Volume Pots

hotpickups

I've decided to replace my volume pots on my Les Paul with ones that taper the volume better rather than the All On or Nothing scenario i.e. I have to go to one to clean up etc. I think they are called 'Linear' pots rather than logarithmic pots? Can anyone recommend some and where I can get a couple? 250k or 500k?

Thanks 

Johnnyseven

I favour CTS pots. They're easy to get hold of, try Axesrus. I think you'd want 500k for a Les Paul.

hotpickups

Johnnyseven said:

I favour CTS pots. They're easy to get hold of, try Axesrus. I think you'd want 500k for a Les Paul.

Thanks. Like these:-

https://www.axesrus.co.uk/CTS-Pots-Solid-Shaft-p/cts63.htm

Now I've just got to find out if I have a short or medium shaft to go for. THere's an option for 1 meg too what does that do in the sound/volume?

Johnnyseven

Makes it brighter. I'd check what the shaft on your current pots is though as they may be split shaft not solid shaft.

ICBM

If you’re having to go down to 1 to clean up, the problem is that you already have Linear pots (many modern Gibsons do) and you need Log.

For a Les Paul you need 500K Log, split shaft, medium bushing.

I would also use CTS, but it’s worth buying the better-quality ones supplied by someone like Oil City Pickups, not the standard range.

OilCityPickups

Solid shaft pots will not fit an LP (unless you put Telecaster knobs on it) you need 500k long, splined shaft. 

hotpickups

ICBM said:

If you’re having to go down to 1 to clean up, the problem is that you already have Linear pots (many modern Gibsons do) and you need Log.

For a Les Paul you need 500K Log, split shaft, medium bushing.

I would also use CTS, but it’s worth buying the better-quality ones supplied by someone like Oil City Pickups, not the standard range.

Thabks @ICBM saved me from ordering the wrong one. Is there a visual sign I can tell on the pot that can confirm this ?

chrisj1602

I put these in my Les Paul and was happy with the results:

https://www.axecaster.co.uk/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=203

guitarmangler

Prs volume pots


https://uk.prsaccessories.com/collections/electronics/products/volume-pot

Which at £14 ( they used to be £20+!!) are expensive, but the taper and feel are excellent. 

 

ICBM

hotpickups said:

Thabks @ICBM saved me from ordering the wrong one. Is there a visual sign I can tell on the pot that can confirm this ?

There should be a code on the pot.

But if the guitar is a modern non-historic Gibson, and from your description of the problem which is exactly typical of a Linear pot, that's what you have. (And 300K too, which tends to dull the tone slightly.)

Linear *does* have a use - if you're a player who uses a clean sound and finds the drastic volume drop from 10 down to 7 or 8 of a Log pot too much. But if you want to clean up an overdriven sound, you want Log.

Tone controls should always be Log and *not* Linear unless you want a deliberate 'hand wah' effect with all the sweep over the 0-3 range. This is something else that is often wrongly advised online...

Gibson do use Log tone pots even on the guitars with Linear volumes, so you don't need to change those unless you just want to fit a full set of good ones that all feel the same.

hotpickups

guitarmangler said:

Prs volume pots


https://uk.prsaccessories.com/collections/electronics/products/volume-pot

Which at £14 ( they used to be £20+!!) are expensive, but the taper and feel are excellent. 

 

Blimey more choices i.e. right handed or left handed. What am I?

hotpickups

ICBM said:

hotpickups said:

Thabks @ICBM saved me from ordering the wrong one. Is there a visual sign I can tell on the pot that can confirm this ?

There should be a code on the pot.

But if the guitar is a modern non-historic Gibson, and from your description of the problem which is exactly typical of a Linear pot, that's what you have. (And 300K too, which tends to dull the tone slightly.)

Linear *does* have a use - if you're a player who uses a clean sound and finds the drastic volume drop from 10 down to 7 or 8 of a Log pot too much. But if you want to clean up an overdriven sound, you want Log.

Tone controls should always be Log and *not* Linear unless you want a deliberate 'hand wah' effect with all the sweep over the 0-3 range. This is something else that is often wrongly advised online...

Gibson do use Log tone pots even on the guitars with Linear volumes, so you don't need to change those unless you just want to fit a full set of good ones that all feel the same.

Hmmm not very clear unfortunately @ICBM ;

https://i.imgur.com/TJRgDiY.jpg

hotpickups

Hmmm in the danger of reading online stuff about pots etc it looks like my pots are famous for creating a dark sound. Funnily enough I always thought it was my pickups i.e. a set of Monty's Humdingers were making it dark but no . Would you say this is correct? Thinking about getting a pre wired harness now as I'm useless with a soldering iron.

ICBM

Yes. 70-034 is 300K Linear, which will make the tone slightly darker/muddier than 500K, as well as having the taper you don’t like. Not a huge difference, but noticeable.

hotpickups

Think I'm gonna go down the route of getting a pre wired harness from six string supplies lol. Gonna be certainly easier and quite reasonable when taking into account the parts needed and the time to solder it all up. Well the time I'd take to solder it all up I mean lol

baldy

I fitted these Alpha pots to one of my LP copies due to the exact "all or nothing" problems you mention
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MINI-ALPHA-POTS-Log-A-or-Linear-B-500k-Volume-Tone-Potentiometers-for-Guitars-/321674899676?var=&hash=item4ae55170dc
£3 delivered & the difference was like night & day.

hotpickups

Just fitted the new pots and the taper is great. Should've done it years ago  

ICBM

hotpickups said:

Just fitted the new pots and the taper is great. Gibson should've done it at the factory

FTFY