Superpots from .. GuitarElectronics.com ? For volume AND tone.

[V!N]

Hey lads,

I was just browsing GuitarElectronics for some more ideas on wiring and then I saw they were selling their own kind of "Superpots" as well. 250k or 500k, only short shaft. Like the well appreciated RS Superpots (for volume) of our forum brother hillbilly, these are also custom made by CTS with a higher tolerance and a different taper. A big difference is that these are advertised to work good as volume AND tone pot.

Has anybody ever heard of these or perhaps even tried them ?


Here's the page on the short shaft 500k: CTS 500K Audio Taper Precision Tolerance Guitar Super Pot

NEW! Precision Tolerance 500K Audio Taper Super Pot from CTS. These CTS potentiometers are the highest quality pots available and are custom made to our exact standards & specifications. Specifically designed to provide superior performance in guitar volume and tone circuits. Custom features include:

• Low capacitance heavy duty carbon resistive element provides noise-free audio and a long life.
• Custom split tolerance of -3%/+7% prevents tone loss from load mismatches and low pot values. (Standard pot values can vary by +/-20%!)
• Precision taper provides a more even and consistent volume and tone operation than standard pots.
• Solid brass shaft provides a smooth feel, noise free operation and longer service life than aluminum shafts.
• Fine spline (USA) shaft for use as a direct upgrade/replacement in most American guitars
• Includes friction washer, top washer & mounting nut plus additional mounting nut for proper spacing on pick guards & control plates.
• Dimensions: Pot Diameter: 7/8" Threaded Bushing Length: 3/8" Shaft Spline Length: 3/8" Mounting Hole Size: 3/8"

[hillbilly]

DO NOT CONFUSE THEM WITH RS GUITARWORKS SUPERPOTS!!!

Those are "regular", everyday audio taper pots. It is not a substitute for the RS Guitarworks SuperPot, no matter what kind of flim-flam description they write.

RS Guitarworks sells CTS Audios for Tone controls based on the old CentraLab curve for $3 less! , and, the RS Guitarworks tolerances for CTS audios surpass this outfit.

[V!N]

Originally Posted by hillbilly

DO NOT CONFUSE THEM WITH RS GUITARWORKS SUPERPOTS!!!

I hear you, there's no doubt about that, my friend.
It was inevitable that more wiring gurus and part sellers would jump on the opportunity of selling better pots, pioneered by you and RS. Though I don't think they should have called theirs "Superpots" as well.

But are you saying their "precision taper" is just the regular logarithmic taper that standard pots have, only with a fancy name ?
"Precision taper provides a more even and consistent volume and tone operation than standard pots."

[gmacdonnell]

I don't think you could possibly make a volume pot like the RS Super Pot that works well for a tone control: the needs of each application are very different, and a compromise would have to be made somewhere.

By way of example, Dimarzio has offered a "custom tapered for guitar" vol. and tone pot for years. It's a great pot, a nice upgrade for most guitars, but it's still significantly inferior to the RS pot as a volume control. Likewise, PRS and Hamer both have specialized pots that are based on the Centralab design, but they too, don't have the control and precision of the RS volume.

RS's pots have a patented taper, so no other company could make something like it without infringing on them.
I'm sure we'll see a lot more copies as RS gains more fame, but to me, this sounds like snake oil, for an extra $3.

It's actually cheaper to get 2 RS pots and 2 RS centralab-tone pots anyway...

[hillbilly]

Originally Posted by V!N

I hear you, there's no doubt about that, my friend.
It was inevitable that more wiring gurus and part sellers would jump on the opportunity of selling better pots, pioneered by you and RS. Though I don't think they should have called theirs "Superpots" as well.

But are you saying their "precision taper" is just the regular logarithmic taper that standard pots have, only with a fancy name ?
"Precision taper provides a more even and consistent volume and tone operation than standard pots."

Even they say it's an "audio taper" pot, so the 'super' part of the name is total bullshit. Their claims are dubious to say the least.

[gmacdonnell]

Originally Posted by hillbilly

Even they say it's an "audio taper" pot, so the 'super' part of the name is total bullshit. Their claims are dubious to say the least.

Haha, if you read it closely, the word "precision" describes the tolerances and the construction, and has nothing to do with the actual taper of the pot, or its functionality.

Sneaky b*stards...

[5F6-A]

smells fishy....