Pots! What difference do they make.

[KBDkaTana]

Can someone "in the know" explain to me what changing the pots realy does to the sound of the guitar? I see this very often in formums but I have no basis to judge my dk2m pots as my only other guitar is am Epi Les Paul Custom.

I play through a marshall, and although I like a heavy sound, it seems that "backing off" distortion can help beef up the sound as it can get too fuzzy and undefined otherwise.

[cedelong]

Besides a disturbing amount of crackle from dirty or worn out pots, logically speaking one pot SHOULD NOT make enough difference sound wise over another to be worth the trouble. By design, all pots work the same, and besides very little changes is calibration, should clip volume / tone at the same rate in more or less the same position. The main reason I've changed out pots on guitars is due almost exclusively to feel. I metioned this in another post recently: I like a smooth, fluid action in my pots, not a "scraping" feeling like some offer. Also, some pots do not stay in selected position because of too much play/ lack of drag in the rotation and tend to drift, while others have too much drag and in the split second between notes/ solo onsets will not reach desired position due to resistance. Some pots will "bounce" away from the max setting as if by magnetic rejection or broken mechanism. Don't take this as gospel, but unless you are changing the max voltage being divided (ie: 500k is common) sound quality changes should be a mute point. For me, CTS pots have the right feel and durability for my guitars, but there are many other brands out there. This I cut and pasted from a correspondance with the luthier I use here in Baton Rouge when I asked him about pots and recommendations:

ON humbucker pickups I use 500K CTS pots. They are very reliable and look traditional. The taper is not as good as they were many years ago but a better taper pot made by cts can be purchased online from some dealers that requested those to have the smoother taper. I think
they sell the pots for $25 each. Alpha is my second choice for
smoother taper. They have 3/8 bushing size but the entire pot is
almost the size of a dime. This company makes very quality parts.
Thanks Tim

Hope this was some help!

C.

[MartinBarre]

Personally, unless a pot is actually faulty, I don't believe it's worth the time and money changing them for a more expensive brand.

Changing between 250K and 500K does slightly change the sound, but, again, I don't really hear a massive difference and, unless I already had a faulty pot and fancied a slightly warmer tone, I'd not bother swapping 500s for 250s.

What I think IS worthwhile, and very easy and cheap, is to put in a push/pull pot so your humbuckers are split. This is one of the easiest mods to do on a guitar, but really gives some quite different tonal options.

But, in general, changing stock pots for CTS, or capacitors, or even string gauge, does not make a markedly noticeable difference in tone. IMO.
Better off spending the time swapping pots on practicing playing!

[nhspike]

Some pot makes me hungry.

Other pot gives me a nice mellow buzz without the munchies.

More information here:

http://www.a1b2c3.com/drugs/mjgrow9d.htm

[Newc]

All pot are not equal!

Seriously, while all pots work on the same principle, there are 2 kinds - audio taper and linear taper. One has a smoother rolloff from 10 to 0, while the other drops off sharply at 9, and then gradually gets lower from 9-0.

As well, different manufacturers use different amounts of metal for the internal sweeper, which starts off thick (at 10) and tapers down (0). Low-cost/generic pots as come with most import models are not "the best", but they do the job. Better pots do the same job better, and usually with more consistency and less problems like tonal seepage (0 is not always Off with these pots, and 10 on a CTS pot will be louder than 10 on a generic/cheaper pot with a much thinner sweeper).

[nhspike]

Dr. Newc,

Can you explain in your traditional clear and concise manner the virtues of the 250/500 values, when to use each, etc?

I can never remember.

Prolly cuz of the pots.

hehe

[straycat]

You guys know I can't leave this post alone http://rsguitarworks.net
These pot upgrade kits are the best hands down.
High quality pots and high grade audio caps make all the difference in the world in your tone.
RS super pots have a higher grade contact material and a full smooth sweep no drop off at any setting.Brass shafts too for long life and smooth operation.
Most of my guitars get the kit first thing.
The kits take all the fuzz and muddiness out leaving clear clean tone and let the pickups sing.
Strats,L.P.'s its a no brainer the kit will improve your tone over the stock units.
Go check out their site and see their list of artists that swear by the kits.
These guys know great tone.
BTW check out the sound clips of the new RS/Fralin big block pick ups, thats whats going in my new Stinnet guitar.

[Newc]

Dr. Newc,

Can you explain in your traditional clear and concise manner the virtues of the 250/500 values, when to use each, etc?

I can never remember.

Prolly cuz of the pots.

hehe

From what I gather, 250K volume pots shave off a bit of the highs, so if you've got a bright and nasty bridge pickup or a neck pickup that's got a bit more jangle than you'd like, give it a 250K.

You guys know I can't leave this post alone http://rsguitarworks.net
These pot upgrade kits are the best hands down.
High quality pots and high grade audio caps make all the difference in the world in your tone.
RS super pots have a higher grade contact material and a full smooth sweep no drop off at any setting.Brass shafts too for long life and smooth operation.
Most of my guitars get the kit first thing.
The kits take all the fuzz and muddiness out leaving clear clean tone and let the pickups sing.
Strats,L.P.'s its a no brainer the kit will improve your tone over the stock units.
Go check out their site and see their list of artists that swear by the kits.
These guys know great tone.
BTW check out the sound clips of the new RS/Fralin big block pick ups, thats whats going in my new Stinnet guitar.

:ROTF: Read that "Billy Mays-style" :ROTF:

[jdr94]

yup 250 shaves the highs(usually off a single coil) imagine if you used 500k on single coils. it'll sound like a mim strat. 500 gives more and 1 meg is wide open so to speak. traditionally hums get 500 singles get 250, but some are known to use a 250 tone with a 500 vol. the only way to know if its what you like is to try it.......i like the good pots

also simply switching pickups may be a better option if you're lookin for a significant tone change.

[nhspike]

:ROTF: Read that "Billy Mays-style" :ROTF:

[straycat]

Too funny Newc.LOL

[atdguitars]

I've always had good luck with CTS(usa), Gibson stamped, and Alpha.The "A" sweep pots seem to be smoother and have a truer sweep than the "B" pots. As a rule I hate dime pots but sometimes thats all the room you have. I have found that good quality caps can make a huge difference. Bumble bee and real orange drops always help the clarity. Changing cap values can help alter the tone as well. I keep various caps with gator clips to demonstrate to customers what changing the value can add or take away from their guitar. Once they decide its just a 2 minute solder job to finish it for them.
The old Gretsch wiring that used the tone selector was just a rotary switch with different value tone pots to change the overall highs and lows. I've used that as a mod for tele's with good results since the lower horn is covered with the pickguard and easy to make the wiring and switch routes. it can be done with a DPDT O/O/O switch as well thats less obtrusive.

[cedelong]

You guys know I can't leave this post alone http://rsguitarworks.net
These pot upgrade kits are the best hands down.
High quality pots and high grade audio caps make all the difference in the world in your tone.
RS super pots have a higher grade contact material and a full smooth sweep no drop off at any setting.Brass shafts too for long life and smooth operation.
Most of my guitars get the kit first thing.
The kits take all the fuzz and muddiness out leaving clear clean tone and let the pickups sing.
Strats,L.P.'s its a no brainer the kit will improve your tone over the stock units.
Go check out their site and see their list of artists that swear by the kits.
These guys know great tone.
BTW check out the sound clips of the new RS/Fralin big block pick ups, thats whats going in my new Stinnet guitar.

Stryct - Looks good to me! Which kit would be appropriate for an SL3? - the on-site selection chart didn't list any Jacksons...Thnks.