Tone, Volume Pots Too Sensitive

Warren

I have a problem I'm hoping you guys can shed some light on.

I don't really have a deep understanding of how pots and pickups interact, so please excuse my ignorance here.

My Epiphone Les Paul has two Seymour Duncan humbuckers fitted, which are both coil-tapped. Problem is that my tone and volume pots (especially the volume pots) have far too narrow a "sensitivity" range. In other words, I don't get a nice, smooth change in volume throughout the range of the pot. It's on full volume until about 5 or 6, then below 4 it's basically "off".

This creates lots of problems for me, since I can't reliably adjust my guitar's volume mid song (well, not reliably).

I activate the "single coil" sound by pulling the volume pots up, and activate "humbucker mode" by pushing them down. In other words, my volume controls also double as my coil-tap controls. Is that perhaps the basis of the problem?

Can this be fixed? Do I maybe just need new pots?

guitarboy2828

I'm not the world's best Techie, but from what I do know, different pots work differently. Some are a gradual increase (linear) and then the kind you're describing are "log"... So, I think changing them is the best option..

Warren

guitarboy2828 wrote
I'm not the world's best Techie, but from what I do know, different pots work differently. Some are a gradual increase (linear) and then the kind you're describing are "log"... So, I think changing them is the best option..

Ah brilliant, thanks. Yes the log curves describe more or less the way my pots seem to work.

So can I just pop into a guitar shop and buy some linear ones and replace them myself? Or is this a job for a tech?

Bob-Dubery

I think it's a linear/log thing, but check out what you have first. It could be that you have linear pots and actually need log. Whatever you have, get the other kind.

guitarboy2828

X-rated Bob wrote I think it's a linear/log thing, but check out what you have first. It could be that you have linear pots and actually need log. Whatever you have, get the other kind.

Agreed.. Just get the same but in the other kind, should have the same pin in and out.. So yeah, pretty simple job if you can solder! ?

Warren

guitarboy2828 wrote
Agreed.. Just get the same but in the other kind, should have the same pin in and out.. So yeah, pretty simple job if you can solder! ?

Cool thanks guys. I see there are some other threads regarding pot replacements and stuff so I'll have a squizz through those as well.

AlanRatcliffe

Log taper are the ones to use. While it looks wrong on paper, the simple fact is we don't hear volume changes in a linear fashion, so linear volume changes sound wrong in practice. You might even have log pots in there already, but cheaper ones with an uneven taper - it's a quality thing.

I usually recommend getting the DiMarzios which are nice quality CTS-made models with a good taper and are available locally. Absolute best available are the RS Guitarworks "Superpots" - but you have to buy those online.

Warren

Alan Ratcliffe wrote Log taper are the ones to use. While it looks wrong on paper, the simple fact is we don't hear volume changes in a linear fashion, so linear volume changes sound wrong in practice. You might even have log pots in there already, but cheaper ones with an uneven taper - it's a quality thing.

I usually recommend getting the DiMarzios which are nice quality CTS-made models with a good taper and are available locally. Absolute best available are the RS Guitarworks "Superpots" - but you have to buy those online.

Thanks Alan.

Since the initial info from guitarboy2828, I've done some reading and I see the best way to do this will be to first haul out the stuff I have in there (carefully, of course, noting all the connections etc.) and getting some more info on them before I go out and buy. I also think the pots are on their way out anyway, since two of them crackle slightly when used.

Any recommendations on where to get these? Am I looking at 100s or 1000s of Rands here?

AlanRatcliffe

Marshall Cape are the DiMarzio distributors, so if nowhere else, you can get from them. I don't know the exact pricing locally, but probably under R100 each.

You can get the RS superpots (or complete high quality wiring kits) from http://www.rsguitarworks.net/rsstore/

Warren

Went past Marshall Music yesterday.

They quoted my R195 per pot (keep in mind these are coil-tap pots). I can't remember the brand now, but it wasn't something I'd heard of (not that I'm an expert). They would probably throw in the install for free if I'm paying R400 for two pots...

I see the RS push-pull pots are about $17 in comparison, so around R140 or so by comparison (obviously excluding shipping costs).

AlanRatcliffe

I'll be honest, I've never met a push-pull pot I liked. ☹

Warren

Alan Ratcliffe wrote I'll be honest, I've never met a push-pull pot I liked. ☹

Having read some more, I see there is confusion around coil-tapping and coil-splitting.

Based on my limited knowledge, I think I most likely have coil-splits on my guitar, since when activated the PUPs do indeed sound very "single-ish" and twangy.

Either way, I still need some way of activating the tap/split, and at the moment this is done with the push-pull pots installed. I've seen some others where the switch is slid from side to side (are these "push-push" pots?). Is there any advantage of one type over another? I suppose the best approach would be to get a separate switch installed, but I'm not after anything like that right now...

This might just be my justification for going for that PRS 513 I've always wanted ?