Performer PS-5 Pots

[Flagstaff Fury]

I own a 90 Performer PS-5 bass. I have had it for a while and now it is starting to buzz. The volume pot feels terrible and loose. So I know it needs new pots. I plan on replacing ther pickups also, but I'm not sure what to look for in these pots. Does Musician's Friend have them? Is there a certain part number that they have? It has one volume pot, one blend pot, and one tone pot. The last owner rewired it with 3 volume pots so I have no idea what I need. Any info wil help. Thanks in advance.

[amimbari]

the long and complicated answer:

Audio and Linear taper pots have the same total resistance but differ in which position of rotation the pot will reach the 50% value. Linear pots are usually marked with a B or Lin (examples 250KB, B250K, 250K Lin) and will reach 50% of its total resistance in the 50% rotation point. Audio taper pots are usually marked with an A or Aud (examples 500KA, A500K 500K Aud) and will decrease most of the resistance in the last 50% of the rotation. This can give a more gradual audio reduction is some cases. Some manufactures like Fender use Audio taper pots for both volume and tone controls. Gibson on the other hand uses linear taper pots for both volume and tone. And still others use Linar taper pots for volume and Audio taper pots for tone. However, if a problem of exists where a volume or tone pot has no effect on the sound, try a changing the taper. How to check the taper with an ohm meter: Set the pot to the center position (50% rotation) and measure the resistance between the center pin and each of the outer pins. If the the resistance is equal (50% of the pots value) the pot is linear. If the values are not equal, the pot is an Audio taper.


the short and simple answer, go find any 250k pots and solder them up

[Flagstaff Fury]

Ok I can do that, but I need to find a blend pot also. Should I look up a 250k blend pot? I found em on eBay, but they are the mini ones. I'm not sure of the dimensions I need for it. Like I said the last owner put 3 regular pots in it so I have 2 volumes...

[amimbari]

you can use whatever is more available. I never hears a difference between anything I ever used 250k 50k 500k, whatever the circuit calls for mini, maxi...it don't matter. Everyone uses CTS $$$$ pots because they are better constructed, last a whole lot longer before getting scratchy in extreme gig conditions, but by the time a cheap Chinese pot goes bad unless your really abusive on the thing, you already sold the bass to someone else.....hahaha

there is a slight difference if you HAD a B250 and you changed to an A250, but if you did not do an instant a/b compare, you'd never know. I've had scratchy pots many times in the many basses that have passed thru the door, and I just buy the Chinese 6 for 10 dollars mini pots off ebay, especially when reselling a bass to someone and it had a scratchy pot. ( let them just do a plug and play so they are happy )