CTS 500k Pots

[SpiderVenom]

Well, all the electronics for my next guitar arrived, including the Lace Drop & Gain pickups. Should be interesting to see what they're like. Shame the guitar is a month away :laugh2:

However, one thing surprised me. The bottom of the pot isn't just a flat cover:

They're both like the one on the right, in that picture. Won't that make soldering ground leads to the bottom a bit trickier? :eek13:

 

[greco]

Re: CTS 500k Pots

Is there something in the depression in the middle of the base of the pot (that is connected to the wiper/the shaft that turns) ?

You would hate to risk some solder causing problems if there is some way that it could get inside the pot or interfere with the rotation of the shaft !!

I've never seen a pot like this....not that I'm an expert.

Did you get it from F*N*ER ?

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: CTS 500k Pots

Well, all the electronics for my next guitar arrived, including the Lace Drop & Gain pickups. Should be interesting to see what they're like. Shame the guitar is a month away :laugh2:

However, one thing surprised me. The bottom of the pot isn't just a flat cover:

They're both like the one on the right, in that picture. Won't that make soldering ground leads to the bottom a bit trickier? :eek13:

Sand the side of the pot and solder to that area....Weird looking CTS pots?

 

[SpiderVenom]

Re: CTS 500k Pots

Inside the ring shaped cover on the bottom, it's plastic, with a small rectangular piece of metal coming through, that looks like it's pulling against the plastic.

The parts came from Warmoth.

 

[greco]

Re: CTS 500k Pots

IMHO I would use a very high wattage iron and be quick !!

The body of the pot will act as a heat sink and and you don't want to end up cooking the plastic part by using a low wattage iron and holding it on the pot for a long time.
It is always best to do the soldering quickly on the lugs of the pot ( with a lower wattage iron) also as pots can be damaged by prolonged heating.

Using the side of the pot as a soldering site sounds very logical to me.

If they are stamped as CTS pots, you might want to ask a company rep. for their suggestions.

I hope that others respond to your post, especially those that have soldered these pots.

Maybe the "plastic" is more heat resistant than I imagine.

I post in an electronics forum and they might be able to make some suggestions also. Email me if you want more details.

 

[Zerberus]

Re: CTS 500k Pots

those are CTS pots, CTS now has 2 formfactors, I´m not 100% sure what exactly the difference is otherwise.. I´ve been assured that they´re electrically identical as well as the materials... supposedly the new design supports the shaft better (Imo it wasn´t an issue before, but ok, improvement is almost always good)

just solder to the side of the pot or to the back as usual, just use a bit of care not to dribble solder onto the shaft

 

[SpiderVenom]

Re: CTS 500k Pots

those are CTS pots, CTS now has 2 formfactors, I´m not 100% sure what exactly the difference is otherwise.. I´ve been assured that they´re electrically identical as well as the materials... supposedly the new design supports the shaft better (Imo it wasn´t an issue before, but ok, improvement is almost always good)

just solder to the side of the pot or to the back as usual, just use a bit of care not to dribble solder onto the shaft

Thanks for the info. I sometimes wonder if there's anything guitar-related that the mighty Zerberus doesn't know :bowdown: :bowdown: :bowdown:

I think that I'll solder to the bottom, and temporarily use something like Blu-Tak to fill up the cavity, just in case a little bit of solder slips in there. The stuff should be dense enough to stop in reaching the plastic, and is easily extracted once it's done. That's my theory, anyway. :fingersx:

 

[greco]

Re: CTS 500k Pots

Very helpful and interesting post.

I'll bet that we see the same question(s) posted MANY times as more of these pots are shipped.

Using Blu-Tak is very creative and sounds like a good idea.
How does it react to heat?
You don't want Blu-Tak to "melt" and migrate into the pot.

Please try to keep this post going, for the benefit all that will encounter this issue.

ZERBERUS....Have you soldered these new style CTS pots?
Basically, I agree .....all should go well if you are careful. Does the plastic "component" in the pot body tolerate much heat? Is it really an issue at all?

Thanks

 

[SpiderVenom]

Re: CTS 500k Pots

Using Blu-Tak is very creative and sounds like a good idea.
How does it react to heat?
You don't want Blu-Tak to "melt" and migrate into the pot.

You make a good point there. Blu-Tak doesn't seem like the sort of stuff that would melt at all, but I might get a lump and melt some solder onto it to see exactly how it reacts.

 

[Artie]

Re: CTS 500k Pots

All my Peavey's from the 80's have those style CTS pots, so they've been around at least that long. Peavey just soldered to the back like normal. Just be careful, and don't overheat the pot.

Artie

 

[slightly_rude]

Re: CTS 500k Pots

I bought some of these CTS pots from Warmoth. They work fine and you solder them as usual.