Best pots?????

[richedie]

Who do you all think makes the best pots with the best taper? I see RS, WCR, Hamer, PRS, there are lots of good pots on the market. Anyone have an opinion on what they find to be the best for the price?

[b-squared]

You should make a poll...

BB

[Weldaar]

https://www.shop.wymoreguitars.com/splashPage.hg

[rick13]

Try West Labs...they use Clarostat pots made for them. They are solid shaft , so I am doing a bit of retrofitting to make them knurled. Allessandro makes some real good expensive pots!
Rick

[b-squared]

RS Guitarworks Superpots for volume control.

CTS 500K for tone.

BB

[richedie]

I am using plain $5 CTS pots but man the pot in my PRS is so nice and I know they use custom taper pots like Hamer. Then you have the custom taper RS and WCR pots. UGH!

Maybe Hamer it is. Problem is.....I tend to like 300k for volume.

[dwagar]

Originally Posted by b-squared

RS Guitarworks Superpots for volume control.

CTS 500K for tone.

BB

+1

works for me too.

[5F6-A]

Some people seem to ignore that RS superpots's taper is very spread out and slow, unlyke Centralabs.
My fave are CTS centralab repros.

[Billy1953]

RS Guitarworks Superpots for Volume CTS 500k pots for tone

[Billy1953]

Who carries the CTS Centralab Repros?

[5F6-A]

Originally Posted by Billy1953

Who carries the CTS Centralab Repros?

RS sells them in the Greg Martin kit. The taper is nearly identical to the last batch of Centralabs and the built construction is like the Superpot... highly recommended.

[Billy1953]

Thanks Bro,I just ordered some stuff from them...Will they fit in a historic?

[richedie]

Originally Posted by 5F6-A

RS sells them in the Greg Martin kit. The taper is nearly identical to the last batch of Centralabs and the built construction is like the Superpot... highly recommended.

Do you have to buy that kit? Maybe I can get them on their own. Do you know the value?

I am thiking of Hamer pots because I would prefer 450k and I think they are 450.

How do the RS and WCR for example compare to plain $5 CTS pots?

I must say the stock PRS pot in my 94 CE 22 is amazing! Way better than stock Gibsons.

[5F6-A]

Originally Posted by richedie

Do you have to buy that kit? Maybe I can get them on their own. Do you know the value?

I.

You'll have to ask Roy @ RS. The values are always a little bit under 500k.

[richedie]

I have heard people say the pots these guys use are nothing but relabeled plain CTS pots so it is not worth it...but I don't buy it. I have used the Hamer pots and I know my PRS pots are way different than the $5 CTS pots I buy so I am confident these special pots are much better and have a better sweep.

I wonder if anyone has done a head to head comparison with something like a standard 500k CTS and a Hamer or RS or WCR, etc.

Some of these kits are really specialized like RS and Grimlin Engineering.

[b-squared]

Dude--you may have to just buy a few pots and do your own taste test. They aren't that expensive. You might even decide to mix/match, based on what you think sounds better with each pickup.

I've seen you asking the same question on several threads, and I don't think you'll ever get a definitive answer. We all like what we like, and I'm not sure anyone here has tried everything.

Me, I'm a solid RS customer--I know them, have 4 of their kits in my guitars, and really don't want anyone else's stuff. Another member may have the exact same opinion of another vendor.

It's the nature of the beast. In the end you have to answer it for yourself.

I'd still be interested in hearing your opinion once you make a decision.

Cheers, my friend.

BB

[billy]

what about the DR.Vintage early spec control kit, they use CTS and are custom made to be like the centralabs ones.... anyone got them. What are they like.....

[richedie]

Well, I have been buying pots and caps and trying to find a free weekend where I can go to town trying these things. One problem is my Hamer pots are short shaft and I still have that plate in the control cavity so I need long shaft for that.

I was thinking, a lot of guys like 300k bridge pots. I actually like them at times as well. However, rolling the tone pot back also rolls back mids, which is not good. So, if you start with a 300k tone pot, are you also starting with less mids? Interesting.

I am also thikning of grabbing a ToneStyler tone pot! My one concern with that thing is....why not just set your amp up with less highs to begin with and keeop the guitar with standard pots. I have to think if I would need all those tone settings. Could come in handy.

[THRILLHO]

where can i buy hamer custom taper pots? what kind of pots are the ones on allparts? stewmac?

[lexluthier]

If I can find them, NOS or used Centralabs are my #1 choice. They have THE taper IMO.

Otherwise I use CTS.

PRS has custom made pots that are real nice, but they are expensive.

CGE are of such poor quality they do not deserve to be installed in any professional instrument.

Allesandro pots are made by PEC I believe, great quality but expensive.

[Blues Power]

i find no matter what you use they tend to have a tolerance of about + or - 10%

I usually ohm them out with a meter bf i put them in and check for a smooth swing and make sure it zeros and maxes out to what it should

i have both good and bad luck with the name brands and just yesterday stuck in four $4.00 guitar works pots in my 80

they metered out great but time will tell if theyll hold up.

[b-squared]

My RS pots for my future '76 LP Custom refit came in yesterday. Superpots and CTS 500s...I also got my NOS Vitamin Q caps from Jonesy...coolness.



BB

[Texas07R8]

Just remember whether you get CTS or whathave you, there are two kinds of pots, AUDIO TAPER AND LINEAR TAPER.I believe most here use Audio Taper. That's what I've used in the past and have been very happy with my choice of CTS 500k AT.

[BCRGreg]

I sell the Hamer pots.

They are the perfect volume pot for ME.

All of my vintage Gibsons have them........

[hillbilly]

Originally Posted by Texas07R8

Just remember whether you get CTS or whathave you, there are two kinds of pots, AUDIO TAPER AND LINEAR TAPER.I believe most here use Audio Taper. That's what I've used in the past and have been very happy with my choice of CTS 500k AT.

The RS SuperPots are neither Audio, nor Linear. The SuperPots are a unique taper unto themselves, and therefore respond better to volume adjustments than either of the other kind of pots mentioned.