![teisco guitar with 4 pots teisco guitar with 4 pots](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/zzgAAOSwKXhcN4xD/s-l1600.jpg)
On the other hand, single-coil pickups always need to be paired up with the smaller 250k pots commonly used on Fender guitars such as the Strat. This makes the 500k tone pots the ideal choice for using with humbucker pickups that are found on Les Paul, Gibson, and other humbucker styled electric guitars. The 500k tone pots are the ideal choice for Humbuckers. Which Pot to Choose? 250K or 500K?īoth 250k tone pots, and the larger, 500k tone pots, are the most popular by far.
![teisco guitar with 4 pots teisco guitar with 4 pots](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/96/ba/d4/96bad4e582f75e7d83f5488e94a8b90c.jpg)
The reading you get should not alter regardless of where the dial is turned. The easiest way to find out what the resistance is of the pot you are about to buy is by simply looking at the marking on the casing or perfboard, where the resistance is usually stamped.Īnother way to tell the resistance of the pot you are getting is by inserting a lead from a multimeter on both the outer tabs. The common resistance values for the electric guitar are 500K and 250K, but on some occasions, 25k or 1 Meg are used. Resistance or pot values is an important factor to consider when getting guitar pots. The case of the full-size pot is around the diameter of a quarter and features fine splines which require 3/8” round mounting holes. Full-Size Pots – The full-size pots can be identified due to their distinctive body, which is also known as a case.These pots also require round, 5/16” mounting holes to attach to the guitar. The mini-pots usually have shafts that feature coarse splines. Another way to recognize mini-pots is by their shafts. The case of a mini-pot is just about as small as a dime. Mini-Pots – The easiest way to distinguish the mini-pots from the others is its body or case.So, how does one tell the difference between a mini-pot and a full-size pot? However, if you want to get the best results, you should consider replacing the mini-pots with full-size ones. If you find that your guitar has mini-pots, then there’s nothing to worry about because they can easily be replaced. Utilizing mini-pots (also known as ‘alpha-pots’) provides manufacturers with a cost-effective way of building new electric guitars and are commonly seen with low-end guitars, but mini-pots are also commonly used in many big name brands as well, such as Spector and Ibanez. Normally, full-size pots are considered to be superior in quality as compared to mini-pots. Lets first tackle mini-pots and full-size pots. Here’s a great diagram from that shows how it works: This is how the tone and volume controls work in an electric guitar. Similarly, as the distance between the wiper and the wired end of the resistor plate decreases, so does the resistance. This effect occurs due to the increase in distance that the electricity has to travel. The level of resistance is increased as the wiper moves away from the wired end of the resistor plate. As the control knob is turned on the outside, it slides the wiper, which is also wired to one side of the plate, back and forth across this resistor plate. The pot is fixed with both a wiper and a resistor plate. Here’s what a 500K audio taper, split shaft pot looks like:īy turning the pot, you change the way electricity flows through it. The control knobs are then fitted on the potentiometer. These are compact gizmos that are fitted in the hollow cavities inside the guitar’s body right underneath the control knobs. Potentiometers (known as ‘Pots’) are a type of variable resistor used to control the resistance or flow of electricity in an electric guitar. Key Considerations When Buying Pots for Your Guitar.