Volume and tone problems

[222]

Hi all, i have recently bought a zach myers se model, 2nd hand but guy had for 6 months from new.
Problem is the volume and tone pots. Volume hardly increases until at around 8 and then its 'on'. Not a linear increase. All my other guitars, even much cheaper ones have a linear increase.
Also when in middle position, if one volume is fully down then there is no output at all. Turn one pot up slightly an and then an output. My epiphone you can turn both volumes fully down and each volume works independently.
Is this a PRS thing?
Not very impressed with these issues given the cost of the guitar. Cheers

1 on linear pots = 10% = A gradual increase in volume.

1 on Auidio pots = 0% = As you go higher it increases the volume exponentially which will shape the characteristics of your pickups.

Audio pots:

7 = Clean
8,9,10 = Dirtier and dirtier.

Linear pots:

1 = Clean

10 = Louder clean

The reason people desire AUDIO volume knobs is because they affect the character of your pickups as it gets exponentially louder.

So linear only changes the volume and not the character of your pickup.

So logic says you put linear on your tone for a wider range and Audio on your volume to shape the character of your pickups.

From hoaglandscustom.com

An AUDIO taper pot increases the signal from your guitar to your amp in a logarithmic (exponential) fashion. Simply explained, “1”, “2”, or “3” on the volume knob will produce little, if any, signal but once you get past “3” or so, the volume will ramp up a LOT. Past “8” or so there will be very little volume increase. An audio taper volume control is used on you car radio. You will notice that when you turn on the radio you have to rotate the knob to the right quite a bit before you get any volume. And past “7” or “8” on the radio volume knob, it doesn’t really increase your volume anymore. It causes your signal to clip.

A LINEAR taper pot increases the signal in a linear fashion. (“1” on your control is equal to 10%, “4” is equal to 40% and so forth) This works very different from an audio taper volume pot. For those looking for a smooth, predictable transition to volume, a linear taper pot will probably work best for you.

 

[László]

The pots on my Core and PS PRSes all work in a very linear fashion. In fact, I regularly record with the amp volume loud, but the guitar volume at 5 or lower for clean, and then roll the volume up for more dirt.

I also use the tone pot in a wide range of positions in my work.

I haven't owned an SE or S2, no idea what the pots are. Perhaps the previous owner changed them out?

But the pots they use on Core and up are absolutely great.

 

[Tone-y]

Nearly all guitars use 'audio taper pots' for both volume and tone controls. These pots are logarithmic and NOT linear - though they do sound like they work in a linear fashion due to how human hearing works (hence the name audio taper). An actual linear pot would not sound like a smooth taper to our ears.