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Which new pots most like a vintage centralab?

zombiwoof

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Feb 22, 2003
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The Gibson pots with the embossed Gibson logo on them were made by CGE, they probably switched because those were cheaper. The CGE pots were by all reports inferior to the CTS pots in construction, you can see both dissected side-by-side in an article you can get to on the LPF home page. Luckily, CGE stopped making pots, prompting Gibson to go back to CTS.

Al

Cool, i knew there were both Dimarzio and CTS versions..I have a stack of those 90's CTS ones in my parts bin.
Interesting to note, that Gibson parted ways with CTS in '95ish..ending a 30 year or so relationship..and started using the Gibson marked ones..wonder what caused the Gibson/CTS split? The end of a contract maybe?:hmm
 

Ed A

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I will be receiving the Dimarzio pots in the next day or two so this weekend I'll try them out.
 

Mars Hall

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It must be part of the manufacturing of modern pots. Very smooth taper up until about 8, from there the ramp becomes much steeper going to 10. The old 50's CTS pots don't do that. I've tried Dr. V's and RS Super pots. They are smoother than others but still retain that steep increase on the open end.

I'll have to try the Retro Spec TVT's soon.
 

Mike58

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Feb 8, 2002
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171
Hi
Can I ask if the vintage centralab have approx 30% log taper does that mean that at the halfway ( 5 ) position the pots resistance reads 30 or 70% of max resisitance ( depending on what pair of lugs you choose )
Its no surprise there is a huge ramp up from 8 - 10 if you are using standard 10% taper log pots, fine if using high gain and big vol but I hate the big vol drop on standard log pots.
30% taper seems the way to go, not far off the dreaded 50 LIN taper ( the hated pots !! -- I luv'em )

I did a bit of measuring at midway point on pot travel recently and found most TVT style pots were 17- 18% taper , ie nothing like vintage. Tried DiMarzio and Crazyparts but both were at that value, DiMarzio has a looser feel tho.
 

Cream Fan

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It must be part of the manufacturing of modern pots. Very smooth taper up until about 8, from there the ramp becomes much steeper going to 10. The old 50's CTS pots don't do that. I've tried Dr. V's and RS Super pots. They are smoother than others but still retain that steep increase on the open end.

I'll have to try the Retro Spec TVT's soon.

Actually, 50s pots do EXACTLY that. Turn down to 8 and it's like switching off a distortion pedal. And from there on down is a gradual lessening of the volume. Although with old Centralabs I find you get a pretty strong signal even as low as 2. New pots will be shutting off down around there. I happen to love the old vintage taper. My entire playing style revolves around being able to clean up by turning down the volume. I've never understood why someone would want a quieter version of their distorted tone, as one would get with a more linear style pot, which won't clean up until you hit 2.5. As for Dr. V and RS, I was told by both of them that their taper is a hybrid linear/audio taper. To me that's neither fish nor fowl, and utterly useless to me.
 

Mike58

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looks like the only answer is to read a pot countback thread where someone measured the values , if they did a Centralab then the answer is there.
 

geetarpicker

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Jan 14, 2003
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I have posted a chart before of the vintage centralabs in my '59 burst. They are quite close to 10% pots with a 500k reading about 60k on 1/2. In my opinion the recent era Gibson historic pots are pretty close to this, closer than the aftermarket guys actually. Seems Gibson finally paid what it took to CTS to make them right.
 

sonar

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I have posted a chart before of the vintage centralabs in my '59 burst. They are quite close to 10% pots with a 500k reading about 60k on 1/2. In my opinion the recent era Gibson historic pots are pretty close to this, closer than the aftermarket guys actually. Seems Gibson finally paid what it took to CTS to make them right.

Pots have a tendency to drift up over time. Yours might have been around 10%, but it might have been more likely around 5%.

From what I've gathered Centralab's 10% tolerance pots actually hovered around +/- 5% (give or take a percentage or two) when new. They just couldn't guarantee a tighter tolerance than 10% with wholesale bulk.
 

geetarpicker

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Correct the tolerance on the old ones was very wide, though the effective taper was fairly consistent in my experience at least. Keep in mind when I say 10% I'm talking about about the taper ratio, not the ohms value. On my original burst the 2 volume pots measure 500k & 589k and the tones are 643k & 888k! That said I measured the resistances of all of them at each specific number on the knob, and the taper was quite consistent ratio wise. They were all right around 10% (of the full measured value) when on "5" or half way up. In other words a 500k pot measured 50k on "5". I have 8 other vintage Centralabs in two other guitars (from 1960 and 1961 respectably) and they all have the same basic 10% taper.
 

el84ster

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Sep 10, 2001
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In return for the years of great advice I've gotten here, I'll tell you about the only pot I've found that sounds like (better to me) the old Centrals.

Right here. https://www.tubesandmore.com/produc...rand=Precision Electronics,Application=Guitar

Yes they're spensive (but how much are the old clabs?) but they are the only pot I've found that sounds as good, actually better! None of the fancy new makes sound like the old pots. Not CTS, not whoever you want to name.

No I'd don't work for them or the vendor. Just so you know I've been critically listening to (and recording to a/b) various parts for about 20 years now. Amps, guitars, audio gear.
 

Big Al

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Apr 24, 2002
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In return for the years of great advice I've gotten here, I'll tell you about the only pot I've found that sounds like (better to me) the old Centrals.

Right here. https://www.tubesandmore.com/produc...rand=Precision Electronics,Application=Guitar

Yes they're spensive (but how much are the old clabs?) but they are the only pot I've found that sounds as good, actually better! None of the fancy new makes sound like the old pots. Not CTS, not whoever you want to name.

No I'd don't work for them or the vendor. Just so you know I've been critically listening to (and recording to a/b) various parts for about 20 years now. Amps, guitars, audio gear.

Thank you very much sir!!! Brother you have done me a big favor. Those look awesome and I will be getting a few sets!:salude:salude
 

el84ster

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Just so you know, they are stainless steel, so soldering to them takes some roughing up and some flux maybe. Not quite as easy as most pots.
 

Monroe

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I have RS in both my Les Pauls, but for S&Gs I ordered some of these from "The Art Of Tone" (on eBay) for my 336:
I have to say, they are exceptional. Very good pots, and at around $22 US shipped for all 4, they're are a great value as well.
 

sapi

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Mar 7, 2007
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Thank you very much sir!!! Brother you have done me a big favor. Those look awesome and I will be getting a few sets!:salude:salude

How did you find these Big Al? Are they low torque? I'm searching for some quality pots...
 

thin sissy

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How did you find these Big Al? Are they low torque? I'm searching for some quality pots...
I'm also curious about this. It kills me that there is such a difference between vintage pots and modern ones, I wouldn't have believed it if I didn't experience it myself.
 

sapi

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I'm also curious about this. It kills me that there is such a difference between vintage pots and modern ones, I wouldn't have believed it if I didn't experience it myself.

Yep. And it also kills me that not one company has yet replicated those tonal characteristics of the old Centralabs, without the lead (Pb), of course. A modern version, tonally in the same league as the old vintage ones along with the feel, torque, consistency, taper,tolerance, etc.
 

scovell001

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Apr 15, 2016
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I know I'm late to the party, but, I have the CTS 550k pots all matched at 550K with 50's bees. There's not a day I don't smile at the tonal possibilities available. My only negative would be that I wished they were slightly looser to turn but I don't find it a massive problem.

Be interested what the consensus is on those PEC/Allesandro pots are though.
 
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