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Bargain Basement
Medium Shaft CTS Pots - Audio Taper/Logarithmic
Top quality CTS pots as supplied on many top end guitars.
Supplied with 2 nuts, washer & a star washer.
Click to see Technical Spec
Series - 450
Knob Shaft - 5.9mm, knarled, split or 6.3mm smooth, solid
Resistance - 250k or 500k
Tolerence - +/- 10%
Price: £4.10
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Medium Shaft CTS Pots - Linear
Top quality CTS pots as supplied on many top end guitars.
Supplied with 2 nuts, washer & a star washer.
Click to see Technical Spec
Series - 450
Knob Shaft - 5.9mm, knarled, split
Resistance - 250k, 300k or 500k
Tolerence - +/- 10%
Price: £4.10
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Long Shaft CTS Pots - Audio Taper/Logarithmic
Top quality CTS pots as supplied on many top end guitars. Ideal for situations where the top panel on a guitar is deeper then the threaded section on a standard sized pot.
Supplied with 2 nuts, washer & a star washer.
Click to see Technical Spec
Series - 450
Knob Shaft - 5.9mm, knarled, split
Resistance - 250k or 500k
Tolerence - +/- 10%
Price: £4.90
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Long Shaft CTS Pots - Linear
Top quality CTS pots as supplied on many top end guitars. Ideal for situations where the top panel on a guitar is deeper then the threaded section on a standard sized pot.
Supplied with 2 nuts, washer & a star washer.
Click to see Technical Spec
Series - 450
Knob Shaft - 5.9mm, knarled, split
Resistance - 250k, 300k or 500k
Tolerence - +/- 10%
Price: £4.90
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CTS Wide Range Tone Pot
We’ve worked closely with CTS over the last year to create a wide ranging tone pot to get the most out of a guitar.
The actual mechanics are relatively simple, think of it as 2 “half pots”, a 250k logarithmic, running from 0-5, and a 1 Meg Linear, running from 5-10.
The advantage is that, unlike a straight 1 meg pot, the 250k range is large enough to actually use, giving that perfect vintage single coil tone time and again, and once you push past 5 (hitting a central indent to mark the change over) you’re into a whole new world of tonal possibilities, getting shimmering highs from even the darkest guitars.
We also supply this great little upgrade pot with a choice of resistors, either a 82k, which gives a slight drop in tone at the change over, providing an audible reference point, that you’ve moved into the 1 meg section, or a 220k resistor, which gives a straight sweep from 250 to 1 meg
We're also trialling a choice of capacitors, ranging from 0.1 at the darker end of the spectrum, right through to the incredibly bright 0.001s – as a rough guide, 0.022 is a standard cap used in most single coil guitars nowadays, and increasing the value will result in a darker tone, decreasing goes brighter.
Click to see Technical Spec
Knob Shaft - 5.9mm, knarled, split
1 x Orange Drop Cap (0.001@100v, 0.015@100v, 0.022 @100v, 0.033 @100v, 0.047 @100v or 0.1@100v)
1 x Resistor - 82k or 220k
Supplied with Caps, Knobs, Nut and Washers.
Price: £9.50
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Fender 250K No Load Pot
A great little part from Fender, giving you an unrestricted output at the top end of your tone settings.
From settings 1-9 it works like a standard tone pot, But at 10 it clicks out of the circuit (full clockwise/ brightest setting) removing both the pot and capacitor from the circuit, giving you the true tone as output by the pickup.
Click to see Technical Spec
Diagram Coming Soon
Part Number - 099-083-2000
Knob Shaft - 5.9mm, knarled, split
Resistance - 250k
Tolerence - +/- 10%
Supplied with 0.022 Mylar Cap, Nut and Washers.
Price: £7.00
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As supplied in most import or economy guitars, where the thinner threaded section often rules out CTS pots. A reliable and affordable solution that will provide years of use.
Supplied with 2 Nuts and a washer.
Click to see Technical Spec
Knob Shaft - 5.9mm, knarled, split
Resistance - 250k or 500k
Tolerence - +/- 10%
Price: £2.20
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Long Shaft Alpha Pots
A good alternative long shaft pot, more readily available in Linear and Log versions, and generally more affordable, the long shaft Alpha doesn't turn up on many guitars as standard, but its a versitile replacement part none the less.
Supplied with 2 Nuts and a washer.
Click to see Technical Spec
Diagram Coming Soon
Knob Shaft - 5.9mm, knarled, split
Resistance - 500k
Tolerence - +/- 10%
Price: £2.80
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Medium Shaft Push/Pull Alpha Pots
The industry standard push pull pot, with an Alpha mini pot mounted onto a DPDT (Double pole, Double throw) On/On switch. A joy to work with, opening the door to coil tapping, phase switching, kill switches etc.
Supplied with 2 Nuts and Washer.
Click to see Technical Spec
Knob Shaft - 5.9mm, knarled, split
Resistance - 250k or 500k
Tolerence - +/- 10%
Price: £4.80
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Long Shaft Push/Pull Alpha Pots
The industry standard push pull pot for "thick topped" guitars, with Long shaft Alpha pot mounted onto a DPDT (Double pole, Double throw) On/On switch. A joy to work with, opening the door to coil tapping, phase switching, kill switches etc and ideal for Les Paul Mods.
Supplied with 2 nuts and a washer.
Click to see Technical Spec
Price: £7.00
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2 x Mini Split Shaft Alpha Pots
Great little pots for use when your short on space in a control cavity.
20mm Total Shaft Length.10mm thread lenth.30mm overall
Supplied with 2 Nuts and Washer.
Click to see Technical Spec
Diagram Coming Soon
Knob Shaft - 5.9mm, knarled, split
Resistance - 25k, 250k or 500k
Tolerence - +/- 10%
Price: £2.20
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Artec Sounds Concentric Solid Shaft Alpha Pot
Great little pots for use with on board effects. Combine Tone and Volume into one. Basically, two pots in one body.
1 3/4" Total Shaft Length
Available in 500k
Supplied with Gold, Chrome or Black Knobs,2 Nuts and Washer.
Click to see Technical Spec
Knob Shaft - 9mm and 6mm Solid split
Resistance - 500k
Tolerence - +/- 10%
Price: £9.00
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Alpha Concentric Solid Shaft Alpha Pot
Two full sized A500k pots built into a concentric pot body for tone and Volume Control Combined.
Supplied with Gold, Chrome or Black Knobs,2 Nuts and Washer.
Click to see Technical Spec
![Specification Diagram]("/Electronics/Specs/AlphaMedPotConcSpec.jpg){kind=link}
Knob Shaft - 9mm and 6mm Solid split
Resistance - 500k
Tolerence - +/- 10%
Price: £10.00
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PCB Terminal Blend Pot
Alpha B500k Blend Pot with Pin Terminals, mounted on an easy to use PCB board. Great for panning between pickups. Very Versitile Part.
Central indent is 100% from both pickups, and panning left and right decreases the output from the opposite pickup.
Supplied with 2 Nuts and Washer.
Click to see Technical Spec
Diagram Coming Soon
Knob Shaft - 5.9mm, knarled, split
Resistance - 500k
Tolerence - +/- 10%
Price: £5.00
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6 Pin Terminal Blend Aplha Pots
Artec Sound Alpha MN500k Blend Pot with Pin Terminals. Great for panning between pickups. Very Versitile Part.
Central indent is 100% from both pickups, and panning left and right decreases the output from the opposite pickup.
Supplied with 2 Nuts and Washer.
Click to see Technical Spec
Price: £3.50
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6 Terminal Blend Alpha Pots
Artec Sound Alpha A/C500k Blend Pot with Terminals. Great for panning between pickups. Very Versitile Part.
Central indent is 70% from both pickups, and panning left and right decreases the output from the opposite pickup whilst increasing the "selected" pickup.
Supplied with 2 Nuts and Washer.
Click to see Technical Spec
Price: £4.00
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Alpha B500k Mains rated switch pot.
A great way to turn off active pickup circuits or amps by simply turning the volume to 0, saving power and increasing battery life.
Simply connect the live wire to the A tab on the bottom, and out of the F tab, creating a simple yet effective power switch without modifying the guitars wood work.
Supplied with 2 Nuts and Washer
Click to see Technical Spec
Diagram Coming Soon
Knob Shaft - 5.9mm, knarled, split
Resistance - 500k
Tolerence - +/- 10%
Rated at AC/DC 200v and 7 Amps.
Price: £5.00
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4 x Chrome Pointers for Alpha Pots
Designed to fit under the nut fixing the nut down, and add a market track the progrssion of tone and volume knobs.
Suitable for medium shaft Alpha pots only.
Click to see Technical Spec
Diagram Coming Soon
Specs Coming Soon
Price: £3.30
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12 off Alpha Or 8 off CTS pot n uts
Replacement Pot Nuts For Alpha (small.29" inner dia) or CTS (large .34" inner dia) Pots
Click to see Technical Spec
Diagram Coming Soon
Alpha Thread - M8 x 0.75
Alpha available in Chrome only
CTS Thread - 3/8" x 32
CTS available in Chrome, Gold or Black
Price: £2.30
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Quick Pot Guide
Under the scratch plate of our beloved guitars seems like a complete mine field that will send most of us running to the local guitar tech.
Hopefully, we can guide you through the basics so you know what your looking at when something needs replacing.
Logarithmic vs. Linear
It’s a fairly ongoing debate truth be told, with plenty of contradicting information on the subject (in part due to a change in coding in the early 90s muddying the water, as well as different standards set by different companies in the modern day, and of course – personal taste) but we’ll try to remain impartial on this one and explain the advantages and pitfalls of each style.
Linear pots (usually Alpha B) gives a true representation of the output, (so 1 on the dial is 10% of the output, 5 is 50% and 10 is 100%). For this reason you’ll find them used all over the place, (rightly or wrongly) doing a variety of jobs,
Logarithmic (alpha A or Audio Taper) are a little bit more specialised. They offer very narrow control range. Electrically speaking, by running though 1 – 6 on the dial, you cover 0% - 15% on the output, then tracking from 6 – 10 covers a much larger range from 15% - 100%.
Probably the easiest way to explain the whys and what fors, is to break down the pots into real life situations you’ll find in your guitar.
Volume control
Linear
As a volume control, you’ll mostly find linear pots on Import guitars. In this case, a true representation of output lends itself really well to bedroom playing. It’s purely aimed at a target market looking to keep the guitar quiet and controllable, hitting low volumes during practise.
Logarithmic
You’ll mostly find logarithmic pots on higher end instruments acting as the volume – in these cases the guitar is obviously targeted at gigging musicians. The guitars never going to be played quiet for extended periods so a log pot actually gives a nice “sweep” at the top end which lends itself to moving through different volumes whilst playing (moving from 10 to 8 on the dial will pretty much half the volume). This gives a great effect when used in combination with true amp overdrive.
Relation to our hearing
Obviously if you play on 10 constantly, its not going to make much difference, the arguments only really start when you’re changing volume.
The main point to take into consideration is that the human ear works on a logarithmic scale. So whilst moving through volumes during playing, it pays to try to match the way the ear works. The problems start when you consider that our hearing is far superior to anything electrical, so the “curve” of a log pots output never really matches up perfectly, so although the sweep feels more natural, it’s still not perfect. Speaking personally, I try not to think of the curve as matching our hearing, instead I think of it as a “sensitive” control that allows better control at high volumes through less movement.
The pitfalls
The downfall of this “theory” is that it flags up the log pots main cause of concern. Most of the numbers on the dial (1-6) only give access to a very low output. This leads us back to the way the ear works – you can hear a pin drop just as well as you can hear a jet engine, the ear should be able to pick out the lower volume sound the same way it picks the higher volume, and your brain should tell you its quieter.
Unfortunately, its not that clear cut, and this isn’t a perfect world, and although some people can either live with this feature (even use it to their advantage), others find the lower volume settings next to useless and the sudden drop off (usually between 6 and 7) quite annoying (some describe it as acting as a kill switch – basically muting the guitar)
So linear volume then?
On the back of this – the linear pot seems the natural solution, but as with most things, it just isn’t that simple. Although the linear pot is great for low volume playing, and it’s easy to see where you are etc – they sweep in a way that isn’t conducive to human hearing. It sounds like its jumps from one setting to the next, and the ear finds it rather unnatural.
But not all is lost
Fortunately, “sweeping” from low volume to high volume still sounds perfectly fine on a log pot, but moving around at low volumes is still something that’s never been quite perfected as yet. Luckily, its not something most of us do.
In Conclusion
In closing on the volume topic – if you like making use of volume control whilst playing, then logarithmic control is probably your best bet thanks to the more natural curve of the output, but if your looking for a straight forward control solution at set volumes, where dial position represents the output, then linear pots are a great solution.
TONE
Coming Soon
250K or 500K?
As a quick and easy rule of Thumb, we use this guide.
1Meg = very bright sounding
500K = bright sounding
250K = warm, vintage sounding
Problems can arrise when your running a Humbucker in the same guitar as a Single Coil, but these are the results we've found.
1Meg = bright HB, shrill SC
500K = warm HB, bright SC
250K = muddy HB, warm SC
Basically, you'll always suffer slight compromise by running single coils next to humbuckers when it comes to pots. The saving grace is that 90% of use have been to too many gigs to notice any real differance. Comes down to a litle bit of audio snobbery at the end of the day, which is never a bad thing.
All the best
Axesrus
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