Best Quality Volume Pot?

P

PDC

New member
Really weird experience. I just had 2 different pots - one SD YJM and an EVH each short out on me. After multiple checks, re-checks and re-re-checks, I found that on each pot, the tab where the hot pickup lead is attached was loose. I could wiggle it to get full signal or dead silence. Any pots out there that have stronger or more reliable attachments for the tabs/lugs?
 
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Re: Best Quality Volume Pot?

PS screwing around with the pots came on the heels of my first magnet swap: I swapped an un-oriented ‘rough’ A5 magnet for the polished, oriented A5 in a Custom 5 and it really tamed the strong lows and highs and filled out the mid scoop. The ‘custom’ wind with an un-oriented ‘rough’ A5 is like a ‘Custom Custom’ (A2) with just a touch more signal and a touch tighter lows. Just incredible!
 
Re: Best Quality Volume Pot?

IME: PEC (Precision Electronic Components). Not much variety, but if you need standard pots and have to have the best within reason, these are pretty much them.
 
Re: Best Quality Volume Pot?

I believe Bourns manufactures both the YJM and EVH pots. I have used hundreds of the Bourns over the years and have only had maybe 1-2 premature failures.

Both Bourns and CTS will produce pots based on OEM request, so maybe try the CTS/DiMarzio pots
 
Re: Best Quality Volume Pot?

I think in the past 60 years of playing and 2 dozen years or guitar repairing and building, I only had one (1) pot do what you describe. And that was due to my early soldering dis-ability and underpowered iron. Certainly playing around with the lug, bending it, twisting it, rotating it back and forth will break the internal electrical connection to the lug.

If you heat the lug for too long it can damage it. That is one reason why it is good to have a higher wattage iron. Get it hot, solder on the wire, and get off quickly! If your iron isn't hot enough, you have to keep it in contact longer to melt the solder and you will have a tendency to add lots more solder to the joint in attempt to make up for the poor solder joint. Not good. VERY BAD in fact!

I have used just about every brand of pot out there...CTS, DMZ, Bournes, older and newer Alphas, full sized, and small diameter, etc. All of them have been good quality and have functioned well for many, many years. They each have a different feel to them, so just pick which one you want and don't worry about it breaking. Just worry about YOU breaking it.
 
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I've seen cheaper pots do this, and even nice ones that are way overheated with a soldering gun. I've temporarily fixed it with a dab of solder on that joint until I can replace it.
 
Re: Best Quality Volume Pot?

I dig the Bourns low-friction for volume... super smooth fast.
 
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