Does brand of pot matter?

[dg27]

Re: Does brand of pot matter?

Thanks. I will probably go with the ones I listed above.

I wish I knew whether "linear taper" is relevant. This didn't help in this context:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potentiometer#Linear_taper_potentiometer

dg

 

[uOpt]

Re: Does brand of pot matter?

The Alpha push/pulls work OK for me, no problems yet.

I have to say, though, that actually using them is annoying. If it's a pickguard guitar I would probably go for MIG-21 look and use mini switches for my StraBro90 Blazer.

 

[dg27]

Re: Does brand of pot matter?

Actually, I have the same setup on my MIJ Squier and love it. I generally only switch settings between songs and know exactly what it will do. I've always had problems with traditional switches and prefer a pot/switch combo.

 

[eviltobz]

Re: Does brand of pot matter?

I wish I knew whether "linear taper" is relevant. This didn't help in this context:

linear taper is generally considered a very bad option for volume, most of the sweep will have very little effect, and a small part of the rotation will do a huge change in volume, this is due to the non-linear, logarithmic way that sound works. log pots suit volume much better, and as mentioned there are custom tapers that are designed especially for guitars and whatnot to work even better than that. tone pots have more of a debate over whether linear or log is better, so it's a bit more up to your own taste there.

 

[dg27]

Re: Does brand of pot matter?

linear taper is generally considered a very bad option for volume, most of the sweep will have very little effect

Wow--thanks so much for letting me know.

there are custom tapers that are designed especially for guitars and whatnot to work even better than that

I have been hunting around all the usual places and the problems is I only need two volume pots. Don't think I will have much success findiong a place that will do a custom taper for just two pots. I think a CTS from a reputable vendor should do the trick.

tone pots have more of a debate over whether linear or log is better, so it's a bit more up to your own taste there.

In my case the tone will be a DPDT; haven't seen many variations in terms of these.

Thanks again.

dg

 

[eviltobz]

Re: Does brand of pot matter?

custom tapers are really just different types of log tapers that have been customised a bit for optimal audio usage. some of the more expensive bournes or cts pots or whatever fit this sort of profile whereas the cheaper log pots aren't quite so well suited - although they're still better than linear. as i understand, seymour duncan pots are taken from the cream of the crop of bournes, so they could be a good place to look, especially with the liberator for making subsequent pickup changes quicker and easier. it's not like you need to get a manufacturer to design a custom taper just for you

choices are certainly more limited for push pull pots, but they still come in linear and log tapers and varying qualities. i scored a bunch of bournes audio taper push pulls from a uk ebay vendor a few months back to embark on a long upgrade mission of a bunch of my guitars, so they are out there

 

[dg27]

Re: Does brand of pot matter?

Thanks, eviltobz. Boy, do I feel stupid: I hadn't even looked on the SD site.

I assume these would be a great choice (obviously at a premium price):
http://www.seymourduncan.com/produc...ncan_potentiometer_250k_sdp-250_500k_sdp-500/

I don't need the Liberator, as I never change pickups.

It looks like they do not have DPDTs.

Please advise if you would.

I

 

[eviltobz]

Re: Does brand of pot matter?

yup, that's certainly going to be one of your better options part of the premium price that you pay with the most expensive kit is about the percentage tolerances, how accurate that resistance actually is and whatnot, since that varies a little. depends how much that matters to you as to whether it's worth it or not. shame they don't do the push-pulls as well. but as i said, there's more debate around whether linear or log tapers are better for tone, so that one may be less of a problem anyway.

axcessories stock a 500k bournes push pull - http://www.axcessories.com/proddetail.asp?prod=axpot500kpps i don't know what effect having a 500k compared to a 250k would have on your tone. i'd suspect that it being a tone pot would make it less important than if it were the volume, but i can't say for sure maybe someone else can chime in. also, it is only a mini pot and i think that full size ones tend to have a smoother profile and better action from my experience. the reviews of the alpha push-pulls at stewmac seem pretty positive - http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Electronics,_pickups/Potentiometers/Alpha_Push-pull_Pots.html

i think the key considerations with good quality pots (aside from the resistance of course) is the taper and the feel of how they move, and both of these are somewhat subjective. as mentioned, a cheap pot may be scrapey and crackley, and that's easy to avoid by getting something a step up, but after that, just like the range of pups that sd make, it depends on what suits you. and your kit. and how you set up and use your kit.

 

[dg27]

Re: Does brand of pot matter?

I'm definitely going to go for these SD pots. I have two Custom Shop SCPB (a matched pair), so it seems penny wise-pound foolish to scrimp.

For the DPDT, I found this 250K Bourns:

http://www.guitarelectronics.com/pr...-250K-Audio-Taper-Pot-w-Push-Pull-Switch.html

I think this would be OK, no?

 

[jacobgoona]

I was replacing a potentiometer in on my tone knob ( it broke after 5 years) anyway I realized I had a replacement part that had the same values / specs but it was a Rheostat not a POT. I guess Rheostats and POTs are almost identical parts.

Does anyone know the difference between the two?

Any and all help would be great .. don't want to buy another POT

 

[Ewizard]

There are three main players in the potentiometer game. CTS, Bourns, and Alpha. When I build amplifiers, it is CTS all the way. They have the feel ( a little stiff ) and the sweep that is just perfect for amplifier operation. For guitars, I prefer Bourns. I think Bourns has the best feel for guitar, not too loose and not too stiff while still having a great sweep for guitar use. While Alpha pots do feel decent, I have not had good luck with their sweep being smooth and consistent. By that, I mean that they seem to be notchy or abrupt in their operation as you sweep from 0 to 1 for instance.

Seymour Duncans pots are rebranded Bourns ( which I do believe they state ) and have a custom taper. I have some, I like them. Ernie Ball has their own rebranded pots as well, which I believe are actually CTS made. I have some of those as well and they feel and operate great. So it goes to show that if you have enough money, you can get a pot made however you want by any of the makers. Most OEM pots seem to be Alpha, and I think it's because they do feel great, are relatively cheap, and not too many people operate the full range of their pot, so the sweep may be of little consequence.

I think if you are going to buy a pot for a guitar application, it is best to buy a pot from one of the rebranders such as Seymour D, Ernie Ball, DiMarzio, etc., for one simple reason. They will be a custom taper and feel that is made specifically for the guitar, will likely be CTS or Bourns, and will be the correct type of sweep ( Audio taper as opposed to Linear taper ).

Where I differ from many is that I like custom taper or linear taper pots for my volume controls. It requires a very long sweep to get a small change in volume, allowing you to really fine-tune where you are at for the volume between what would be about 7 to 10 on the dial with an audio taper pot. With linear taper, you have to sweep between about 4 or 5 to 10 to have the same effect. The extra sweep allows you a little more resolution in that range if you manipulate the volume a lot in that area. If you don't really use the volume pot much other than to mute the guitar or for a really subtle volume roll-off to mute the HF content, then a linear taper is probably not your flavor. This is another reason why I like custom taper pots if I can find them the way I like them. They are really nothing but a hybrid between a linear and an audio taper pot. It just gives you a wider sweep in adjustment within a usable volume range.

 

[GuitarStv]

Don't get too concerned about brand, just pay attention to the THC count.

 

[Mincer]

Pot brand, tolerance, taper, and value is something every guitarist should experiment with. It is much cheaper than experimenting with pickups, and for less than the price of a pickup, you can try many types out. Some people like one brand over another, but it is such a personal choice. To me, I care about the ease of turn and the taper more than anything.

 

[Artie]

I was replacing a potentiometer in on my tone knob ( it broke after 5 years) anyway I realized I had a replacement part that had the same values / specs but it was a Rheostat not a POT. I guess Rheostats and POTs are almost identical parts.

Does anyone know the difference between the two?

Any and all help would be great .. don't want to buy another POT

A potentiometer is the physical part. How you wire it up determines if it's a rheostat or voltage divider. In a rheostat, you wire it as a 2-terminal device so that it's effectively a variable resistor, as used for a tone control. If you wire it as a voltage divider, (volume control), they tend to just use the term potentiometer. Some specialty rheostats will have one terminal cut off or inaccessible, so that you can only use it as a rheostat.

It's also important to note, that whether you're talking about CTS, Bourns, or Alpha, they all make a premium line and a cheap line, and usually a few in between. So a "good" CTS will feel better than a "cheap" Bourns, and vice-versa.