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18 or 24 tag on potentiometer and knobs.

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  • 18 or 24 tag on potentiometer and knobs.

    Can anyone tell me if there is a system with what/who has coarse knurled (18) and what/who has fine knurled (24)??
    I want to be sure next time I order potentiometer and knobs that they will fit.

  • #2
    Originally posted by SteikBacon View Post
    Can anyone tell me if there is a system with what/who has coarse knurled (18) and what/who has fine knurled (24)??
    I want to be sure next time I order potentiometer and knobs that they will fit.
    Most any pot you buy in america now is going to be Split shaft 24 knurls. This includes standard CTS, R.S. Guitar Works, Doctor Vintage, etc.

    I deal with a company in Korea that sells both and I once mistakenly ordered 1000 knobs with 18 knurls. grrrr.

    Solid post pots I believe are usually 18, but split shaft are 24.

    b.

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    • #3
      Hmm,
      This has not been my experience but it's good to know.
      I have never seen a 24 spline pot shaft ever. Are these exclusive to 1/4" shafts?
      90% of the pots I see are 16mm mini pots with 6mm, 18 pt, split shafts. Again I only deal with basses so I'm sure that explains my ignorance.

      I'd love to see a comprehensive list of guitar pots and easy identifiers. I have a side line of custom knobs and I've had to make a special broach to handle the nylon inserts for the various shaft sizes and now spline counts. Mostly I need to worry about customers being able to identify their pots correctly and that worries me more than ever.

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      • #4
        I ordered pots and knobs from the same place that didn´t match. Pots with 24, knob had 18.
        Don´t know if we can trust pictures either. But if we can, then it wouldn´t matter cause the knob might be wrong. So we have to do the custom modification and close the splitted shaft. But I dont like that solution.
        I see RS and Bourns premium pots have 24. Guess I go for that.

        Fine knurled with 24 is also called metric.
        Coarse knurled with 18 is called inch.

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        • #5
          Are those bournes pots any good? Im hearing thier name come up more and more. Are they asian or american made?

          b

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          • #6
            I've always considered Bourns to be some of the best pots made.
            It would be possible to describe everything scientifically, but it would make no sense; it would be without meaning, as if you described a Beethoven symphony as a variation of wave pressure. — Albert Einstein


            http://coneyislandguitars.com
            www.soundcloud.com/davidravenmoon

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            • #7
              I like where this is going. What Bournes pots are people using? Like them because? Etc.

              Another question...

              mini pots are bad because? And full sized pots are better because?

              Billy Bones

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              • #8
                ....

                Really cheap Asian guitars usually come with mini-pots and replacing them in the guitars I've gotten has made a big difference in the wiring harness and tone. But guess, what, in the new Les Paul Handbook they show the guts of an old Les Paul with P90s, and they used mini-pots back then in it. I'm sure they were American made but it was a surprise to see those....
                http://www.SDpickups.com
                Stephens Design Pickups

                Comment


                • #9
                  Originally posted by Billy Bones View Post
                  I like where this is going. What Bournes pots are people using? Like them because? Etc.

                  Another question...

                  mini pots are bad because? And full sized pots are better because?

                  Billy Bones
                  I've used these new Bourns pots in a few guitars and really like them, they are high quality and reasonably priced, and easy to get.

                  http://www.mouser.com/Search/Refine....B241GTR01504A2

                  http://www.bourns.com/data/global/pdfs/PDB241-GTR.pdf

                  I've used a bunch of mini pots in effect pedals, and they are unreliable IMO, mainly as they are too sensitive to heat on the lugs. Just a bit too much heat and they get intermittent contacts. The regular size pots seem almost immune to this problem though.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Originally posted by Billy Bones View Post
                    I like where this is going. What Bournes pots are people using? Like them because? Etc.
                    Gibson is even using them in the newer guitars. They are high quality and sealed, so you don't have an issue with them getting dirty.



                    I first used them back in the 70's.

                    You can get them through places like Mouser, and even AllParts. Probably way cheaper from Mouser!

                    The really good sealed ones look like this.



                    Another question...

                    mini pots are bad because? And full sized pots are better because?
                    They aren't bad, but as Possum mentioned they are associated with cheap pots.

                    MKB, don't you use a heat sink when you solder? I always used one of those little clip things, or a pair of hemostats.
                    It would be possible to describe everything scientifically, but it would make no sense; it would be without meaning, as if you described a Beethoven symphony as a variation of wave pressure. — Albert Einstein


                    http://coneyislandguitars.com
                    www.soundcloud.com/davidravenmoon

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      All size pots come in several grades with ratings to go along. A good quality carbon pot is just fine regardless of the provenance provided it's rating are adequate for the intended use. Unfortunately unless you are ordering directly from the manufacturer you won't have much clue as to the quality and life expectancy and ordering direct entails 12 week lead-times or more and a minimum quantity of 1000-5000 pieces per value.

                      Sealed, plastic element pots are quieter in theory but they still get noisy and "dirty" sounding over time and then you can't clean them unless you drill a hole in the back. At $6 each or more I don't think they are a worthwhile investment for most players.

                      Bournes are all made in Mexico, at least the ones you can afford.
                      Clarostat makes some decent smaller ones aka "The quiet one" which are 16mm and not readily available in audio taper or anything over 100K but they work well.

                      The alps brand sealed, 12mm are some of the best available at any price and they run about $3 per @1000pc. You'll see them in a lot of high-end mixing desks .

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                      • #12
                        The Alps pots are good. EMG uses those for the preamps and blend pots.
                        It would be possible to describe everything scientifically, but it would make no sense; it would be without meaning, as if you described a Beethoven symphony as a variation of wave pressure. — Albert Einstein


                        http://coneyislandguitars.com
                        www.soundcloud.com/davidravenmoon

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          All the EMG pots I've ever seen were made by Noble.

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                          • #14
                            Originally posted by David King View Post
                            All the EMG pots I've ever seen were made by Noble.
                            You are correct sir! I went back and looked... mixed up my pot manufacturers.

                            Noble makes good stuff too.
                            It would be possible to describe everything scientifically, but it would make no sense; it would be without meaning, as if you described a Beethoven symphony as a variation of wave pressure. — Albert Einstein


                            http://coneyislandguitars.com
                            www.soundcloud.com/davidravenmoon

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              I´m trying this now http://www.farnell.com/datasheets/27516.pdf
                              And guess what. This has 24 tag.

                              While this has 18.
                              http://www.bourns.com/data/global/pdfs/PDB241-GTR.pdf
                              The shaft is also too big for my knobs.

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