On this diagram, what do the "G" and "D" mean on potentiometers?

[Top-L]

I'm going to rewire my s540 with VLX91 super switch and Steve Vai Evolution set. What does the G and D notation mean? Is one audio and the other linear?

BTW, I feel lucky to have this diagram found in an old folder from a backup years ago. Ibanez no longer publishes wiring diagrams.

[beaubrummels]

What I'm finding is that D and G are just part of the part numbers of what Ibanez uses (you can get them as replacement parts). Unknown if the letters directly relate to the taper, but I'm sure they correlate to the differences. If they directly refer to the taper, it might be the Romaji spelling of the Japanese words for those terms. Also what I'm finding is that Ibanez appears to use audio taper for volume and linear taper for tone (which is the opposite of conventional wisdom I'm aware of, YMMV.)

[Top-L]

Wish me luck. Imma do this tomorrow, not a fun bit of soldering.

Its weird but i have no idea what diagram i followed before, but there are several weird things. It also needs a new volume pot and output jack.

Do over, then never touch it again.

[ArtieToo]

That's weird. In all my years in electronics, I've never seen those designations before. A quick Google search show "D's" to be fairly popular in guitar usage. Apparently, they're just a log taper, with a slightly different curve from an "A" taper.

But there's no mention anywhere of a "G". I wonder if it's simply a typo. Even Ibanez parts lists show using a "B" for volume pots.

https://montancesguitarwiring.com/products/bourns-premium-full-size-potentiometer-high-torque-solid

[Juanhanglo]

Following for definitive answer on this.

OP: good luck on soldering in that vlx91. Watch out for solder leakage between pads. It'll cause all sorts of problems if you don't.

I use oak grigsby super switches instead to avoid this potential issue, and I know it will.

Best advice I took was get a soldering iron with a sharp point and adjustable heat.
Super thin solder works well too.
Everything became much easier when I dumped my old fat tipped iron and quit using the fat solder.

Like night and day

[Top-L]

Following for definitive answer on this.

OP: good luck on soldering in that vlx91. Watch out for solder leakage between pads. It'll cause all sorts of problems if you don't.

I use oak grigsby super switches instead to avoid this potential issue, and I know it will.

Best advice I took was get a soldering iron with a sharp point and adjustable heat.
Super thin solder works well too.
Everything became much easier when I dumped my old fat tipped iron and quit using the fat solder.

Like night and day

I've done this switch before, its never fun. I have to use it because its low profile and fits in the sabre.

Thanks for reminder to change my tip.

[Wound_Up]

What I'm finding is that D and G are just part of the part numbers of what Ibanez uses (you can get them as replacement parts). Unknown if the letters directly relate to the taper, but I'm sure they correlate to the differences. If they directly refer to the taper, it might be the Romaji spelling of the Japanese words for those terms. Also what I'm finding is that Ibanez appears to use audio taper for volume and linear taper for tone (which is the opposite of conventional wisdom I'm aware of, YMMV.)

All of my guitars came that way. Not Ibanez. Afaik, that's standard procedure. Audio taper volume and linear taper tone. All the guitars I've ever seen are either all audio taper or audio taper(250/500KA) for volume and linear taper(250/500KB) for tone.

[beaubrummels]

All of my guitars came that way. Not Ibanez. Afaik, that's standard procedure. Audio taper volume and linear taper tone. All the guitars I've ever seen are either all audio taper or audio taper(250/500KA) for volume and linear taper(250/500KB) for tone.

My guitars have all variations. Hard to say what's industry standard. Might be one standard for one company and a different standard for another.

[Juanhanglo]

I've done this switch before, its never fun. I have to use it because its low profile and fits in the sabre.

Thanks for reminder to change my tip.

Ah yes, the s series. That makes sense.


They could have made the contacts staggered in height or something on the vlx91. Anything to make the contacts less likely to solder together

[Top-L]

All of my guitars came that way. Not Ibanez. Afaik, that's standard procedure. Audio taper volume and linear taper tone. All the guitars I've ever seen are either all audio taper or audio taper(250/500KA) for volume and linear taper(250/500KB) for tone.

All the ibanez guitars come with B for volume, and A for tone afaik. Except this diagram might suggest something else.

Because 90% of my pickup swaps and experience have been with those, that is what I will use.

Just wanted to make sure D and G were not a different kind of pot from A and B.

[Wound_Up]

All the ibanez guitars come with B for volume, and A for tone afaik. Except this diagram might suggest something else.

Because 90% of my pickup swaps and experience have been with those, that is what I will use.

Just wanted to make sure D and G were not a different kind of pot from A and B.

That's what I thought initially...that they were D & G taper pots. There are multiple letter designations and multiple types for each letter. For example, J taper is a reverse audio taper pot, IIRC. G taper is reverse audio until midpoint and standard audio thereafter. Here's a chart from CTS for reference.

Edited: chart deleted so I could edit this post. Added chart in the next reply.

[Wound_Up]

Well because I can't edit the previous post with a pic in it, I edited the post and added the Pic in an additional reply here