375k pots

Hopkins · #1 12-19-2010, 08:27 PM

I had 500k pots in my P bass, and I pretty much hated it with out the tone pot rolled off a bit. So I swapped them out for 250k, now I'm wishing it was a little brighter.

Does CTS make 375k pots, and If so does anyone know a source?

**line6man** · #2 12-19-2010, 08:32 PM

I'm not sure you would hear a big difference.

What was the actual resistance of the pots you tried?
Remember with 20% tolerances, a 250K pot could be anywhere from 200K to 300K Ohms, and with a 500K, it could be anywhere from 400K to 600K Ohms.

mmbongo · #3 12-19-2010, 08:32 PM

Gibson has 300k pots. Might work.

http://www.allparts.com/Gibson-300K-...p/ppat-310.htm

**line6man** · #4 12-19-2010, 08:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mmbongo

Gibson has 300k pots. Might work.

http://www.allparts.com/Gibson-300K-...p/ppat-310.htm

Assuming that the OP was using standard audio taper pots, switching to a linear taper might make things seem brighter because the resistance is higher further down the rotation.

xaxxat · #5 12-19-2010, 08:43 PM

http://www.darrenriley.com/shop/cart..._detail&p=1883

Hopkins · #6 12-19-2010, 08:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by line6man

I'm not sure you would hear a big difference.

What was the actual resistance of the pots you tried?
Remember with 20% tolerances, a 250K pot could be anywhere from 200K to 300K Ohms, and with a 500K, it could be anywhere from 400K to 600K Ohms.

I don't know what the actual resistance the 500k pots were, They were in the bass when I bought it (not originals) The 250k were pretty close. I checked them when I put them it one was 244k the other was also within 10k of 250.

I like the sound I'm getting now with the 250s, I just want a little more of that brightness back without the brittleness.

I have a .047mfd cap. in it now, would a .022 be more what I'm looking for instead of the pot swap?

Hopkins · #7 12-19-2010, 08:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xaxxat

http://www.darrenriley.com/shop/cart..._detail&p=1883

Thanks, I found that earlier, I was just hoping to maybe find a source for CTS. I have no problem with Alpha either, just a personal preference. I think Ill order them

**line6man** · #8 12-19-2010, 08:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hopkins

I don't know what the actual resistance the 500k pots were, They were in the bass when I bought it (not originals) The 250k were pretty close. I checked them when I put them it one was 244k the other was also within 10k of 250.

I like the sound I'm getting now with the 250s, I just want a little more of that brightness back without the brittleness.

I have a .047mfd cap. in it now, would a .022 be more what I'm looking for instead of the pot swap?

You could try it.
A 0.022uF cap will cut treble at a higher frequency, so it will make the bass brighter.

Hopkins · #9 12-19-2010, 08:50 PM

Ill try the cap first. Ive got some orange drops laying around. I cant leave anything alone

iiipopes · #10 12-19-2010, 09:01 PM

Rickenbacker also has 330kohm CTS pots on their boutique.

You can take a 500kohm pot and emulate a 330 kohm pot, albeit it will take the audio taper and flatten it a bit, by bridging the wiper to ground with a 1 megohm resistor. Only the volume pot needs to be done this way, because to get the same out of the tone knob, all you have to do is turn it down to 9.

I would also change out the .047 tone cap with a .033 tone cap, which raises the hinge frequency a little bit more into the midrange, where it is more usable on a bass. When you change the tone cap, I'd also change the tone pot to a linear taper instead of an audio taper to get a more usable spread in the middle of the range.

These two mods together give a little bit different push to the tone which may be what you're looking for.

Hopkins · #11 12-19-2010, 09:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by iiipopes

Rickenbacker also has 330kohm CTS pots on their boutique.

You can take a 500kohm pot and emulate a 330 kohm pot, albeit it will take the audio taper and flatten it a bit, by bridging the wiper to ground with a 1 megohm resistor. Only the volume pot needs to be done this way, because to get the same out of the tone knob, all you have to do is turn it down to 9.

I would also change out the .047 tone cap with a .033 tone cap, which raises the hinge frequency a little bit more into the midrange, where it is more usable on a bass. When you change the tone cap, I'd also change the tone pot to a linear taper instead of an audio taper to get a more usable spread in the middle of the range.

These two mods together give a little bit different push to the tone which may be what you're looking for.

Thanks, I'm going to try that. I have some 500k pots laying around.

walterw · #12 12-19-2010, 10:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by iiipopes

When you change the tone cap, I'd also change the tone pot to a linear taper instead of an audio taper to get a more usable spread in the middle of the range.

really?

every time i've run into a linear tone pot, it does nothing until it's almost all the way off. think about it; a 500k linear tone would have to be turned halfway down before it got to the point of being a 250k tone on "10", and that's a pretty slight difference.

i dig linear volume pots for bass (the gibson 300k is linear, and might be just what the OP needs) but audio tones are the way to go.

the OP could also "split the difference" with a 250k vol and a 500k tone, or even the reverse.

**line6man** · #13 12-19-2010, 11:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by walterw

really?

every time i've run into a linear tone pot, it does nothing until it's almost all the way off. think about it; a 500k linear tone would have to be turned halfway down before it got to the point of being a 250k tone on "10", and that's a pretty slight difference.

i dig linear volume pots for bass (the gibson 300k is linear, and might be just what the OP needs) but audio tones are the way to go.

the OP could also "split the difference" with a 250k vol and a 500k tone, or even the reverse.

+1 to everything.