No load pot

[erubombadil]

I would like a tone pot that has a pronounced detent when fully open. I'd like one that clicks into place instead of just subtly sitting into place. Does a pot like this exist? Is there a way to modify one I already have? Thank you so much for any help!

 

[bholder]

You can certainly create your own no-load pot, that's not hard (plenty of videos on youtube). But I don't know how to make a new detent. I should take one apart and see how they work...

"He who breaks something to find out what it is has left the path of Wisdom" - Gandalf to Saruman, after the latter showed the former that his robes were no longer actually white, but a prismatic splash of all colors blending to white.

 

[bholder]

Found a thread on how to do it here: Invalid Link Removed haven't read through yet

 

[ctmullins]

Ned Steinberger’s JackPot does this. I don’t know if they’re still available though. I have a couple of the 500kOhm ones.

 

[CryingBass]

Ned Steinberger’s JackPot does this. I don’t know if they’re still available though. I have a couple of the 500kOhm ones.

Looks like that NS device is history. Somebody, Somewhere, has to have come up with a similar pot?

 

[Rolling Thunder]

I would contact Love My Switches in Portland, OR. They will make custom pots for a nominal fee. Cheers!

 

[jdjk7]

I would like a tone pot that has a pronounced detent when fully open. I'd like one that clicks into place instead of just subtly sitting into place. Does a pot like this exist? Is there a way to modify one I already have? Thank you so much for any help!

I would consider a volume/tone bypass switch (blaster switch/blower switch) instead of a no-load pot. It accomplishes the same thing as no-load pots for your volume and tone controls, but is toggleable on a switch instead of requiring you to touch the knobs for when I don't want no-load functionality. I have two basses with this functionality, and I use that switch extremely often.

 

[sunbeast]

The Fender no-load pots have a light detent at the full-open (bypassed tone) position (or at least the ones I’ve tried do). In theirs this is done using a dimple on the bottom surface of the pot casing that pushes the wiper of the pot up right at the end of the sweep.

 

[JeezyMcNuggles]

I would like a tone pot that has a pronounced detent when fully open. I'd like one that clicks into place instead of just subtly sitting into place. Does a pot like this exist? Is there a way to modify one I already have? Thank you so much for any help!

Switch

 

[Jefus]

Didn't Fender use a tone pot like this awhile back? I'm not sure if it was on their basses, but I thought they had it on their guitars like 15 years ago.

 

[Deleted member 271037]

Just to be clear, do you specifically want a no-load pot or just a standard pot with a detent in the fully open position?

They won't sound the same. A no-load pot in the fully open position will have a rather narrow, but significant spike, probably somewhere around 2-3 kHz (precisely where will depend on the pickups). Do you want more string noise/"zing" in the fully open position? If not, you will probably be much better off with a standard pot with a detent.

 

[bholder]

I would contact Love My Switches in Portland, OR. They will make custom pots for a nominal fee. Cheers!

Hmmm, interesting. How custom? I'll have to find out. I used a place in Germany for a few pots, but they were neither as custom as I'd like, nor were there fees "nominal". I'll check them out, thanks.

 

[rojo412]

I don't know if this one would be the thing:
CTS 250K OHM LINEAR POT W/ SPDT SWITCH - 3/8" SHAFT | eBay
You'd have to ask if the "switch" is enabled by rotating it (which is what it sounds like you'd want), as well as whether it's turned off clockwise or counterclockwise.
But if it is what you'd need, you'd basically need to wire it up in a manner that when switched "open," it would bypass the tone control and when "working" would sweep the tone range.

 

[MultiScaleMale]

Have you seen Stellartone?

 

[Thebiggestjerk]

I would like a tone pot that has a pronounced detent when fully open. I'd like one that clicks into place instead of just subtly sitting into place. Does a pot like this exist? Is there a way to modify one I already have? Thank you so much for any help!

I don’t think anybody makes one.

 

[sunbeast]

Didn't Fender use a tone pot like this awhile back? I'm not sure if it was on their basses, but I thought they had it on their guitars like 15 years ago.

Yes they still make them, but I can’t verify that the newest ones “click” into place when full up like the old ones did: Invalid Link Removed

 

[Jefus]

Yes they still make them, but I can’t verify that the newest ones “click” into place when full up like the old ones did: Invalid Link Removed

Fair point. Even the ones I remember the "click" was fairly minimal.

 

[Thebiggestjerk]

Yes they still make them, but I can’t verify that the newest ones “click” into place when full up like the old ones did: Invalid Link Removed

The only pot that Fender makes now (that I know of) with a detent is a blender.

 

[sunbeast]

Fair point. Even the ones I remember the "click" was fairly minimal.

True, definitely not the same sort of “detent” found on a typical active preamp tone control for example.

The only pot that Fender makes now (that I know of) with a detent is a blender.

Their “No Load Tone Control” definitely used to have a small detent, not sure if that changed in the new ones? Have you tried a new one? The old ones had a punch in the bottom of the pot casing that the wiper of the pot would drag over at the top of the sweep to make the detent work.

They also still make the TBX Tone control, which has a more typical and firm center detent that is actually almost a “no load” control at the center detent (at least if that’s how you wire it). I have one of these in one of my Telecasters and it could actually work for the OP. It is a 250K pot from 1 to 5, no load on the detent, then a 1meg for the rest of the sweep. The way Fender suggests to wire it makes it essentially a regular tone from 1-5 then a bass-cut from 5-10, but there are some other clever ways to use it than the way they suggest Invalid Link Removed

 

[wiscoaster]

I don't know why you couldn't use any no-load audio taper pot. There are plenty of options on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=no+load+potentiometer&crid=2ANKLLBXWN83Z&sprefix=no+load+pote,aps,104&ref=nb_sb_ss_ts-doa-p_1_12

and I see some of them sold as "Fender" pots; I'm sure they'd work fine for your purposes. You just have to know how to wire them up properly as a tone pot, I'd think. However, I wouldn't know if they have the tactile detent you want. You'd have to gamble a few bucks to find out, I suppose.