Potentiometers

[Tone2TheBone]

Ok solderers...what replacement pots have you ordered and worked on for your guitars? CTS? Fender? Gibson? My LP is in need of new pots after 20 years of fire, heat, water damage and shredding. Any of you with great tech skills have some input?

[Bloozcat]

I prefer CTS, but I've used ALPHA's also with no problems. When I buy CTS pots, I always check them with my VOM and try to use only those that are 500k or higher for humbuckers and 250k and higher for single coils. I save the others that test under 500k for P-90 pickups (along with 300k pots), and those that test under 250k for overly bright single coils. It might be nit picking, but I've found that it does make a difference. The pots cost under $3.50ea, so it's not a great expense.

[Tone2TheBone]

Bloozcat - excellent response...what was looking for. Don't companies like CTS gauge their pots to close tolerances or is it hit and miss? I wouldn't have ever considered checking them...though I might now that I've read your post. Only thing is I have to order them online. Where did you get yours?

[Bloozcat]

Bloozcat - excellent response...what was looking for. Don't companies like CTS gauge their pots to close tolerances or is it hit and miss? I wouldn't have ever considered checking them...though I might now that I've read your post. Only thing is I have to order them online. Where did you get yours?

The tolerences are +/- 10%...and even with that, I've had 250k pots that measured 209k (225k is -10%), and 500k pots that measured 424k (450k is -10%). Rarely (if ever) do I see any pots that are over the 10% tolerance. I'm sure if CTS were to produce their pots to a +/- 5% tolerance, they'd charge a lot more.

I get my pots from here:
http://www.internetmusicsupply.com/

They were running $3.22 ea, but I think there was a price increase recently. The site is a little quirky sometimes, and prefers that you use Netscape when ordering. They have been telling me that they're in the process of fixing the site...it couldn't come too soon. They have treated me very well with my orders though. They carry AllParts stuff at about 22% off the prices on the AllParts web site.

EDIT to note: BTW, if you're considering upgrading any wiring in your guitars where top quality components weren't used in the first place (not your LP), I buy capacitors, resistors, and other misc, electronic parts from here:
http://www.mouser.com/

I usually use Sprague Orange Drop caps, #715P-200v in various sizes (.010mf, .015mf, .022mf, .033mf, .047mf) in my single coil guitars w/250k pots, like Strats. In my humbucker equipped guitars with the 500k pots, I usually use Mallory 150's - 250v in most of the above mentioned microfared sizes. They only run about $.59 - $.79 each. You can spend a lot more on paper in oil caps, and bumble bee caps, but to me (and my pocketbook), I have a hard time hearing any audible difference in tone.

[warren0728]

I get my pots from here

all this talk about pots is making me hungry

[Bloozcat]

all this talk about pots is making me hungry

Is that like munchies pot hungry or kitchen pots-you-cook-with hungry?

[warren0728]

could be either!...and one of them i didn't even think about

ww

[Tone2TheBone]

Warren - if you make something to eat please leave your clothes on.

Blooz - Thank you for all that information!

[warren0728]

Warren - if you make something to eat please leave your clothes on.

kinda takes the fun out of it

[Tone2TheBone]

What would you have done had your friends come through that door that morning Warren?

[Nelskie]

Tone - Duh! He'd have been hospitable, and offered them some bacon.

[ray82609]

I prefer CTS, but I've used ALPHA's also with no problems. When I buy CTS pots, I always check them with my VOM and try to use only those that are 500k or higher for humbuckers and 250k and higher for single coils. I save the others that test under 500k for P-90 pickups (along with 300k pots), and those that test under 250k for overly bright single coils. It might be nit picking, but I've found that it does make a difference. The pots cost under $3.50ea, so it's not a great expense.

What do you use with 250k pots for a tone cap?
-Ray

[warren0728]

What would you have done had your friends come through that door that morning Warren?

i guess i would have had to make extra pancakes...it would be the polite thing to do!

ww

[Tone2TheBone]

Tone - Duh! He'd have been hospitable, and offered them some bacon.

Warren, Nelskie's got ya pegged pretty good. Chaulk one up for suthun hospitality.

[warren0728]

Warren, Nelskie's got ya pegged pretty good. Chaulk one up for suthun hospitality.

absolutely....a southern man has a reputation to keep!

just be glad i didn't serve them the donuts (look ma no hands!!)

ww

[Katastrophe]

DUDE! ewww. just. ewww.

[Nelskie]

just be glad i didn't serve them the donuts (look ma no hands!!) :eek

LMAO - Hey ww, line me up w/ a short stack!!

[Tone2TheBone]

absolutely....a southern man has a reputation to keep!

just be glad i didn't serve them the donuts (look ma no hands!!)

ww

Somehow I'm not at all surprised by your comment. lmao

[Bloozcat]

What do you use with 250k pots for a tone cap?
-Ray

Depends on the pickups. With overwound pickups, I usually use Orange Drop 715P-200v caps in .010mf or .015mf. With '60's type winds or vintage winds I usually use .022mf or .033mf. These are the values that I've found to work best for me. You could go to .047mf or as high as .10mf if that's what you like.

The older Strats from the '50's used .10mf and .047mf (or .050mf) caps. Later on they went to the .022mf's.

So, try lower value caps for the darker pickups, and higher value caps for brighter pickups. The only one who can tell you what sounds best to you, is you...so experiment a little. I find that having the right k-ohm value pot is an equal part of the cap/pot equation as well. I'll even try 300k pots with some Strats to get the right tonal balance. They, like the 250k pots have the +/- 10% variance as well, so I'll often use pots that are running in the 265k-285k range.

Of course, this is but a part of the overall equation. There's body wood, bridge materials (especially the inertia block), the nut, action height...etc. Guitars are like a big puzzle and putting them together is half the fun (for me anyway )