Best Pot for Spin-A-Split

[WGTP]

Re: Best Pot for Spin-A-Split

I think I posted this before, but using a reverse log 250 or 500K pot provides for a more gradual blend between the single and dual coil sound. Full humbucker happens around the mid point instead of all at once.

 

[BachToRock]

Re: Best Pot for Spin-A-Split

That rotary switch with fixed resistors sounds like an excellent idea!

 

[dr.barlo]

Re: Best Pot for Spin-A-Split

Don't get me wrong -- I still very much like the Spin-A-Split, even with the lousy taper. It's just harder to zero in on the sweet spots because they are often right where the big drop-offs are. My current SAS pot is a stock Gibson 300k that was the neck tone pot before. Must be a linear taper...

Right on. Why don't you get hold of a audio 500K (I assume your vol pot is 500K no? ) and open it up and do the scratching or nail polish thing. So that it'd not bleed any signal to the ground at 10 (hence full HB) and would have a better taper.

Good luck.

B

 

[Zhangliqun]

Re: Best Pot for Spin-A-Split

No, they're all standard Gibson 300k pots. But unusually good sounding pots for Gibson pots, which is why I haven't switched them out. I'll try a 500k audio, and maybe wire it in reverse to see how it goes.

 

[Mojambo]

Re: Best Pot for Spin-A-Split

Resurrecting this from the dead again...

I am currently using 250k linears for the coil splitting in my Tele Deluxe. Virtually nothing happens from 10-4 on the dial (10 being full hb, 1 being sc), and then it begins to split very quickly. The only usable "blended" tones are at about 2-3.5 on the dial.

The search for the best spin-a-split pot continues for me. Hope this helps anybody else in deciding what pots to use.

 

[frankfalbo]

Re: Best Pot for Spin-A-Split

So...you haven't tried a reverse audio taper pot yet?

 

[Artie]

Re: Best Pot for Spin-A-Split

Right on. Why don't you get hold of a audio 500K (I assume your vol pot is 500K no? ) and open it up and do the scratching or nail polish thing. So that it'd not bleed any signal to the ground at 10 (hence full HB) and would have a better taper.

Good luck.

B

A quick reminder - a blend pot doesn't connect to ground at all. So nothing gets "bled to ground" at any setting.

 

[Fresh_Start]

Re: Best Pot for Spin-A-Split

Resurrecting this from the dead again...

I am currently using 250k linears for the coil splitting in my Tele Deluxe. Virtually nothing happens from 10-4 on the dial (10 being full hb, 1 being sc), and then it begins to split very quickly. The only usable "blended" tones are at about 2-3.5 on the dial.

The search for the best spin-a-split pot continues for me. Hope this helps anybody else in deciding what pots to use.

This matches my experience with "dial-a-tap" on a Quarter Pound single coil - I ended up using a 100k audio taper. Someday I should make it "no load" but that day never seems to be today :eek13: Seems like bigger pot values just don't give you a fine enough gradation of control.

Chip

 

[WGTP]

Re: Best Pot for Spin-A-Split

http://guitarelectronics.zoovy.com/product/CPC500R

Here is a 500K reverse audio taper pot. Might need to go up or down a size for the capacitor to work to your liking. With a Full Shred, full humbucking happens at 1/2 rotation and the tone control starts coming in after that. You can measure the resistance 1/2 ing and you can hear the 60Hz hum increase/decrease as you turn it. Hope that helps. :laugh2:

 

[Zhangliqun]

Re: Best Pot for Spin-A-Split

I don't want full humbucker in the middle of the rotation and I don't want the SAS to also double as a tone control.

I want 10 to be full humbucker and 0 to be full single coil and a reasonably smooth taper in between. Is that possible without a blend pot or other center-click pot?

 

[frankfalbo]

Re: Best Pot for Spin-A-Split

I think so. I think the reverse audio is your closest bet. The only reason I had the center detent + tone was because I had the pot lying around. So I was getting reverse audio taper, but over half the distance. And I liked having the tone knob, too. But I assume the same taper over the 0-10 range will be equally usable, and have the closest thing to the taper everyone here wants, aside from someone scraping a custom taper.

 

[Zhangliqun]

Re: Best Pot for Spin-A-Split

Maybe I could just reverse the wiring on a regular audio taper pot and get a left-handed (numbers in reverse order) knob...

 

[frankfalbo]

Re: Best Pot for Spin-A-Split

That's like what I was saying before. With everyone crying they can't get a taper they like, I said it's free to try it out. Just wire an audio taper pot (which most of you already have) in reverse. If you still hate it, then I was wrong and it was free. If you like it, then buy a reverse audio taper pot.

The one difference is that psychologically, our mind will still associate turning the knob "down" with something that should reduce output, not increase it. So because it's counterintuitive, the backwards wired standard audio taper pot might still give you the feeling of an awkward taper. But it would be perhaps based on body mechanics rather than the actual variance in electrical current.

I'm not saying it's perfect, just the best possible inexpensive, readily available pot for the SAS.

 

[Artie]

Re: Best Pot for Spin-A-Split

That helps to explain why Lindy Fralins blender pot diagram shows the pot wired backwards. I always wondered why they did it that way. But it matches perfectly with what you're (Frank) is saying. They obviously assumed that everyone would be using the stock audio-taper pot.

Its all becoming clear now.
Thanks Frank.

Artie

 

[frankfalbo]

Re: Best Pot for Spin-A-Split

True...I built a guitar (since sold) with that wiring, and yeah I wired it backwards like that, too. Every time I see that guy I wish I had a reverse audio taper pot so I could switch it on him, because "down to blend" is just as counterintuitive as "up to split" But he couldn't be happier.

The SAS is different because you're blending in a series coil rather than a parallel coil. So output and thicker tone are going hand in hand. It's more demanding on the taper for functionality. The parallel connection is more forgiving when it comes to the taper. Especially because of the totally different tonal variations during the parallel blend of N & B.

 

[LJ King]

Re: Best Pot for Spin-A-Split

That helps to explain why Lindy Fralins blender pot diagram shows the pot wired backwards. I always wondered why they did it that way. But it matches perfectly with what you're (Frank) is saying. They obviously assumed that everyone would be using the stock audio-taper pot.

Its all becoming clear now.
Thanks Frank.

Artie

Wiring it backwards also means you do not need a separate wiring diagram for the person that wants to use a no-load pot for the blender.

 

[pawleep]

Re: Best Pot for Spin-A-Split

I don't think this ever got resolved. Anybody have more thoughts on what values to use, aside from no-load?

Nice info.
Am trying to do a spin a split with a HB103 neck on a firebird clone (yamaha RD i think)
Can't you just leave the 3rd lug open to make pot a no load?
Wondering how a 1000 or 2500 ohm pot make work? Have a few ohmites (correction, brand is A-B) i may try to use.
Since I am probably going with 2 volume and 1 tone I will have an extra hole for a real pot for this!
Thanx for any suggestions! p

 

[Clint 55]

Re: Best Pot for Spin-A-Split

50k tapers perfectly. You have to no load it.

 

[pawleep]

Re: Best Pot for Spin-A-Split

50k tapers perfectly. You have to no load it.

guess i'll maybe pull the B25K i already put in and put in this 50k linear i have..

Was going to order some 5k and 10k pots to try too, maybe i'll reconsider what i order now. any more suggestions appreciated! p

I am trying to decide on a tap-able bridge pup (and also put a separate spin a split pot) of ??k ohms..

Have not decided between an HB103 or a HB108 (both tap-able) or a non tap-able BC rich pup for bridge. The non tap-able BC Rich PUP measures 14.74k ohms.

Not sure if i really need a tapped bridge, because i primarily a bassist and use guit mostly for writing (and future recording) and i mostly play rhythm.

 

[Clint 55]

Re: Best Pot for Spin-A-Split

25k works well too. Those were the best ones I tried. 500k and 250k don't work and 100k and 5k were ok.