Origin Alpha Potentiometers - which is better?

[lorenzo]

Hello, folks!

A friend of mine needs to replace the 4 pots of his Epiphone guitar. I suggested the Alpha A500k ones, since CTS doesn't make pots with 3/8" bushing.
I know that Alpha pots are made in Asia, but I saw some stores selling "korean" ones and others offering "taiwan" ones. So I ask:

1) Is there any difference between them (origin)? If so, which one is better?

2) I saw some chineses selling them on ebay for a cheaper price. Are they authentic? (example: 3 ALPHA Audio 500K Fullsize Pots Auto For humbucker PU | eBay)

Thanks!

[Bigneil]

most folk buy a hand reamer and widen the hole slightly in order to fit the bushing on the imperial sized pot....it only needs a little doing.

[slapshot]

nothin wrong with those ones or alpha pots in general.this whole wank about "cts" pots is laughable
parts pipe is good business though.a lot of bulk stuff

[martin6string]

Originally Posted by slapshot

nothin wrong with those ones or alpha pots in general.this whole wank about "cts" pots is laughable
parts pipe is good business though.a lot of bulk stuff

Ever use CTS pots? Good CTS pots?

[lorenzo]

I thought about the CTS pots, but my friend doens't want to mess with the holes of his guitar... :/
Can anybody tell me if the Alpha pots from chinese sellers (ebay) are authentic?
Thanks, guys!

[Dave@Martin6String]

If you are going to go through the trouble to replace the pots, don't replace garbage with garbage. Which, AlPha pots are.

Curious, what are your friends concerns about slightly enlarging the holes?

[lorenzo]

Originally Posted by Dave@Martin6String

If you are going to go through the trouble to replace the pots, don't replace garbage with garbage. Which, AlPha pots are.

Curious, what are your friends concerns about slightly enlarging the holes?

He doesn't know how to do it and he's affraid of making a mess...

[Dave@Martin6String]

Originally Posted by lorenzo

He doesn't know how to do it and he's affraid of making a mess...

It's a simple Process that is suitable for the novis to do themselves. One can use a reamer available from most hardware stores, stick it in a hole, twist, check the hole with the 3/8 pot shaft, repeat if necessary. You can also use a pencil wrapped with sandpaper to enlarge them. It's a very simple mod and an easier job them soldering in a new Pot or a harness.

There is not much sense in replacing a pot with one of inferior quality just to have to repeat the process in a year or six months all over again. Plus, there are many benefits of using a top quality pot besides reliability. The tone will be much better and the controls will be useable due to proper tapers.

[lorenzo]

Originally Posted by Dave@Martin6String

It's a simple Process that is suitable for the novis to do themselves. One can use a reamer available from most hardware stores, stick it in a hole, twist, check the hole with the 3/8 pot shaft, repeat if necessary. You can also use a pencil wrapped with sandpaper to enlarge them. It's a very simple mod and an easier job them soldering in a new Pot or a harness.

There is not much sense in replacing a pot with one of inferior quality just to have to repeat the process in a year or six months all over again. Plus, there are many benefits of using a top quality pot besides reliability. The tone will be much better and the controls will be useable due to proper tapers.

Dave, I'll talk to my friend and try convince him (beacause I know he is too cautious). Anyway, you convinced ME to replace my Alphas! LOL
What is the best way to mark the size of the new holes on the guitar before enlarge the old ones?

[Dave@Martin6String]

You don't have to mark them. Just work slowly, enlarge it a bit, check it with a pot.

[slapshot]

Originally Posted by martin6string

Ever use CTS pots? Good CTS pots?

yes of course I have.

Originally Posted by Dave@Martin6String

If you are going to go through the trouble to replace the pots, don't replace garbage with garbage. Which, AlPha pots are.

interesting idea.you don't happen to sell cts pots by any chance do you?

Originally Posted by Dave@Martin6String

There is not much sense in replacing a pot with one of inferior quality just to have to repeat the process in a year or six months all over again. Plus, there are many benefits of using a top quality pot besides reliability. The tone will be much better and the controls will be useable due to proper tapers.

not to hijack with a defacto sales pitch or nothin but what exactly makes the controls more usable with a "cts" pot?
And why would you need to replace them in 6-12 months time?I know plenty of people who've had plenty of guitars who've had the same pots for over 30 years in their guitars quite at home with how they work,they're taper,reliability and sound.

I still stand by my original statement.

[martin6string]

Originally Posted by slapshot

yes of course I have.

interesting idea.you don't happen to sell cts pots by any chance do you?

not to hijack with a defacto sales pitch or nothin but what exactly makes the controls more usable with a "cts" pot?
And why would you need to replace them in 6-12 months time?I know plenty of people who've had plenty of guitars who've had the same pots for over 30 years in their guitars quite at home with how they work,they're taper,reliability and sound.

I still stand by my original statement.

You can stand by your original statement all you like. If you can't hear the difference, so be it. Thousands of people can. The taper is better, the resistance is better, and the construction and useful life is better.

But hey, what do we know or for that matter the 200 plus people we've built harnesses for in the last 6 months alone know...

Done being an ass now?

[Dave@Martin6String]

OK Slapshot, explain to me and prove why AlPha pots are superior. This ought to be good. LOL


If they were, I would certainly be selling them.

[12watt]

He didn't say they were superior, just not junk. Please explain better resistance as it applies to a variable resistor please, I don't quite get what that means.

[martin6string]

Originally Posted by 12watt

He didn't say they were superior, just not junk. Please explain better resistance as it applies to a variable resistor please, I don't quite get what that means.

You are correct, he didn't say they were superior. That is true. What he is looking for is a argument by insinuating that we are pushing CTS because we sell them.
Guess what - We've had CTS, Bourns, MojoTones, WD's, Gibsons, Alphas etc...We've tried them all!! The CTS 550K's and CTS TVT's were the ones we settled on. I've personally been using CTS 550K's since first came out years ago.

Back to your question....

The resistance does matter. Do you want a pot that specs at 500k, but really meters at 430k because of poor tolerance thus choking off the pickups? Doubtful.

How about a pot that the taper drops off suddenly and acts more like an on/off switch? Doubtful.

That's why we use what we do...No hidden agenda (hear that SLAPSHOT)....Just truth.

[MrRhoads]

The Alpha´s which are the same size as the finest CTS pots sounds as good as CTS finest and i´ve tried them both.
Bourns have push-pulls to but i haven´t tried them so don´t know but i belive they´re good quality.

The Aplha´s that we´re original in my 1987 MIJ Fender Stratocaster worked fine until they we´re replaced in 2010 which makes about 23years and between 2004-2010 they didn´t change in "any" way.
Alpha´s and CTS did sound alot better thoug

[MrRhoads]

Here´s how you enlarge the wholes by forum member Joneys

Epi LP upgrades, opening up the holes in the body with a T Handled wood reamer .wmv - YouTube

Epi LP upgrades, opening up the holes in the body with a T Handled wood reamer .wmv - YouTube

He also has some very nice pots to choose from and is very helpfull
Reach him at "jonesyblues@yahoo.com"

[martin6string]

Originally Posted by MrRhoads

Alpha´s and CTS did sound alot better thoug

Better than what and in what way?

[copperheadroad]

I keep a few alpha pots around ,some customers just don't want to spend the extra $$$ to upgrade there imports ,The large size Alpha's are not bad
The small Alpha's are junk

[SKATTERBRANE]

Ever hear of a rat tail file?

[SKATTERBRANE]

Originally Posted by slapshot

yes of course I have.

interesting idea.you don't happen to sell cts pots by any chance do you?

not to hijack with a defacto sales pitch or nothin but what exactly makes the controls more usable with a "cts" pot?
And why would you need to replace them in 6-12 months time?I know plenty of people who've had plenty of guitars who've had the same pots for over 30 years in their guitars quite at home with how they work,they're taper,reliability and sound.

I still stand by my original statement.

If the pots one has are satisfactory, you probably never have to replace them.

The major differences in pots are the sweep, the nominal value, and the tolerance.

All pots having the same value will sound the same at 10. The differences come in where some have a better sweep from 0-10 than others. For people who NEVER use their pots, well, it does not matter. But for those who do not lean on pedals for every little nuance, but would rather use their volume and tone pots, how they behave, what the taper is, is a huge concern.

Alpha pots are crap. CTS pots with the proper taper, (and there are MANY choices) are the standard. There are even better ones, but they tend to be pretty expensive.

Now for the tolerance, with +/- 20% a 500K pot could be as low as 400K! +/- 10 would have a worse case value of 450K

[SKATTERBRANE]

And I agree, if you are going to the trouble of an upgrade, why swap one pile of crap for a different pile of crap? At least step up a grade or two. It makes me laugh when people take out their Stock 57 Classic pickups and replace them with some cheapo Chinese pickup set!

[lorenzo]

Originally Posted by MrRhoads

Here´s how you enlarge the wholes by forum member Joneys
Epi LP upgrades, opening up the holes in the body with a T Handled wood reamer .wmv - YouTube
He also has some very nice pots to choose from and is very helpfull
Reach him at "jonesyblues@yahoo.com"

I already seen this video, but thanks for the research and help, jonesy!

[copperheadroad]

Some use a step drill bit to enlarge the holes ,Like in this videos
Installing a Mojotone 335 Assembly
but I do like that reamer in jonesy's video ,It don't get any easier than that

[MrRhoads]

Originally Posted by martin6string

Better than what and in what way?

This Alpha (Alphas finest) http://static.zoovy.com/img/guitarel..._push_pull.jpg
And this CTS http://jonesyblues.com/images/7a0266...32906b21a0.jpg
Are the best sounding ones i´ve had and i belive it´s the best series from both companies

[martin6string]

Originally Posted by MrRhoads

This Alpha (Alphas finest) http://static.zoovy.com/img/guitarel..._push_pull.jpg
And this CTS http://jonesyblues.com/images/7a0266...32906b21a0.jpg
Are the best sounding ones i´ve had and i belive it´s the best series from both companies

We aren't talking about push/pulls, which is that the Alpha link you posted is. Completely different comparison.

I echo you thoughts on the CTS550K's though. Excellent pots. Been using them for many years. In fact, I think I had one of the first batches that WD distributed.

[MrRhoads]

Originally Posted by martin6string

We aren't talking about push/pulls, which is that the Alpha link you posted is. Completely different comparison.

I echo you thoughts on the CTS550K's though. Excellent pots. Been using them for many years. In fact, I think I had one of the first batches that WD distributed.

The push-pulls are the ones i was reffering to regarding Alpha, haven´t seen any of their other pots with the USA measure bushings which is aprox 9,8mm i think.
If i don´t need push-pulls i always go with the CTS550K´s both for singlecoil and humbucker

[NovaSDF]

I used the sandpaper method, but I wouldn't roll it around a pencil. Just take a good piece of medium sandpaper and simply roll it up. Work it up and down inside the hole. Hold the paper gently so that the roll will expand as the hole does. This will keep the hole uniformly round. Test the pot every few seconds for fit, so you don't over-enlarge the hole. You just want it to snugly fit in place.

This is a very gentle method of enlarging the hole that won't hurt the finish of your guitar in any way.

Reamers are awesome, but can be intimidating compared to using the sandpaper method.

The difference in hole size is actually very small, so it usually only takes a few minutes per pot to make the necessary enlargement.

It worked brilliantly on my Epi.

The only thing to remember is that the shaft itself on the Imperial Standard pots is also a tiny bit larger, so your Epi (Asian) knobs are not going to fit. You will need to spring for a decent set of replacement knobs.

(I understand that you can also pinch the ends of the split shaft a bit to get your Epi knobs to fit, but I found the Gibson nobs to be a bit nicer in quality, so I decided to upgrade to those.)

[lorenzo]

Originally Posted by NovaSDF

I used the sandpaper method, but I wouldn't roll it around a pencil. Just take a good piece of medium sandpaper and simply roll it up. Work it up and down inside the hole. Hold the paper gently so that the roll will expand as the hole does. This will keep the hole uniformly round. Test the pot every few seconds for fit, so you don't over-enlarge the hole. You just want it to snugly fit in place.

This is a very gentle method of enlarging the hole that won't hurt the finish of your guitar in any way.

Reamers are awesome, but can be intimidating compared to using the sandpaper method.

The difference in hole size is actually very small, so it usually only takes a few minutes per pot to make the necessary enlargement.

It worked brilliantly on my Epi.

The only thing to remember is that the shaft itself on the Imperial Standard pots is also a tiny bit larger, so your Epi (Asian) knobs are not going to fit. You will need to spring for a decent set of replacement knobs.

(I understand that you can also pinch the ends of the split shaft a bit to get your Epi knobs to fit, but I found the Gibson nobs to be a bit nicer in quality, so I decided to upgrade to those.)

Very interesting point of view! Thanks for the detailed tips!

[lorenzo]

Originally Posted by MrRhoads

The push-pulls are the ones i was reffering to regarding Alpha, haven´t seen any of their other pots with the USA measure bushings which is aprox 9,8mm i think.
If i don´t need push-pulls i always go with the CTS550K´s both for singlecoil and humbucker

I found the CTS 550k MINI POT and the CTS 500k (normal size) for a good price and excelent shipping rates to my country at Hoagland Brothers, but they didn't have the standard 550k.
Where can I find 550k CTS pots for a good price?