Guitar pots, otherwise known as potentiometers, have a substantial role in generating the right tone that you love to develop. So, it’s very crucial to replace old pots with the new one if you need a mellifluous sound. You can easily get rid of some of the worst guitar frequencies by changing the guitar pots. In the case of electric guitars, people have more freedom to attain the desired tone out of their gear.
Before buying the right guitar pots, you have to delve deeply into the specifications and functions of each of them. The guitarists usually give more attention to different parts of guitars, such as the pickups, strings, etc. The pots are valued according to their resistance. This rating is extremely important on the tone of your guitar, which is set either at 250K or 500K. Here, we are going to explore the details of various recommended guitar pots.
What are Guitar Pots?
A guitar pot is essentially a component that permits you to make changes in controls. Guitar pots are inevitable to regulate volume and tone. Tone control helps you to vary the sound. It helps in muting or blending the signal from guitar pickups. Electrical and bass guitars consist of pots and caps.
They are existing in the hollow cavities of the guitar’s body. The control knobs present in the shaft assists you to make adequate changes in tone and volume. The designs present in potentiometers are short-shaft pots, long-shaft pots, and push-pull pots. Before replacing the pots,you should consider factors such as shaft length, diameter etc.
Best Pots for Guitar
[wptb id=452]
We must examine a lot of factors before selecting the best guitar potentiometers. Usually, guitarists say that each guitar’s tone is the key factor behind the selection of the type of pots needed. The desired pots can be determined based on the level of tone control that we require the most.
1. CTS 250k Audio Potentiometer
CTS 250K Audio Potentiometer is an amazing alternative for the telecasters and is known as telecaster pot. It consists of a Solid Brass Bushing and Shaft which has 250K Ohm Resistance, 10% Tolerance, Low Friction Rotation Short Shaft, 1/4 Inch Diameter Solid Shaft, etc.
The pot consists of hardware like 1X Nut, 1X Dress washer, and 1X Lock Washer. It is not suitable for guitars employing metric components. You can purchase the pot as a pair and it’s affordable too.
The 250k rating is suitable for single-coil pickups. Two dials can be effortlessly replaced by buying pots as a pair. The size of the pot is standard in measures. It perfectly functions with square telecasters. The shaft is shorter. This pot won’t suit for an imported guitar.
Pros:
- Excellent tone and volume control
- Durability is high
- Perfect for single-coil pickups
Cons:
- It has a 10% tolerance
- Less accurate than other pots
2. Fender Stratocaster 5-way Wiring Kit
Fender Stratocaster 5-way wiring kit includes 450G Series CTS pots having solid brass bushing, shafts, poor noise, and particular lubricant for good operation. The CRL 5-way switch is loaded well by increasing its reliability.
The kit encompasses a 022µF Drop capacitor and a Switch craft output jack. The Gavitt Vintage wiring is employed on Fender. There is no necessity for stripping the wire before soldering.
The rich sound rendered by this pot makes it a perfect match. The pot has a 5-way switch and has a rating of 250K. The weight of the pots is comparatively very low. The appearance of wiring is appreciable and it provides an elegant look.
Pros:
- The tone of the music is improved well
- The output jack makes the cable connection very smooth
Cons:
- Replacing the parts is a difficult task to do
- Pick up switch and plug didn’t make good connections in some of the samples
- Volume pot works only at 9-10 levels
3. Seymour Duncan YJM-500 Electrical Pot
Seymour Duncan YJM-500 Hi-Speed Volume Electric Guitar Pot has a high-speed audio taper rated with 500k resistance. This pot sustains a split shaft design and knobs are not included in it. we can use it for fast control of tone and volume.
The high-quality pot offers maximum durability. A special lubricant is used while designing the pot. If you want a smooth sound with volume swells, this is the perfect choice for you.
It is perfect as a volume and tone pot. The smooth nice taper adds elegance to the pot. It is considered the perfect choice for guitarists who need dynamic phrasing control. A large number of knobs can be housed in it due to the split shaft design.
Pros:
- The pot has high-speed
- It enables the smooth operation of guitars
- It is highly robust
- These pots can be used for a long period
Cons:
- The Soldering is difficult as lugs are small in size.
4. Allparts EP-4685-000 CTS Pot
The 250K Long Shaft Potentiometer has an Audio Taper and it is made by CTS Split Shaft. It is considered as one of the exquisite pots available today. The sound is fabulous because of its perfect fitting with the guitar parts.
This type has a particularly long shaft which enables it to diversify its usage. The 250k resistance is excellent for single-coiled guitars and is manufactured by leading manufacturers CTS. The long shaft makes it compatible with all guitar models.
The dial fixing process is quite easy in this pot. The pot can work greatly with deeper guitars. It is simple to fit and it makes the guitar sound incredible. It is the nicest choice for those with the single-coil guitar.
Pros:
- It is easy to fix the split shaft
- Dial fixing is simple to execute
- The pot utilizes a lengthy shaft
Cons:
- Only one pot is available in a single purchase
5. Tone Shaper Pot Pack for Gibson Pot
The pot has a Set of four CTS pots typically designed for Gibson-style guitars. It has 500k audio and 24-tooth knurl. The Pots with 5″ bushing lengths can be used for rear-routed applications.
It is difficult to fit this pot in an ES-335 or SG. It’s good to order Gibson pots in a configuration offering low torque. This makes them easier to turn than typical CTS pots with flat backs, as used by Gibson and many other sellers.
The pots do not possess 3/4″ length bushings. we need knobs with 24 teeth to work in Gibson pot. The most important feature of this type is the easiest way to turn on the pots
Pros:
- The pots have high quality and durability
- It is less expensive compared to others
- Hardware is included
Cons:
- UTS thread sizes demand increasing the hole size on non-USA guitars
- Typically designed for Gibson so it may not fit in all guitars
6. Kumis M10321 Guitar Wiring Harness
It consists of a 3 pickup harness 5-way switch with one volume and tone package. It has 2 sets of wiring harness. The pot comprises a 500k resistance which is perfect for humbucker pickups. It is amazingly designed and is affordable too.
The complete wiring harness can be easily installed into the guitar for a complete upgrade. The set is already wired so it’s very easy to connect its odd ends into the guitar. Thus, you can enjoy an effortless installation.
Along with the two pots that can be easily upgraded or replaced, it contains a 3-way toggle switch with reliable chrome, in-port for plugging the cables, and recording the sounds to connect them to the amplifier.
Pros:
- The entire wiring harness helps easily to upgrade the guitar
- A 3-way toggle switch which enables great guitar control
Cons:
- Soldering is inevitable while installing the harness
- Absence of accurate installation instructions
7. WD Music WD500 Full Size 500K Pot
This pot consists of a 500k ohm audio tapes and has a full size. It is mainly used for humbuckers and high output pickups. The pot has 3/8-32 thread and 24 splines. It has a 3/8″ Bushing height and 3/8″ shaft length.
The tolerance is just 20% in the case of WD music WD500 full size 500k pot. It has a very long shaft with a semi-hollow low body. The audio taper is perfect for volume and tone restrain.
The 500k pot is suitable for humbuckers. The installation is quick and easy to do. It does not offer you any disturbances while using and is quite smooth in operation
Pros:
- Installation cost is low
- Noise problems won’t occur in this type
- High-quality pot
- Easy to change the volume knobs
- Affordable
Cons:
- Soldering tabs break easily
- Legs bend off easily
- It is Mainly focused on tone feature only
Also Read: Best Tin Whistle for Beginners
Guitar Pots – Buying Guide
Looking at the above description about the guitar pots, it may seem to be complex. But it is quite easy to understand and by that, your buying decision also becomes simpler. You might be looking for guitar pots for upgrading your guitar by refreshing your old pots. Installation of these pots is the only difficult part but the purchase is made easy with this review guide. Following are the few factors that are to be considered before buying guitar pots.
1. Construction
While purchasing guitar pots, you must first look for its construction. It must have solid construction and has a reliable haul. They aren’t something that requires to be changed every now and then. Once changed, you can use these potentiometers for long.
2. Operation
When you purchase a new set of pots, you will realize that your guitar’s sound has become clearer and crisper. It makes the sound smooth along with perfecting the volume as well as the tone controls of the instrument. So, if that doesn’t happen when you insert new pots, then the pots aren’t working the best for you. This makes it important for you to check the pots settings as to whether it will be perfect for your guitar or not.
3. Resistance
Every guitar has pickup, it can be a single coil pickup or a double coil pickup. For a single coil pickup guitar, 250K resistance fits perfect and for a double coil or humbucking pickups, 500K resistance pots play a crucial role. So, as per the type of guitar you own, you must select the pots resistance power.
Also Read: Best Banjo for Beginners
Conclusion
After going through the specifications of each of the pots, you can easily find out the suitable one according to your budget and requirements. There are several options available for buying potentiometer according to our requirements.
The pots are suitable for both single coiled or humbucker coiled guitars. You should list out the resistance required and the budget before going through the available choices. Both 500k and 250k pots are available in the market depending on whether you want treble or humbucker pickup. Installation cost, durability, and performance have to be considered as factors of choosing the best pots for guitar.
1 thought on “Best Guitar Pots – Buying Guide Included”
Comments are closed.