Fader #2 Failed Calibration

I had big plans for this weekend… I was going to run some cables and hook up some more of my gear in my new home studio. I got the cables run, but then I noticed a major problem with my Mackie Control. Three of the faders were messed up. I’m not quite sure how to explain it, but if you’ve come across this article from a search engine, you probably already know. I’ll try: Basically, when you run the fader upwards from -Infinity to +6 it get’s all funky feeling around Unity (0.0dB).

A few years ago I called Mackie to get a replacement fader for one that had the same issue. They happily shipped one out… at a price-tag of around $100… and explained how easy it was to replace- just open the unit, unplug the old fader, plug in the new one, and you’re good to go. (I’ve since learned that the price has come down considerably and is now $40.00 plus shipping so keep that in mind as you evaluate your fader situation).

This time around I had 3 funky faders (one truly funky, and 2 slightly funky)… and I wasn’t about to shell out that much dough without at least trying to fix them on my own. As I was finishing up I realized that I should probably document and share this with everyone, since I’ve been bailed out MANY  times by some random blogger announcing a quick fix to one of life’s problems. Here is a detailed step-by-step to get you back up and running if you’ve got the same problem.

Thanks to all those who are contributing to the article by leaving some comments! I’ll keep updating as better methods come in.

First, I need to mention that there are 2 distinct different problems that you could be seeing.

1. The fader motor is no longer functioning (completely dead fader syndrome).
2. The fader motor is functioning, but the fader doesn’t move freely along the path from top to bottom.

I will address both issues, but keep in mind that #2 is much easier to fix then #1.

You will need:

• A Phillip’s screwdriver (or screw-gun, if you’re careful)
• Needle-nose pliers (bent worked well for me)
• A Flat-Head screwdriver
• Hex key that fits the hex head screws above and below the fader (1/16 standard: Thanks, Adam)
• A smaller jeweler-size flat-head screwdriver (just for prying, other tools will work)
• Some good music
• Some time (1-2 hours if you go slow).

My choice of music was Ryan Adams… I suggest something similar.

So, here we go. You’ll need a place to hold a bunch of screws.

1. UNPLUG THE UNIT.  Don’t blame me if you skip this step and electrocute yourself.
2. Take off the fader cap for whatever channel you need to fix. No need to take off the others.
3. (Updated Method) Take off all the screws on the bottom of the unit and all around the side, the raised screws in the back of the unit can stay in but do take off all the flush screws in the back of the unit along the bottom.When you are done the entire bottom comes off and you will have a nice wide open space to work on the unit as the entire top comes off with the jog/shuttle wheel intact to the top metal housing. That way you won’t have to balance the bottom and the top and try to keep the ribbon cable on the jog/shuttle wheel from ripping. (At this point, discharge any static electricity by touching the inside base of the unit.)
4. Find your broken fader by counting (duh). It’s attached by some snap connectors. You can remove either end, just be careful not to pull the wires out. Grab it by the plastic only! Use the pliers if you have to. If you rip your wires out don’t blame me, you were warned.
5. If your motor works, skip this step. If your motor was not working at all before (completely dead fader syndrome), try re-attaching the cable and checking the connections. (I’m not instructing you to carefully plug in the unit and test it at this time, but that is something to think about). If you still don’t have any motor function in that fader, switch the fader end of the cable with one of the faders that is working during the fader calibration at start-up. See if it will work from another channel. If it starts working, put it back together and go make some music, if not, read on.
6. Using the hex key, remove the screws that are holding the fader in place. It should fall into the unit, that’s okay.
7. You should now be holding the fader in your hand. Set the rest of the unit aside. You’ll notice that the fader has a hard plastic base, housed in a metal casing.
8. Pry the little tabs up that are holding the metal casing in place with the jeweler’s screwdriver. Two of the tabs are right next to the solder points for the fader motor, DO NOT MESS UP THESE SOLDER POINTS! If your motor wasn’t working (dead fader syndrome) then check these solder points. There’s a black & red that attach up to the perf-board above the motor. Re-solder carefully if necessary. If you don’t know exactly what your doing, Google soldering and re-evaluate (maybe consider calling Mackie). It is VERY easy to fry the perf-board so don’t try it if you don’t know how.
9. When all of the tabs are bent away, the fader should slide out of it’s metal housing. Be very careful, as the metal housing is there to protect some VERY fragile parts inside.
10. The main culprit is dirt and crud in the fader (which you can clean out now), or a bent or mangled grounding cable (the brown ribbon cable you see in the pictures attached to the fader). This is the cable that allows for touch sensitivity. When you touch the fader, you’re grounding the circuit via this cable. For some reason they have a habit of getting bent, kinked, and generally messed up inside that metal housing.
11. Gently straighten any kinks or bends out of this cable with whatever method you choose. Personally, I just used my fingers to bend it into a nice gentle arc. Replace the metal housing and check your work. If you think you’ve got it, bend the tabs back into place. (Again, being very careful around those motor solder points).
12. Reverse the other steps to re-assemble everything, and you’re good to go.
13. Make some music!

(You’ll notice that the first few pictures show my unit opened from the top, which is more difficult since you have to be very cautious with the connections for the jog/shuttle wheel. Opening from the bottom as mentioned in step #3 is definitely the way to go. Thanks to Adam for pointing this out.)

[View with PicLens]

12►