Best Centralab replicas?

[Sterling # Sound]

I know this has been covered before, but I hope that maybe some companies have started reproducing the original 500k Centralab pots that were used in the late 50s Les Pauls. It would be great to have something which is so close to the real thing that it's indistinguishable from the original. Things I'm after are: the correct value (preferably slightly above 500k), right audio taper, the right friction, the same materials / magnetic properties etc.

Real pots from '59 are now 200-300 USD, and there's no way for me to tell if they're real and untouched. I can't imagine that the components are that expensive but to have a run that makes money for a vendor must be quite an investment?

Some examples of pots that I've heard are good:

- Mojotone
- RS Guitarworks Superpots
- PRS or Hamer CTS pots
- any I forgot?

 

[MrRhoads]

- any I forgot?

Yeah, check out Home Page or talk to forum member Jonesy on the forum directly.
He knows alot and has real quality stuff.
He has old original CRL ceramic caps so check with him to

 

[jonesy]

All I use are the 10% CTS500K, built to 550K specs smooth custom taper, nice even roll off. These are nicest current production CTS pots I have run across so far.

http://www.wdmusic.com/cts_500k_audio_taper_pot_10_tolerance.html

 

[Sterling # Sound]

Yeah, check out Home Page or talk to forum member Jonesy on the forum directly.
He knows alot and has real quality stuff.
He has old original CRL ceramic caps so check with him to

Thanks! Any users (not vendors) who can chime in ?

 

[Mike60]

wasn't aware centralabs were replicated by anyone.

 

[Sterling # Sound]

wasn't aware centralabs were replicated by anyone.

Precisely. Hence my question IF anyone is doing this and why I mentioned "I hope that maybe some companies have started reproducing the original 500k Centralab pots"

 

[5F6-A]

I believe CTS TVTs are CEntralab repros.....

 

[Mike60]

I believe CTS TVTs are CEntralab repros.....

I have a set of the RetroSpec TVT's...they don't look like centralabs but they do sound and behave like centralabs...

 

[NowGibson]

All I use are the 10% CTS500K, built to 550K specs smooth custom taper, nice even roll off. These are nicest current production CTS pots I have run across so far.

http://www.wdmusic.com/cts_500k_audio_taper_pot_10_tolerance.html

How do these compare with the R S pots,are they easier to turn?

 

[r9in09]

I used the CTS TVT pots on my replica kit and I like them overall. The turning friction is very smooth too.

 

[NowGibson]

I used the CTS TVT pots on my replica kit and I like them overall. The turning friction is very smooth too.

Thanks, I have clabs in my R7 and R S in my R9, the clabs take a lighter touch to turn and I'm use to them.

 

[Sterling # Sound]

Thanks, I have clabs in my R7 and R S in my R9, the clabs take a lighter touch to turn and I'm use to them.

As in Centralabs, the originals?

 

[NowGibson]

As in Centralabs, the originals?

Yes, originals.
Have some cts tvt from crazy parts coming to try.

 

[Sterling # Sound]

Yes, originals.
Have some cts tvt from crazy parts coming to try.

Thanks, it would be great to learn from your experience. very curious about the differences in feel, taper, tone and pot value?

 

[NowGibson]

Thanks, it would be great to learn from your experience. very curious about the differences in feel, taper, tone and pot value?

Got my CP pots today and they're a little stiff in the turning torque and read 516/521, taper was low on 0-1=2,1-2=30,2-3=70,3-4=110,4-5=136,5-6=188,6-7=271,7-8=373,8-9=492,9-10=521.
clab C-2 taper element/cts split shaft hybrid-0-1=6,1-2=14,2-3=25,3-4=41,4-5=104,5-6=282,6-7=408,7-8=490,8-9=537,9-10=542.
turning torque is smooth/easy.
I'll be putting up sets for sale as I have way to much stuff if anyones interested.

 

[Sterling # Sound]

Got my CP pots today and they're a little stiff in the turning torque and read 516/521, taper was low on 0-1=2,1-2=30,2-3=70,3-4=110,4-5=136,5-6=188,6-7=271,7-8=373,8-9=492,9-10=521.
clab C-2 taper element/cts split shaft hybrid-0-1=6,1-2=14,2-3=25,3-4=41,4-5=104,5-6=282,6-7=408,7-8=490,8-9=537,9-10=542.
turning torque is smooth/easy.
I'll be putting up sets for sale as I have way to much stuff if anyones interested.

Thanks, would be great to see it in a graph, little hard to read now.

 

[NowGibson]

"Thanks, would be great to see it in a graph, little hard to read now. "
View attachment cts clab graph.doc

Not sure if this will work but here's an Excel graph pasted in Word doc of the values.
I tried it and it will come up if you have Word installed.

 

[Sterling # Sound]

BUMP

Any progress made in the last 6 months? Any business tried to replicate the Centralabs piece by piece, with exact same materials etc.?

 

[tuco]

It is amazing that with all the retro parts craze that centralabs haven't been reproduced/replicated.

 

[Sterling # Sound]

It is amazing that with all the retro parts craze that centralabs haven't been reproduced/replicated.

My thoughts exactly! They have focused on the taper and the tolerances, but a 1:1 copy of the original materials and dimensions hasn't been done.