No-Load Tone Pots

[GreatGreen]

Anybody played around with Charvel's latest guitars? They use a kind of no-load tone pot that has a tangible divot you can feel at the top of the sweep where the tone control is removed from the circuit. I like this feature and am planning on adding this type of tone pot to my main guitar.

Do all no-load pots have this type of divot you can feel or do only some of them?


So, final question I guess then... does anybody know where I can get a long-shaft, linear taper, no-load tone pot with a divot at the top of the sweep?

 

[Guitarmusic]

Re: No-Load Tone Pots

Anybody played around with Charvel's latest guitars? They use a kind of no-load tone pot that has a tangible divot you can feel at the top of the sweep where the tone control is removed from the circuit. I like this feature and am planning on adding this type of tone pot to my main guitar.

Do all no-load pots have this type of divot you can feel or do only some of them?


So, final question I guess then... does anybody know where I can get a long-shaft, linear taper, no-load tone pot with a divot at the top of the sweep?

Do they sound different than a standard tone pot? I am not familiar with no-load tone pots.

 

[BlueSnMettle]

Re: No-Load Tone Pots

I recently acquired a Charvel San Dimas Pro Mod. It has the pot you mentioned.
I do use it and I like it. There is a little "divot", as you put it, right at the top of the
sweep. IMO it is rather east to get past when doing a roll down. I haven't looked at
where they might be for sale but I'm sure somebody has them. Good luck.

Peace

Darrin

 

[GreatGreen]

Re: No-Load Tone Pots

Do they sound different than a standard tone pot? I am not familiar with no-load tone pots.

At the "10" setting, they completely remove themselves from the circuit and your guitar behaves as if there is no tone pot wired in at all.

Compared to a normal tone pot on 10, it doesn't so much boost the highs that are already there but rather extends the high end frequencies just a bit further up. I like the sound of them.

 

[BlueSnMettle]

Re: No-Load Tone Pots

Just did a little research.

https://reverb.com/item/11978854-bourns-500k-no-load-long-split-shaft-pot-potentiometer#&gid=1&pid=1

Doesn't mention the "divot" though.

 

[jeremy]

Re: No-Load Tone Pots

not all no-load pots have that detent. i believe the fender ones do. as far as long shaft, linear taper, no-load... not sure

 

[Adieu]

Re: No-Load Tone Pots

Pot bypass is surprisingly noticeable.

I've lazily wired pickups straight to jacks to test em and the raw sound has some added cut.

 

[Mincer]

Re: No-Load Tone Pots

I've tried them, and didn't like them. I use my tone controls a lot, and I don't like the way that feels. It might sound amazing, but I won't try it unless I find one without that divot at the end.

 

[Chistopher]

Re: No-Load Tone Pots

Buy a blend pot, they do the same thing without the detent.

 

[Clint 55]

Re: No-Load Tone Pots

I like them and make my own so there's no detent. Search make no load tonepot on utube. The added benefit for me besides the sound on 10 is that I always use a 250k tone regardless of what value volume pot I use. So I get a good taper and the tone sweep from 9-5 is usable. For example, I have 1 meg volume and 250k no load on my bass. I have 250k volume and 250k no load tone on my jazz strat.

 

[Mincer]

Re: No-Load Tone Pots

Do you hear it when the tone enters the signal path?

 

[Clint 55]

Re: No-Load Tone Pots

Yes, it's a subtle change from 10 to 9 even with a 250k pot which I use a lot. 10 is glassy and 9 is still bright but with some subtle softness. Very useful.

 

[Zombiwoof]

Re: No-Load Tone Pots

I found on the Fender no-load pots that you don't feel the detent as much when the pots are loaded on the guitar, in fact you can barely feel it at all after a bit of use. It doesn't bother me at all.
Al

 

[Mark Cearlock]

Re: No-Load Tone Pots

Doesn't Fender own Charvell/Jackson anyway? it would make sense that the no load pot with detent is a fender item then..
As an aside, in my Fender parts strat, I have utilized a non detent no load pot (mojotone branded cts iirc) for my neck/bridge blender, nice and smooth.

 

[ErikH]

Re: No-Load Tone Pots

I've made my own no-load pots. Open it up, scratch a little away to break the connection at the end of the trace before the wiper, put it back together. I like no-loads in some applications but not in all. Depends on the pickup and overall tone of the guitar.