Pots...everyone makes them, but which ones are best?

[scotch]

Originally Posted by SurferJoe46

Right on all counts - since you admit to conceding to the whims and fancies of a named player to add a named part - and that's OK too.

...

Nope. That's not what I'm saying at all! We're definitely not on the same page, lol. But that's ok!

[SurferJoe46]

Originally Posted by mmbongo

Yep. I spend $3 for Bourns pots because it make me feel like a big man

http://www.tubesandmore.com/products/R-VB-SP

Nah - you're already the biggest man in my eyes.

[Handyman]

Originally Posted by mmbongo

Love Bourns. They turn smoother than anything else and don't 'grindy' feeling over time like cheapos do.

+1 to Bourns. They hold up really well. If you REALLY never want your pot to wear out, you can spring for the sealed conductive polymer Bourns pots.

Those are about $10/each, so its up to the user to decide if that's a good deal or not.

For what its worth, I usually use the plain old carbon element CTS or Bourns pots. They're good enough for who they're for.

[Steveaux]

Originally Posted by mmbongo

Yep. I spend $3 for Bourns pots because it make me feel like a big man

http://www.tubesandmore.com/products/R-VB-SP

Hear, hear !

Great source for pots.

Yes *looks at shoes and kicks a little at the dirt*, I went through the "boutique" phase. Money wasted, lessons learned.

Pots, caps, the silly cloth-insulated wires ... yeah.

CTS pots are OK, but because they are 'OEM Fender', they tend to be ridiculously over-priced.

I like the consistent feel, on-spec performance, and realistic price of Bourns pots.

Alpha's are pretty much the industry standard for stomp boxes. I use them in my builds.

Unless you already have a personal preference, just buy the the name brand pot that fits your application at the best price.

[Bassamatic]

If the pot is working - it doesn't affect the tone! I certainly did not mean if it conks out of different values. That should be obvious.

You guys obviously didn't read the OP's question carefully - he is talking about one MAKE versus another, and NO - the make does not affect the sound.

[Noisicerp1]

I don't know if i need 250 our 500, or what that even means

[maturanesa]

Im using DiMArzio now, and CTSs in the past and never had a problem with any of them...

[MAMMOTHvolume]

Originally Posted by Bassamatic

What are your criteria for "best"??

Tone is not a factor - pots have no effect on tone - a ten cent pot sounds the same as a ten dollar pot.

Smoothness? Low operating, noise? Long life? Mechanical precision and strength?

Considering all of the above, In my 40 years of building electronics, I would have to say that of the popular brands, Bourns would be my choice if cost was no object. Alps and Noble, second, then CTS, Taiwan Alpha, and then the others. Mec is in the middle somewhere.

For making a guitar - any of them are fine. Pots have come a long long way over the last 30 years.

For guitar there is little to no difference, when you start getting into hifi though you start noticing the construction on some leads to loss of high end (above bass guitar frequency range before you worry though)

[Noisicerp1]

Originally Posted by Noisicerp1

I don't know if i need 250 our 500, or what that even means

Anybody?

[Rodger Bryan]

I have used Bourns on my personal bass build and the new CTS sealed on on two repairs/replacements. I found that ground loops are less of a problem with the sealed ones, but don't notice a difference between the brands otherwise.

[SGD Lutherie]

Originally Posted by Rodger Bryan

I have used Bourns on my personal bass build and the new CTS sealed on on two repairs/replacements. I found that ground loops are less of a problem with the sealed ones, but don't notice a difference between the brands otherwise.

Ground loops? You can't have a ground loop in a bass.

[Modern Growl]

I went from CTS to Mini Alpha's and heard zero difference. Turning feel was the same as well... dont expect to change from X to Y brands and hear a difference.

[Bruce Johnson]

My favorite pots are made by PEC in Canada. I buy them through Digikey for about $9 each. They are a Mil-Spec part, for use in various military equipment. I like them because they are mechanically strong and completely sealed up. Stainless shafts in brass bushings, and a stainless housing. I think they have quadruple contacts. I'm willing to spend the money for them for the reliability and long life. I've been using them in all of my basses for about 15 years, and I haven't heard of one failing yet. I hope that the owners of my basses never have to replace them.

The drawbacks are that they are mostly available in linear taper. I think only 500K is available in audio taper. Also, they are a little larger physically than most other brands; about 1 1/8" diameter. The frictional drag is higher too, but most of my customers like that. The ones I get have 1/4" solid stainless shafts, which I trim a bit and use with setscrew-style knobs.

[JimmyM]

I've burned up cheap pots simply by having to spend a little too long touching a soldering iron to them. Never happened with the good stuff. Not especially particular about who makes them but the good stuff is worth it, especially if you do a lot of swapping pickups.

[Rodger Bryan]

Originally Posted by SGD Lutherie

Ground loops? You can't have a ground loop in a bass.

Thanks for the correction- I don't want to spread any myths here. due to my limited understanding of electronics, my comments should only reflect what I observed: I was experiencing no hum/buzz with the sealed pots, whereas the standard CTS's (with the 3rd pin soldered to the pot case and connected to the shield) I was experiencing some minor hum. The subject of why should be something I look into and discuss in another thread...

[MetroBass]

I replaced my Alpha minis with CTS pots in my Squier CV J and guess what - no difference. Like they say: resistance is the same in small or large packages.

[SGD Lutherie]

Originally Posted by Rodger Bryan

Thanks for the correction- I don't want to spread any myths here. due to my limited understanding of electronics, my comments should only reflect what I observed: I was experiencing no hum/buzz with the sealed pots, whereas the standard CTS's (with the 3rd pin soldered to the pot case and connected to the shield) I was experiencing some minor hum. The subject of why should be something I look into and discuss in another thread...

The pot case is also a shield. The sealed ones have a shield too, you just don't see it.

In a bass, ground is ground, since it's all connected to the output jack.

[Noisicerp1]

Thanks guys, i guess I'll have to rely on Guitar Center for help

[walterw]

yikes!

dimarzio-branded CTS are the best audio-taper pots i've found in terms of reliability, smooth taper, and easy-turning (that aren't $30 each!); they have brass shafts for durability and the little c-clip that keeps the shaft from getting pushed through the back.

for linear tapers (what we bass players want for volume pots) i don't know, but the regular allparts CTS are fine, if a little stiff to turn.

alphas are OK but i've seen a lot of dead ones in import guitars.

as for bourns, the $3 ones are a dead instrument waiting to happen! i was very disappointed with those, i even had two die in the same instrument within a month after installing them. no thanks.

the "real" bourns (for $10 plus) are good.

[Noisicerp1]

Originally Posted by walterw

yikes!

dimarzio-branded CTS are the best audio-taper pots i've found in terms of reliability, smooth taper, and easy-turning (that aren't $30 each!); they have brass shafts for durability and the little c-clip that keeps the shaft from getting pushed through the back.

for linear tapers (what we bass players want for volume pots) i don't know, but the regular allparts CTS are fine, if a little stiff to turn.

alphas are OK but i've seen a lot of dead ones in import guitars.

as for bourns, the $3 ones are a dead instrument waiting to happen! i was very disappointed with those, i even had two die in the same instrument within a month after installing them. no thanks.

the "real" bourns (for $10 plus) are good.

So linear taper is for volume, audio taper is for tone?
Can you tell me what 250 and 500 are for? I need to buy some pots tomorrow for my vintage Fender Pbass