it's annoying to deal with. Fortunately, you can fix this yourself.

The fix for this is to spray a little DeoxIT D5 into the potentiometer that has the scratchy noise. On the potentiometer itself will be a small cutout specifically to add lubrication. Once a little spritz of DeoxIT is sprayed in there, turn the control back and forth so the lubrication gets where it needs to go. Once the scratchy noise stops, you're done.

The Stratocaster way...

On the Stratocaster guitar, performing this simple maintenance task is a very annoying process, because to do it properly, the pick guard has to come ALL THE WAY OFF to get to the spray points of the potentiometers.

First, the strings have to be taken off first. I suppose you could loosen them, remove from the tuner posts and then reattach later, but good luck getting already-used strings to rewrap correctly on those posts, because you'll need it.

Second, ALL the screws of the pick guard have to be removed.

Third, flip back the guard to expose the potentiometers. Do this carefully, or you're guaranteed to pull a wire and break a solder connection.

Fourth, spray the DeoxIT into the potentiometer that needs it, then turn the knob that's scratchy back and forth to spread the lubrication properly...

...except now there's another problem on top of the one you're trying to fix. You can't really test whether the lubrication actually worked unless you put the guard back (still with screws out), reattach one string, tighten it enough so it makes a note, plug in the guitar, pluck string and then test to see if you still hear the scratching noise. So OKAY, put the stupid guard back temporarily, attach a string, pluck, test for scratchy noise. If the scratch is still there, guess what? REMOVE STRING AGAIN and repeat until that noise is gone.

Fifth, when mostly confident that you eliminated the scratching noise, you put the pick guard back, put back all the screws and string up.

But hang on, yet another problem may and probably will happen. Even if your test is successful, there's still the chance the scratching will return once the guitar is played in seated or standing position. YOU LOSE! GOOD DAY, SIR! DO IT ALL OVER AGAIN.

Yeah, very annoying.

Ever see a Stratocaster with a pick guard that's broken near the output jack? I know exactly why that happens. It's from the owner doing the "spray and pray" in an attempt to fix a scratchy potentiometer. Instead of properly doing the maintenance, that idiot decided to take out a few pick guard screws, bend the pick guard up, spray around the potentiometer that's scratching and hope it fixes the problem. After doing that enough times, the pick guard plastic snaps.

The Pacifica way...

Flip guitar over, loosen 3 screws for the rear plate and remove, spray DeoxIT on the potentiometer that needs it, test. If the first spray doesn't fix it 100%, flip the guitar over and spray again. Do so until scratching is gone. If any DeoxIT comes through on top where the knobs are, dab clean with a paper towel. Reattach 3 screws.

DONE.

No need to take off the strings, and the guitar can be left fully tuned to pitch while doing this. No need to remove the pick guard. You don't even need to take off either of the 2 control knobs.

That's darned convenient.

Are there any Fender Stratocaster models that aren't as annoying when going to fix a scratchy volume control?

Just one.

Fender Aerodyne Special Stratocaster. No pick guard. Controls accessed through a 4-screw rear control plate. The same applies to the Fender Aerodyne Special Stratocaster HSS.

An Aerodyne model is really the only way to get a true Fender branded Stratocaster that's actually easy to maintain.

Or just get a Pacifica PAC112V instead.

Published 2025 Jul 22