Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum
Forum Ringside => Tech => Topic started by: pagan7 on April 18, 2013, 10:32:10 PM
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I'm a big fan of fitting dual concentric pots to my guitars that came with just single master tone and volume pots because I prefer the versatility of having individual tone and volume for each pickup. The main problem is in finding decent quality ones that don't have a central detent. The small alpha variety are too fragile and easily ruined by applying the soldering iron for a few seconds too long , resulting in scratchiness from the off because the tiny copper tracks and wipers warp from the heat , and the good quality CTS ones are too much like an on/off switch , especailly for tone controls , so I've spent many hours looking for good quality ones that incorporate both linear and logarithmic pots in one , to no avail .
Does anyone on the forum know of a manufacturer that makes a good mixed dual pot like this ? cheers .
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Dual Concentric pots are pretty rare.
what you can try however, is a little mod.
I guess the CTS pots are like on/off switches because they are linear taper. If that is the case you can do something like this
http://www.jt30.com/jt30page/potfix/ (http://www.jt30.com/jt30page/potfix/)
Add a resistor to create a virtual log/audio taper pot.
Have a google on it. It might be an option.
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I found out that fender make them, try ebay http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fender-CTS-dual-concentric-pot-Potentiometer-/261163682257?pt=UK_Guitar_Accessories&hash=item3cce9189d1 (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fender-CTS-dual-concentric-pot-Potentiometer-/261163682257?pt=UK_Guitar_Accessories&hash=item3cce9189d1)
*edit* just read the post again, are these the CTS you don't like?
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Thanks Dmoney , that looks interesting , I'll give it a try , I assume it works on the same principal as fitting a treble bleed cap and resistor across the legs of a volume pot , to stop the high end falling off when you wind back the volume ?.
and yes , JJretroTONEGOD , that is the same type as I'm currently trying , though both are 500k on mine .
Cheers guys.
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Sort of, its a little bit different in that the treble bleed goes from the input of the pot to the output (wiper). This resistor is from the output to ground. If you did that with a cap you have a permanent treble cut, as the high end bleeds directly to ground through the cap.
If you think of the pot and being two variable resistances either side of the wiper, adding the resistor across one side has the effect of altering the taper. Two resistors in parallel have a reduced resistance, always smaller than the smallest resistors value. what you end up with is a sort of logarithmic curve in resistance between the wiper and ground as the increasing resistance in the pot is in parallel with the fixed resistor across the lug. Something like that anyway!