Bad Pot Taper or Wiring Issue?

J

JElliott49

New member
I'm currently having an issue with a Brian May Red Special (Left Handed) that I'm swapping the pots out on. It originally came with 500k mini pots which became crackly and couldn't be fixed using contact cleaner. I'm now putting 250k regular pots in. A linear for the tone and a audio(log) for the volume. I have done a straight swap matching the previous wiring. My issue is that the volume goes from 0-100 in less than a quarter of a turn. Could this possible be a wiring issue or is it more likely that the pot just has a bad taper? I have tried another pot for the volume and it seems to do the same. Any help would be great. Thanks.

Original Pots/Wiring:
https://imgur.com/LvAveTz

New Pots:
https://imgur.com/q4Y4Kof
 
Re: Bad Pot Taper or Wiring Issue?

I do believe they make special lefty taper pots for left handed guitars, I believe they are anti-log pots for volume and a plain linear tone should work. Does the tone sweep fine? I'd say a simple swap to an anti-log pot should fix your issue.
 
Re: Bad Pot Taper or Wiring Issue?

I think you're right. I switched the outside lugs around on the volume pot and it now has a smooth transition, but obviously turning it the opposite way.
 
Re: Bad Pot Taper or Wiring Issue?

JElliott49 said:
I think you're right. I switched the outside lugs around on the volume pot and it now has a smooth transition, but obviously turning it the opposite way.
Click to expand...

Yep. You can use a linear taper pot or get a reverse log pot.
 
Re: Bad Pot Taper or Wiring Issue?

^ He has to wire the pots backwards since he's lefty so he needs a reverse log tone.
 
Re: Bad Pot Taper or Wiring Issue?

I distinctly remember, because I always use linear volume and audio tone (I copied Ibanez) and there is one guitar I accidentally goofed and put them in backwards. The volume had a bit too big a roll off in the top half, and the the tone had an abysmal roll off in the bottom half.

I've always wanted to try vintage taper pots for volume, which are half way between linear and audio, and might fix the issues with both. Linear has too big a roll off between 3 and 0 and audio has too big a roll off between 10 and 7. Maybe vintage does something to fix this, with small jumps in those ranges.
 
Re: Bad Pot Taper or Wiring Issue?

I too use linear volume and audio tone
Because of Ibanez and Carvin OEM specs

There are those who do that th8ng much differently for varied reasons
It makes a difference whether leg one uses for that thing on the tone

I accidentally wired them backwards
Wired them backwards and then instead of swapping both legs
Swapped just the outside legs

All kinds of messed up ways

But I don't believe I have ever had one do what you say
I could be wrong.......
 
Re: Bad Pot Taper or Wiring Issue?

Chistopher said:
I distinctly remember, because I always use linear volume and audio tone (I copied Ibanez) and there is one guitar I accidentally goofed and put them in backwards. The volume had a bit too big a roll off in the top half, and the the tone had an abysmal roll off in the bottom half.

I've always wanted to try vintage taper pots for volume, which are half way between linear and audio, and might fix the issues with both. Linear has too big a roll off between 3 and 0 and audio has too big a roll off between 10 and 7. Maybe vintage does something to fix this, with small jumps in those ranges.
Click to expand...

I think the "vintage taper" pots are 30% taper as opposed to 10% for those sold as log or audio taper for guitar. I just usually buy the CTS Mojotone Vintage Taper pots which are 30% taper. Art of Tone sells one they call a TAOT, true audio taper, and also a Vintage TAOT. Only the vintage are 30% taper. Those are all I use now for volume when I can use a full size pot. I use a regular audio taper for tone.

What's interesting is that if you check the CTS site and find the specs PDF, they have several different tapers listed, included 30% audio. So I'm skeptical of these retailers when they claim that they are custom pots made for them by CTS. CTS may select them for tolerance and stamp a special part number or name on them but I'm not so sure I believe that they are building anything special that they don't already make. Not a big deal though, they are only 5 or 6 bucks from the dealers.
 
Re: Bad Pot Taper or Wiring Issue?

So I take it you prefer vintage taper? How does it compare to audio?
 
Re: Bad Pot Taper or Wiring Issue?

Chistopher said:
So I take it you prefer vintage taper? How does it compare to audio?
Click to expand...

This video (it's not me) compares an RS Superpot in the neck with a standard CTS audio taper in the bridge. If the RS Superpot isn't the same taper as a 30% Vintage taper pot, it's pretty darn close to the same. At any rate, the video is a pretty good representation of the difference.

 
Re: Bad Pot Taper or Wiring Issue?

JElliott49 said:
I'm currently having an issue with a Brian May Red Special (Left Handed) that I'm swapping the pots out on. It originally came with 500k mini pots which became crackly and couldn't be fixed using contact cleaner. I'm now putting 250k regular pots in. A linear for the tone and a audio(log) for the volume. I have done a straight swap matching the previous wiring. My issue is that the volume goes from 0-100 in less than a quarter of a turn. Could this possible be a wiring issue or is it more likely that the pot just has a bad taper? I have tried another pot for the volume and it seems to do the same. Any help would be great. Thanks.

Original Pots/Wiring:
https://imgur.com/LvAveTz

New Pots:
https://imgur.com/q4Y4Kof
Click to expand...
I don't really know, but I installed linier pots for my volume & audio taper pots for my tone. I don't have your problem. GOOD LUCK with yours.

Sent from my LGMS330 using Tapatalk
 
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