Is the Super Pot worth the time and trouble?

After a disappointing conversation with a representative from RS Guitarworks I am less than impressed and not convinced about the "super pot"

Has anyone used these over priced pots made by CTS?

Can anyone really say that hands down it is worth my time and trouble to make this change from the new CTS pot I just installed?

Please be specific if possible, as my new CTS pot is an improvement over the Alpha pot I had been using, but there is not really a "smooth" taper and it is not usable in every spot, so I do see room for improvement. I just want to be sure that the next pot I install is the last one for awhile.

Thanks all.

I like RS Superpots on guitars with dual volume controls. It helps me balance them. The only improvement in them that might make them worthwhile is the taper, and only if you like the taper. I've installed them in close to a dozen guitars.

Recently, I needed to replace the pots in my 1959 Gibson ES-225TD and chose Gibson Historic 500k pots due to several owners of vintage Gibson guitars saying that the taper is closer to the originals. I like them a lot (though I don't know what the taper of the originals was like). They're still kinda expensive and are only available with short shafts.

Hey Don. Did you find those pots nearly impossible to turn? My RS superpots were really tough. I had to pull them out because of that.

And TremoJem IMO no it is not worth it. I find that overall pots do what pots do and i cannot tell any tonal difference in super or extra super duty pots. I went through the same thing with mine when i pulled the RS superpots out in wanting to buy the EVH low friction pot only to find that they are nearly identical to the regular Bourns that you can buy off Mouser for $3 a pop.

Peace,
Joshua

They're a bit stiff. I remove the damping grease from inside them.

I am not looking for any miracles from them.

It's just that the taper on the CTS is not "all" usable, and it is not a smooth transition from 10 to 0.

It drops rather quickly and has very little usable volume left after 50% of turn.

This is what concerns me.

I want an even taper that I can control.

I use the volume pot alot to alter my tone, so it is important to me.

Another observation I made is that the treble bleed circuit is leaving the tone harsh at the low end of the pot.

That can be fixed with a change in cap or by adding a resistor, but I have to find the post that addresses that, so that I know what direction to go in for value to get a warmer tone when I turn down the volume pot.

Thanks

Oh, you are concerned about the audio taper. Get a linear taper then. Sounds like you are also using a reverse audio taper. Most pots do the exact opposite of what you are describing. Or are you playing a left hand guitar?

Peace,
Joshua

Mister Joshua said:

Oh, you are concerned about the audio taper. Get a linear taper then. Sounds like you are also using a reverse audio taper. Most pots do the exact opposite of what you are describing. Or are you playing a left hand guitar?

Peace,
Joshua

Click to expand...

I don't think it is reverse?

At ten it is cranked and at 0 it is off.

I am used to dialing it in, but this pot just does not let you do that.

The original Ibanez/DiMarzio pots (which I can't find) did let you dial the tone in.

Every other pot I have tried, CTS/Alpha, just have no real consistency and drop out or are either on/off.

I like to back off a little and have break up, and then back off a little further and have somewhat clean with a little break up and just a little further and it is almost clean and then crank it up for full gain.

It is just a matter of taste and the pots I have had just plain suck, except for the originals, so maybe that is what I will order.

No i mean reverse logarithmic, (although in retrospect i don't think i may have been in error in that question). Pots work logarithmically since that's how human ears hear. So most audio or log taper pots compress the top 50% of the sound. Here watch this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RdfIZEB2rdM

The back of the pot should have a letter stamped in it. It'll say like "500A". The 500 is the value in kilo ohms and the letter is the response. A is log or audio, B is linear, C is reverse. What letter is yours?

Peace,
Joshua

I bought them from StewMac.

I will have to check and get back to you.