Potentiometers

pallajt

pallajt

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I'm curious to know what you all think about potentiometers, specifically if different brands or "higher quality" pots sound different/better (not talking about pots of different resistive value - different brands, specifically). I know some people swear by certain brands/types of pots, though I've also read that higher quality pots will potentially have smoother motion/operating mechanics, a smoother taper, or be more durable/last longer, but that they will not actually sound any different. I'm asking specifically as it relates to potentially upgrading the stock pots in an SE. Thanks!
 
To me, replacing components only makes sense if you can identify a problem, isolate it to a single component and then replace it with a new component that addressing the issue you are trying to fix.

Instead of trying to find problems, I’d rather play my guitar. But that’s just me.

(I guarantee you there are more issues with my playing ability than faults with my gear)
 
Tim S said:
To me, replacing components only makes sense if you can identify a problem, isolate it to a single component and then replace it with a new component that addressing the issue you are trying to fix.

Instead of trying to find problems, I’d rather play my guitar. But that’s just me.

(I guarantee you there are more issues with my playing ability than faults with my gear)
Click to expand...

Understood. I largely feel the same way; just curious about variation in sound from pot to pot.
 
That is certainly a rabbit hole to go down into, isn't it? On any of my traditional brand guitars, I believe that there are better brands (brand names escape me at the moment) than others and I gravitate toward the 500k pots. For these traditional brand guitars, I have recently started buying pre-wired kits from outfits like RS Guitarworks or Emerson Custom. I've never had a need to mess with a PRS guitar, aside from the rare occasion where I changed the pickups from one PRS model to a different PRS model (of pickups). Capacitors? Look for videos on the Web where they reveal vintage counterfeits on the market. (They grind them down to show you what's inside them.)
 
HANGAR18 said:
That is certainly a rabbit hole to go down into, isn't it? On any of my traditional brand guitars, I believe that there are better brands (brand names escape me at the moment) than others and I gravitate toward the 500k pots. For these traditional brand guitars, I have recently started buying pre-wired kits from outfits like RS Guitarworks or Emerson Custom. I've never had a need to mess with a PRS guitar, aside from the rare occasion where I changed the pickups from one PRS model to a different PRS model (of pickups). Capacitors? Look for videos on the Web where they reveal vintage counterfeits on the market. (They grind them down to show you what's inside them.)
Click to expand...

I'm currently turning a cheap Flying V into an expensive Flying V by installing (among many other things) a 50's wiring pre-wired kit from RS Guitarworks.
 
All I can say is I gutted my S2 and put in CTS pots, PIO CAP, Clothe wiring and a new 3 way. I think it made a lot of difference. The tapers are much better and just seems more touch sensitive. The tone cap makes a huge difference if there is one thing to replace.
 
Upgrading SE pots with quality CTS or Bourne pots will make a HUGE difference. I just did it to my SE and it made it have a much more commanding and powerful tone...warmer too.
 
The Bourns pots that PRS uses on the USA models are thought by many to be the highest quality mass-produced pots on the market, with the smoothest taper, etc. I think they’re costlier than the CTS and Alpha pots as well, but we’re not talking a lot of money in any case.

EDIT: A price check on Amazon shows Bourns of the type PRS uses to be about 3 times more expensive than the CTS pots, and about 10 times costlier than Alpha.

I’m always amused when people complain that the knobs on a PRS turn too smoothly and easily, because you’d have to go custom to find a better pot, with a more even taper. They’re supposed to be smooth and easy to turn, so you can turn the volume up and down for swells with a finger and a light touch.

However, George Alessandro will make you a $50 stainless steel pot that’s supposed to be pretty nice, if you’re into pots all that heavily.

In any case, right down to the pots, it shows that PRS sweats the little details. The pots are one of the reasons that PRS have very usable volume and tone controls, with even response, etc.
 
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I put a USA volume pot in my SE. I did it because I can’t leave anything alone. I haven’t felt like it changed much. Sure I might eventually do the same thing when the 35th anniversary shows up.
 
Often times in life you simply get what you pay for. Within reason, I have found this to be true in this regard. Good pots and wiring, etc and quality pickups do make a difference. A lot of people have gutted the SE guitars pots, wiring and changed pickups over the years and been happy in doing so. On the flip side, if the guitar plays great, feels great and sounds great to you then why mess with it?
 
The PRS pots they use on the core models are by far my favorite. I keep a few in the parts drawer all the time, both volume and tone pots. I have only had to change the pots on one of my PRS guitars. I put new pickups in them and I evidently got the back of the pot too hot when soldering the ground wires on. It was sort of strange how it happened. I have not had this issue in the past. I have an SAS that I have changed the pickups in a couple of times now and that had zero issues. I have never burned one out on any other guitar I have changed pickups in. IDK. I just swapped them out and moved on.
 
Like others have said here the core PRS pots are nice. I like the smooth easy rotation of the volume pot and the taper seems nice. I've never had any reason to fiddle with them so I have no idea of where the value sits within the tolerance band.
I have changed a few pots on my Strat however as I had a volume pot start cracking and cutting out. I would normally just go for CTS but I liked the low friction of the PRS pot so I thought I'd try one of the Bourns EVH 250kohm low friction pots (as PRS don't make a 250k ohm. I really liked this pot, it was a bit under 250k ohms (240 something I think) but the taper was nice and I loved the low friction, really got used to doing volume swells and quickly and easily shutting the volume to 0 when not playing. Unfortunately it started letting signal through intermittently when off so I decided to replace it. This time I wanted to avoid a slightly weak undervalued pot so I went for one of the RS guitarworks super pot 280k ohms. Again a nice pot, well engineered and measured just under the nominal 280k. Nice smooth rotation but definitely not low friction and I find I'm missing the Bourns. Really, if I could get a core PRS 250+k pot that would be ideal!
 
I have an SAS that I have changed the pickups in a couple of times chinesebuffetnearmenow.net now and that had zero issues. I have never burned one out on any other guitar I have changed pickups in. IDK. I just swapped them out and moved on.
 
pallajt said:
I'm curious to know what you all think about potentiometers, specifically if different brands or "higher quality" pots sound different/better (not talking about pots of different resistive value - different brands, specifically). I know some people swear by certain brands/types of pots, though I've also read that higher quality pots will potentially have smoother motion/operating mechanics, a smoother taper, or be more durable/last longer, but that they will not actually sound any different. I'm asking specifically as it relates to potentially upgrading the stock pots in an SE. Thanks!
Click to expand...
Don’t know about tone differences. But I really like CTS pots. Very smooth and well spoken of.
 
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Click to expand...
Please check your mail box. I signed you up for a 10 year recurring viagra subscription and used your visa to pay for it. Hope you've got a playmate.

If not, remember, "Lefty loosey, righty tighty."
 
JasonE said:
The PRS pots they use on the core models are by far my favorite. I keep a few in the parts drawer all the time, both volume and tone pots. I have only had to change the pots on one of my PRS guitars. I put new pickups in them and I evidently got the back of the pot too hot when soldering the ground wires on. It was sort of strange how it happened. I have not had this issue in the past. I have an SAS that I have changed the pickups in a couple of times now and that had zero issues. I have never burned one out on any other guitar I have changed pickups in. IDK. I just swapped them out and moved on.
Click to expand...
I have often wondered why they don’t put a nice tab connection on there for the ground.
 
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