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SurfGuitar101 Forums » Gear »

Volume pot replacement for Jaguar - linear vs taper

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Rob_J Joined: Sep 29, 2007 Posts: 500 Sacto, CA	Posted on Mar 08 2015 06:24 PM So, here's my problem. The volume pot in my Johnny Marr Jaguar goes from "too loud" to "barely audible" with as little as a sixteen of an inch turn. There seems to be a spot on the dial where it's "all or nothing" volume-wise. Is this because it has a "taper" pot and should have a "linear" pot? What replacement pot would right to solve this problem? Two friends have the same problems on a Squier Jazzmaster and also an AVRI Jazzmaster. What's the "fix"? Top
driptone Joined: Feb 08, 2015 Posts: 32 Chicago	Posted on Mar 08 2015 09:59 PM Linear tapered pots do have a dramatic sweep. You probably will like the other kind better. I do. Top
driptone Joined: Feb 08, 2015 Posts: 32 Chicago	Posted on Mar 08 2015 10:01 PM The other kind.. I mean audio taper. These have a much more gradual sweep. Top
synchro Joined: Feb 02, 2008 Posts: 4554 Not One-Sawn, but Two-Sawn . . . AZ.	Posted on Mar 08 2015 11:54 PM What you are describing sounds lime a straight taper pot. Audio taper matches the logarithmic response curve of perception and should avoid the all or nothing behavior you describe. — The artist formerly known as: Synchro When Surf Guitar is outlawed only outlaws will play Surf Guitar. Top
JakeDobner Joined: Feb 26, 2006 Posts: 12159 Seattle	Posted on Mar 09 2015 03:47 AM I hate both types... Top
CrazyAces Joined: Jul 31, 2012 Posts: 4053 Nashville, TN.	Posted on Mar 09 2015 10:33 AM Another thing to consider, especially if you're comparing the taper to other guitars like Tele's or Strats...... Most Jags, Jazzy's use 1 meg pots. 1 meg and 500K pots have pretty horrible tapers (especially with single coil pickups) compared to a 250K audio which is the value used in Teles and Strats. The 250K will gut some highs, maybe a little less sub lows but would have the most musical taper of the lot. Cheers, Jeff — http://www.facebook.com/CrazyAcesMusic http://www.youtube.com/user/crazyacesrock http://www.reverbnation.com/crazyacesmusic Top
synchro Joined: Feb 02, 2008 Posts: 4554 Not One-Sawn, but Two-Sawn . . . AZ.	Posted on Mar 09 2015 10:40 AM CrazyAces wrote: Another thing to consider, especially if you're comparing the taper to other guitars like Tele's or Strats...... Most Jags, Jazzy's use 1 meg pots. 1 meg and 500K pots have pretty horrible tapers (especially with single coil pickups) compared to a 250K audio which is the value used in Teles and Strats. The 250K will gut some highs, maybe a little less sub lows but would have the most musical taper of the lot. Cheers, Jeff I've concluded that if I ever bought another Jaguar I'd install 250 pots. — The artist formerly known as: Synchro When Surf Guitar is outlawed only outlaws will play Surf Guitar. Top
CrazyAces Joined: Jul 31, 2012 Posts: 4053 Nashville, TN.	Posted on Mar 09 2015 10:46 AM synchro wrote: CrazyAces wrote: Another thing to consider, especially if you're comparing the taper to other guitars like Tele's or Strats...... Most Jags, Jazzy's use 1 meg pots. 1 meg and 500K pots have pretty horrible tapers (especially with single coil pickups) compared to a 250K audio which is the value used in Teles and Strats. The 250K will gut some highs, maybe a little less sub lows but would have the most musical taper of the lot. Cheers, Jeff I've concluded that if I ever bought another Jaguar I'd install 250 pots. I have 250K pot in my Jag but then again I put them in most guitars — http://www.facebook.com/CrazyAcesMusic http://www.youtube.com/user/crazyacesrock http://www.reverbnation.com/crazyacesmusic Top
synchro Joined: Feb 02, 2008 Posts: 4554 Not One-Sawn, but Two-Sawn . . . AZ.	Posted on Mar 09 2015 10:53 AM CrazyAces wrote: synchro wrote: CrazyAces wrote: Another thing to consider, especially if you're comparing the taper to other guitars like Tele's or Strats...... Most Jags, Jazzy's use 1 meg pots. 1 meg and 500K pots have pretty horrible tapers (especially with single coil pickups) compared to a 250K audio which is the value used in Teles and Strats. The 250K will gut some highs, maybe a little less sub lows but would have the most musical taper of the lot. Cheers, Jeff I've concluded that if I ever bought another Jaguar I'd install 250 pots. I have 250K pot in my Jag but then again I put them in most guitars I always had the tone rolled back slightly on my Jag anyhow. Might as well just put in a 250. There's not that much difference in sound. — The artist formerly known as: Synchro When Surf Guitar is outlawed only outlaws will play Surf Guitar. Top
Stormtiger Joined: Dec 12, 2006 Posts: 2687 Ventura, CA	Posted on Mar 09 2015 11:38 AM My Jaguar volume used to drop out as soon as I rolled back the pot. I put an RS Super Pot in there (recommended by Dave Wronski) and now I have the full sweep on the volume pot. I also replaced the tone pot with a 250k. The link is for a 500k Super Pot but I think mine is 290K, this mod made a huge difference if you use the volume pot: http://store.rsguitarworks.net/rs-guitarworks-500k-superpot-short/dp/181 Top
CrazyAces Joined: Jul 31, 2012 Posts: 4053 Nashville, TN.	Posted on Mar 09 2015 11:39 AM FWIW, the value of your Super pot most likely can be attributed to the difference. — http://www.facebook.com/CrazyAcesMusic http://www.youtube.com/user/crazyacesrock http://www.reverbnation.com/crazyacesmusic Top
dboomer Joined: Jan 05, 2009 Posts: 262 Port Hueneme, CA	Posted on Mar 09 2015 12:48 PM Linear vs audio taper pots - A linear taper pot will adjust voltage in a linear fashion, e.g. Turn it up 20% and get a 20% increase in voltage. But when human hearing is not a linear function. A 20% increase cannot even be heard (it takes almost a 100% increase in power to be noticed). So audio taper pots increase value very quickly from zero on up so that a 20% change in rotation should be heard as a 20% change in hearing. All that said, your problem might be that the two outside terminals of the pot were wired backwards. You could swap them and give it a listen. Top
Stormtiger Joined: Dec 12, 2006 Posts: 2687 Ventura, CA	Posted on Mar 09 2015 01:14 PM CrazyAces wrote: FWIW, the value of your Super pot most likely can be attributed to the difference. No doubt, the pot is just a little fancier than a regular 250k CTS but it is the mod that had the most dramatic change in the guitar, even after I rewired it like Telecaster wiring, .22 tone cap and new Vintage '65 Jaguar pickups. Top
eddiekatcher Joined: Mar 14, 2006 Posts: 2778 Atlanta, GA	Posted on Mar 09 2015 02:34 PM You may also be hearing a dramatic reduction of the high frequencies as you roll back the volume pot from WFO. That loss of highs can give you the impression that the output has drastically dropped off. A simple high pass filter (as in the bright switch on the blackface amps) wired across the volume pot can help reduce the apparent drop. I prefer a 500k audio taper with a 1000pfd cap wired across the hot pickup lead on the pot to the wiper. That combo works really good. You can find an assortment of small caps at Radio Slack for a few bucks. It's a super easy experiment on the Jag as the volume and tone pots are so quick to get to. Don't like it? Clip it out. You can also try bridging the two outside terminals on the 1 Meg pot with a 1 meg resistor to approximate the 500K load. Another simple thing to try. Or you can go by some pots and play. It's simply a matter of personal preference. Back off on the volume control? Blasphemy! reverbs, ed — Traditional........speak softly and play through a big blonde amp. Did I mention that I still like big blonde amps? Top
Rob_J Joined: Sep 29, 2007 Posts: 500 Sacto, CA	Posted on Mar 09 2015 08:48 PM Thanks for all of the suggestions. I appreciate it. It gives me a lot to think about and some things to try. Top

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