MojoTone Vintage Taper Pots

[ashbass]

Man, these are $5.15 and they are great.

30% taper (just like vintage potentiometers)
7% tolerance

Using these in all four holes on my 98 R7 and the tone controls now give me at least 5 different pickups. Yes pickups. My 57 Classic + in the bridge position sounds great with the Tone on 10 and when rolled back a little to about 8 the pickup sounds like a different pickup. The sound is that distinct from 10. Roll down some more and the 57 sounds like still another pickup and at 0 it sounds still different. I have Luxe bees in there for the tone controls and their sound surely makes a difference (I've never heard the "cocked wah" sound before but I hear it now with tone on 0) but I attribute it more to the tone pot and it's taper that lets me get so many in-between tones than other pots.

Anyone else?

 

[kmasters68]

Interesting. I just dropped a set of Bourne low friction in an explorer and my first impression is that they're better than CTS. But what you're describing is VERY intriguing. I look forward to hearing others' opinions.

 

[moreles]

Like Kmasters68, I have found Bourns to be preferable to CTS recently. Normally, I spend a few extra bucks to get whatever part is hyped as being "best," but I recently installed some Bourns pots when I couldn't get CTS, and I found the feel and taper to be superior to the various iterations of CTS, including various "special" design/brands. Now I always use Bourns. I am absolutely not sold on CTS and encourage others to check out the competition. The guitar world is super conservative, and this hidebound loyalty does not always help pressure manufacturers to improve.

 

[ARandall]

Everyone likes what they want to hear.
I remember two threads which were concurrent but on different forums. One about a guy complaining about the abrupt taper on his pots and not understanding why anyone would want that or why they would ever be fitted stock......the other complaining about the gradual taper on his pots and wondering why they would ever be fitted stock.

The key is finding the right pot for the right guitar and pickup. Given pickups clean up in different ways even from one to another might need a different brand of pot.

 

[mrfett]

yeah we all like different things. i think the Mojotone Vintage tapers are great for volumes but horrid for tone controls. much prefer an Audio taper pot for my tone controls.

 

[ashbass]

The onesI have are all audio taper. Both vol and tone.

 

[Tsquared]

I use them on most everything. They work for me as volume or tone, and are very consistent in quality. Bargain at the price.
Having said that, I've used Bourns, and they are also excellent.

 

[mrfett]

The onesI have are all audio taper. Both vol and tone.

that's interesting. i've tried them twice and found them useless as Tone controls, ripped them out.

 

[ashbass]

that's interesting. i've tried them twice and found them useless as Tone controls, ripped them out.

It could be the whole of my guitar. I have Luxe repro bees and 57 classics for pickups.

 

[TheX]

Ohms are ohms and taper is taper. As long as the pots are functioning properly you get what you get. It's a filter circuit. No magic to be had here.

 

[ashbass]

There is magic if I can use the entire sweep of the tone control and get distinctly different tones out of all of 1-10 instead of the typical 10 and then 2-1 on the dial. Like I said, this pot is a realistic taper that make all knob positions sound good and unique. Compared to the pots and their tone controls over my playing history, these pots are do indeed sound like magic.

 

[Mookakian]

Mojos are my favs too But sometimes I prefer the WD Music taper, depends on the pickups and desires, my rock rig (Tele/Plexi) I love a lil boost at the end, works great with the amp set on crunch single master so WD MUSIC all the way, prog rock/Metal/Clean I prefer the Mojotone CTS as the sweep is a little smoother at 8-11 on the volume

Bourns premiums are very similar to the WD's but a more gradual sweep at the start that is perfect for volume sweeling to my hands, the possibilities are endless now days, and its delicious!!! WD even have their custom Taper CTS in a mini pot for small cavities (in my telecaster with mid cut and series mod) And this year there are CTS push pulls!! Good times for techs and players alike

 

[mrfett]

It could be the whole of my guitar. I have Luxe repro bees and 57 classics for pickups.

The worst performance was with some PIO caps and a P-90 (harness for a Jr). Then I tried them in a LP with PIO caps and Tim Shaws.

But hey we all hear things differently so who knows. As was mentioned there are a lot of good options for pots nowadays. I still use the MojoTones for Volume.