Where can I find japanese pots/switches for my guitar?

[That90'sGuy]

I was looking around some local guitar shops today so that I could get a 3-way toggle switch and a 500k audio potentiometer. One of the guys told me that it's difficult to find japanese replacement parts for korean/japanese/import guitars (which is also why he said they're so much cheaper).

Does anyone know anywhere online that I can find these japanese pots/switches? They're basically smaller versions of Gibsons stuff. For instance, the standard pot is too wide to fit in the holes drilled for it and the guitar is a semi-hollowbody and thin so those tall 3-way toggle switches won't work either. Any suggestions?

[Ken]

Re: Where can I find japanese pots/switches for my guitar?

Hmmm....are you sure?


I don't recall having any issues with my guitars...or with others that I've worked on and put in the CTS pots. There's a good chance the Japanese are metric, I'm not sure about CTS though...I'd get a second opinion if you could.

[ArtieToo]

Re: Where can I find japanese pots/switches for my guitar?

Try Jameco, I just ordered some pots from them, (a mistake), and they were definitely smaller and cheaper than CTS.

I now have a little better understanding as to why CTS are considered "quality" components.

[That90'sGuy]

Re: Where can I find japanese pots/switches for my guitar?

Artie, do you happen to know which model it was that you ordered?

It's weird, but in comparison to the CTS, they are much smaller. The base of my 500k pot has a diameter of 1.5 cm. If the tip of the pot on the CTS pots were the same, then there would be no problem, but they are wider than on my Dean.

[ArtieToo]

Re: Where can I find japanese pots/switches for my guitar?

Chris . . . give me just a sec, and I'll scan the page from the catalog.
For some reason, its different than what they show online.

I'll post it shortly.

[ArtieToo]

Re: Where can I find japanese pots/switches for my guitar?

This may not be what you're looking for. It sounds like you need "min-pots", while these are just smaller than standard.
Not quite the same thing.

For instance, the shaft bushing on my CTS's are 9.5 mm. On the Jameco's,
the shaft bushing is 7.75 mm.

Hold down the SHIFT key and click to open in a new page:

Jameco page 48

[That90'sGuy]

Re: Where can I find japanese pots/switches for my guitar?

Thanks for your time Artie for trying to help me out. This is a mystery that perhaps will only be solved by the guys over at Dean (sent Customer Service an e-mail... hopefully I get a response, that will be the true test of a company ).

The guy at my local shop could tell right away that they were import electronics. I have import hardware on it (Il Sung bridge/saddles); Tone Pros wouldn't fit and I didn't want to drill another hole in it. I know things like bridges have to be specially ordered and I would assume these weird smaller electronics would too (it kinda sucks nothing bigger will fit because with the wiring I'm using, I have a lot of grounding and overall wires soldered to it and it's small so all of it is pretty much all on top of each other).

I'm surprised there are no other import/korean/japanese guitars that have this problem. If anyone on this forum has experience with these smaller electronics or with korean guitars and hardware period, please let me know Thanks!

[Kent S.]

Re: Where can I find japanese pots/switches for my guitar?

Thanks for your time Artie for trying to help me out. This is a mystery that perhaps will only be solved by the guys over at Dean (sent Customer Service an e-mail... hopefully I get a response, that will be the true test of a company ).

The guy at my local shop could tell right away that they were import electronics. I have import hardware on it (Il Sung bridge/saddles); Tone Pros wouldn't fit and I didn't want to drill another hole in it. I know things like bridges have to be specially ordered and I would assume these weird smaller electronics would too (it kinda sucks nothing bigger will fit because with the wiring I'm using, I have a lot of grounding and overall wires soldered to it and it's small so all of it is pretty much all on top of each other).

I'm surprised there are no other import/korean/japanese guitars that have this problem. If anyone on this forum has experience with these smaller electronics or with korean guitars and hardware period, please let me know Thanks!

All Parts or Stewmac should stock *dime* pots, they are about the size of a dime hence the name, also an Ibanez dealer will be able to order them, and I think that WD and Warmoth has them also ... don't be surpirsed if they are the same ROC pots, as far as pup selectors go there are a couple of *import* switches listed from those distributors ... A few B.C.Richs I had to replace those pots, they had small ones like that,in one of mint though I just put full size pots in ... as far as things like bridge saddles well ... strat styles have a couple different dimensions ... I usually go to All Parts for matching up stuff like that.On that the only thing you can do beside OEM from a dealer is to measure them and phone or e-mail distributors.

[Dom L]

Re: Where can I find japanese pots/switches for my guitar?

I have about 10 kazillion in my shop
What value do you need
or PM me your address and I'll send you some
Dom L