the nipple you need? guitar pot cleaning cap
I recently griped about Stratocaster design in how it's such an annoyance to clean the volume and tone pots. This cap might be a solution. Maybe.
A reader emailed me and told me about a thing known as a pot cleaning cap. He called it a nipple. I'd never heard of this thing before, so I looked into it.
Out of the gate, you have to be careful buying one of these things for one reason. Statute vs. metric. Some are made for 3/8 x 32 thread, meaning those will not work for a metric size. But then there are others that state it fits 7mm and 8mm.
In other words, know the measurement you need before you buy one. If what you have with the scratchy pots on it was made in America or Mexico, it most likely uses 3/8 x 32 measurement potentiometers. If it's an import, then it's probably uses metric.
How does it work?
- Pull knob off
- Screw cap on
- Insert straw from DeoxIT D5 into the little hole in the cap
- Spray (lubrication travels down the shaft)
- Turn-turn-turn back and forth to spread lubrication
- Test to make sure scratchy noise gone
- Remove cap
- Put knob back on
Unless I'm missing a step, I believe that's how it's supposed to work.
Who benefits most from using this?
Anyone who owns a thing where it's an annoying production getting to the potentiometer to lubricate it.
Examples of this are the Fender Stratocaster, semihollow and hollow body guitars, and just about any guitar amplifier.
What's it made out of?
The majority of these caps I've seen for sale are made from either aluminum or brass, so it's safe for anybody to use, including those with a nickel allergy.
Do you have to use DeoxIT D5?
Not necessarily, but recommended because the stuff just works, and it's known to be safe for metals and plastics. You can peruse other contact cleaners if you like and maybe try WD-40 Specialist Contact Cleaner (which also claims to be safe on metals and plastics). There is also DeoxIT F5 specifically for faders, but I don't know if I'd feel comfortable using that on a potentiometer. For me, I use D5 and it gets the job done without damaging anything.
Does this cap actually work?
From what I've read, some guys swear by these things just because it saves so much time. Semihollow guitar owners especially love them because it can be ridiculously complicated snaking tools or straws or whatever inside the F-hole just to get a pot lubricated.
To answer the question directly however, I don't know because I don't own one since I just found out about them.
If you do have one, feel free to contact and let me know if it worked or not.
And on that note, price. Right. Not an expensive thing but also not exactly cheap. You're going to spend $10 to $30 for one. That's a little bit up there for something so small...
...but then again, the time this saves is arguably worth it. Also, depending on what gear you have, it may serve multi-duty for both your guitars and amps.
This is a specialty tool, to be sure, but sometimes you need a specialty thing to save yourself from an evening of swearing and throwing things across the room out of frustration.
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Published 2025 Sep 1