volume pot gave me a scary shock!

[Doc B.]

I think you actually touched a live terminal and the pot casing at the same time. The current went from the live terminal to ground via the pot. You say the chassis plate is not live. So all you need to do is verify continuity between the pot and the chassis plate of the unplugged amp with your meter. Once you have verified that the pot case is connected electrically to the chassis plate you can power the amp up and carefully measure to be sure there is a 0 volts reading between the chassis plate and the pot case.

[dusk]

I think you actually touched a live terminal and the pot casing at the same time. The current went from the live terminal to ground via the pot. You say the chassis plate is not live. So all you need to do is verify continuity between the pot and the chassis plate of the unplugged amp with your meter. Once you have verified that the pot case is connected electrically to the chassis plate you can power the amp up and carefully measure to be sure there is a 0 volts reading between the chassis plate and the pot case.

this actually makes a lot of sense due to the way my hand was be angled trying to get under the crack pcb board.  when I get home tonight I will test continuity.  thanks doc b.