A couple of Mod Questions

[just strum]

1) I have seen people here note how they match up pots when doing a mod - how is this done?

2) For you Epi owners: I know a couple of you have replaced pots and switches - any recommendations on what to buy?

 

[markb]

CTS pots, Switchcraft switch. You can pay extra for matched ones or deep frozen ones if you really want. I wouldn't bother.

 

[Ch0jin]

What do you mean exactly by "match up"? I'm assuming we might be talking about measuring a bunch of pots to make sure they have the same resistance. Like say you have 3 cheap 500K pots, they might have a tolerance of 10% or even 20% meaning you might get one 400K pot and one even 600K (worst case scenario). Personally, I'd not bother matching cheapies and just buy precision tolerance pots like the ones CTS make and be done with it.

That said....

I have a couple of Dimarzio pots in the mail (ebay....) to replace the pots in my BB1200. I went for Dimarzios for the simple reason that there was one in there already (this guitar was modded for a touring artist before I got it) and until it died (intermittent OC at max volume) I loved the -feel- of it. Kinda smooth and fluid feeling compared to say an Alpha pot. The tone pot I'm also replacing purely to "Match" the feel. nothing at all to do with the sound or values. I've since found out that Dimarzio pots are made by CTS anyway...

 

[Commodore 64]

I ordered a rebuild kit for my Epi Strat, from GFS...no idea as to the actual quality, but when they arrive, I can test the resistance on them.

Seems they might be Alpha branded?

 

[duhvoodooman]

CTS pots, Switchcraft switch. You can pay extra for matched ones or deep frozen ones if you really want. I wouldn't bother.

+1

 

[just strum]

CTS pots, Switchcraft switch. You can pay extra for matched ones or deep frozen ones if you really want. I wouldn't bother.

What is "deep frozen"?

 

[markb]

Callaham and a few other people sell "cryogenically treated" pots for an extra charge. Some people can hear the difference, but then...

 

[Ch0jin]

Callaham and a few other people sell "cryogenically treated" pots for an extra charge. Some people can hear the difference, but then...

That made me lol.

"....then we snap freeze the pots to lock in the Mojo freshness..."

Commodore,
Yeah I have three pots from GFS in my Squier. The pullswitch one I use for coil tap is a bit cheap feeling but the "standard" ones I use for volume and one of the tones feel nice. No complaints here whatever brand they are. My Matons are substantially more expensive guitars though so I was a bit reluctant to use GFS parts, probably a bit snobby of me but meh..

 

[duhvoodooman]

What is "deep frozen"?

A gimmick to separate you from another $5 per pot....

 

[deeaa]

Cryogenic pots
Monster Cables
Santa Claus
Free country

...feel free to continue the list...

 

[wingsdad]

The Switchcraft switch, for sure, and you might consider going for a Switchcraft input jack as long as you're at it.

As for pots...

...Personally, I'd not bother matching cheapies and just buy precision tolerance pots like the ones CTS make and be done with it.

That said....

I have a couple of Dimarzio pots in the mail ... I've since found out that Dimarzio pots are made by CTS anyway...

I've got 4 of these DiMarzios in my Sheraton II (with those Switchcraft parts mentioned), and I'd also had them put into my dearly departed Ibanez ARC300. They're Audio Taper pots that operate smoothly and precisely and made a big difference in fine-tuning tone/vol settings:

DiMarzio 500K Custom Taper

(Sweetwater doesn't carry them.)

 

[deeaa]

BTW does anybody know where to score cheap, good 25K pots? Not those tiny lousy ones?

 

[wingsdad]

dee, if you meant 250K, like for single coil pickups, then I'll suggest trying to locate the Dimarzio Custom Tapers (or CTS Audio Tapers) ... can't help ya with an online source over there, though-

DiMarzio 250K Custom Taper

 

[deeaa]

No, 25K...that's all I ever use...

 

[marnold]

BTW does anybody know where to score cheap, good 25K pots? Not those tiny lousy ones?

Allparts has them, although I don't know what you consider to be cheap, nor do I know what shipping, et al, would be to Finland.

http://www.allparts.com/Misc-Pots-s/23.htm

Stewmac has them too, although these are more expensive:

http://www.stewmac.com/shopby/item/3755

 

[deeaa]

Hm, yeah those stew-macs seem just what I'd need. BUT the price gets steep...would be around 130-140 bucks to upgrade 3 guitars with those, including shipping and all :-(

Still, it's tempting...those mini-pots that come with EMG's seem to last really badly, I need to replace at least one per year and I play VERY little after all.

Anyway, thanks for the tip...I need to consider it.

BTW I've been meaning to ask you as an English teacher - about the names of priests in English language - I gather in Lutheran churches you call the priests Reverend in the U.S.? So...what do you call female reverends? (We just had our 2nd son's christening (Paul Emil Ariel) and we had some Russian guests, with whom we speak English, but I realized I really don't know much about the church nominations in English.)

 

[marnold]

BTW I've been meaning to ask you as an English teacher - about the names of priests in English language - I gather in Lutheran churches you call the priests Reverend in the U.S.? So...what do you call female reverends? (We just had our 2nd son's christening (Paul Emil Ariel) and we had some Russian guests, with whom we speak English, but I realized I really don't know much about the church nominations in English.)

Generally speaking, Lutherans refer to their clergy as Pastor. Some call me Reverend, although technically that's an adjective. To fully comply with good English (and realizing that I just split an infinitive) there should be a "The" before it, followed by my name. I've never heard a Lutheran clergyman referred to as a priest. There are no female clergy in my denomination. The ones that I'm aware of have simply been referred to as Pastor.

I've got a member who good-naturedly calls me "Reverend" but his tone of voice implies that he really doesn't mean it

Most of my friends and family call me "Matt" . . . unless I'm in trouble. Then a wide variety of terms might be employed.

I've tried to find a way to tie this back to the subject of guitar potentiometers but have failed.

 

[ZMAN]

I do a lot of reading over at the LP forum and most of the guys there are getting the RS Guitarsworks kits for their LPs. These run around 98 dollars but they have RS own 500K pots that are linear taper, and the switchcraft switch and jack, wire, and proper capacitors. That way everything is matched. The only thing you have to find out is if they are long or short shaft pots.
I personally could not imagine the headaches doing a complete wiring of a dot or 335 style guitar. A lot of guys do a cheater swap where they solder the pickups to the leads for the old pickups and leave the rest of the wiring as is.

 

[Ch0jin]

The Switchcraft switch, for sure, and you might consider going for a Switchcraft input jack as long as you're at it.

As for pots...


I've got 4 of these DiMarzios in my Sheraton II (with those Switchcraft parts mentioned), and I'd also had them put into my dearly departed Ibanez ARC300. They're Audio Taper pots that operate smoothly and precisely and made a big difference in fine-tuning tone/vol settings:

DiMarzio 500K Custom Taper

(Sweetwater doesn't carry them.)

Yeah thats the ones I'm waiting on. A 250k and a 500k. USD $5.95 each. (assuming they ever get here....)