Question on CTS part number

[Johnny Q]

Hoping someone is familiar w/ CTS part #'s, I have what is supposed to be a 500K short shaft pot, but the part # is completely different from the other short shaft CTS 500K's I have:

450S2771 0618 CTS

Can anyone verify this is a 500k? All other CTS 500k short shaft pots I have say "500" somewhere on the pot (usually preceeded by "EpXXX"), the one I am questioning does not.

I dont have the means to measure it, and I want to be sure this is the correct value before I install it.

JQ

 

[rsrelic]

That is a CTS stock code, but only CTS knows what it means. Best way to see if it's 500k is to check it with a meter. By the way EP is a Allparts code meaning electronics parts (E.P.), so that does not mean it's always a CTS part.

 

[Johnny Q]

That is a CTS stock code, but only CTS knows what it means. Best way to see if it's 500k is to check it with a meter. By the way EP is a Allparts code meaning electronics parts (E.P.), so that does not mean it's always a CTS part.

Roy - I bought this from you guys recently (the one w/ the 450S2771 0618 CTS part #) I dont have a meter to measure and CTS never responded to my inquiry. Could you check your stock to see if your 500K short shafts match this code?

 

[rsrelic]

Roy - I bought this from you guys recently (the one w/ the 450S2771 0618 CTS part #) I dont have a meter to measure and CTS never responded to my inquiry. Could you check your stock to see if your 500K short shafts match this code?

Why would you think they are not 500k? It will be Monday before I could check stock, but it you ordered a kit we use stock CTS audios for the tones. Super-Pots start with RSG for there codes.

 

[AcmeGuitarWorks]

Roy - I bought this from you guys recently (the one w/ the 450S2771 0618 CTS part #) I dont have a meter to measure and CTS never responded to my inquiry. Could you check your stock to see if your 500K short shafts match this code?

"450S" means it's a CTS 450 series pot. "2771" is a part number assigned to this particular 450 series configuration. In other words, whoever ordered this from CTS (RS?) specified the options they wanted, CTS assigned a part number, and forever after the PN 450S2771 will refer to this configuration. "0618" means it was manufactured during the 18th week of 2006.

BTW, the options selected for this pot are stock options available to anyone who cares to order from CTS. CTS has a standard list of options that they offer for this pot series, and anyone can select any configuration of these options and CTS will happily assign a PN for this configuration and sell pots to you that are made to this configuration. Despite what you might read elsewhere, CTS makes all pots to order, so every configuration is spec'd for it's intended application. No company has anything special that's not available to any other CTS customer, though again, you might read otherwise on websites that want you to believe they have a better mousetrap, albeit at three times the price.

CTS Electrocomponents in Berne, IN is the company in question, you can find their PDF catalog for the 450 series pots online. Reading it will help you to see through the myth and misinformation that's being spread on the Internet by some folks, and to evaluate inflated claims of performance.

 

[rsrelic]

"450S" means it's a CTS 450 series pot. "2771" is a part number assigned to this particular 450 series configuration. In other words, whoever ordered this from CTS (RS?) specified the options they wanted, CTS assigned a part number, and forever after the PN 450S2771 will refer to this configuration. "0618" means it was manufactured during the 18th week of 2006.

BTW, the options selected for this pot are stock options available to anyone who cares to order from CTS. CTS has a standard list of options that they offer for this pot series, and anyone can select any configuration of these options and CTS will happily assign a PN for this configuration and sell pots to you that are made to this configuration. Despite what you might read elsewhere, CTS makes all pots to order, so every configuration is spec'd for it's intended application. No company has anything special that's not available to any other CTS customer, though again, you might read otherwise on websites that want you to believe they have a better mousetrap, albeit at three times the price.

CTS Electrocomponents in Berne, IN is the company in question, you can find their PDF catalog for the 450 series pots online. Reading it will help you to see through the myth and misinformation that's being spread on the Internet by some folks, and to evaluate inflated claims of performance.

Most of what you say is true, but CTS will design pots to spec if you give them a plot for a custom curve you want made if you are willing to pay for it, and order enough parts. We have personally done this two times and are doing it again at this point. Yes CTS will sell anyone anything they make if you know what to ask for, but they will also make anything if you know exactly what you want and can give them the details.

 

[AcmeGuitarWorks]

All of what I say is true.

 

[rsrelic]

All of what I say is true.

Don't misunderstand me, I'm not saying you are not being honest, I'm just saying CTS will in fact do tapers not in there catalog. One instance is we asked about a pot they made in the 50s for Fender, and we were told it was no longer in there listings since it had not been for sale since 1961, but after looking up the specs there head engineer told me they could still make the part if we wanted. So was it a cataloged part? No not since 1961, but they would still make thee part as long as they still have the specs in there files.

Roy

 

[Johnny Q]

Why would you think they are not 500k? It will be Monday before I could check stock, but it you ordered a kit we use stock CTS audios for the tones. Super-Pots start with RSG for there codes.

This wasnt purchased in a kit, it was purchased separate. I am asking because it doesnt say 500k on it anywhere like all other 500k's I received from you and the part# is diff as well, better safe than sorry right? I have received incorrect values on past orders, so anythings possible.

Acme - thanks for the details. I saw the doc on the CTS sight, but nothing seems to denote the value.

JQ

 

[rsrelic]

This wasnt purchased in a kit, it was purchased separate. I am asking because it doesnt say 500k on it anywhere like all other 500k's I received from you and the part# is diff as well, better safe than sorry right? I have received incorrect values on past orders, so anythings possible.

Acme - thanks for the details. I saw the doc on the CTS sight, but nothing seems to denote the value.

JQ

JQ, I stopped by the shop to check on that number and it is indeed a CTS 500k pot in what they call “vintage audio”. I’m sorry for any inconvenience this may have caused, but our CTS shipment is late so we had to by 500k Audios from another distributor till ours show up after the first of the year.

Roy

 

[Johnny Q]

JQ, I stopped by the shop to check on that number and it is indeed a CTS 500k pot in what they call “vintage audio”. I’m sorry for any inconvenience this may have caused, but our CTS shipment is late so we had to by 500k Audios from another distributor till ours show up after the first of the year.

Roy

Roy

Thanks so much buddy, peace of mind!! I just wanted to be sure, I notice silly trivia like that, part #'s etc etc, so it caught my eye. Good info to know cause I have some more on order as we speak!

JQ

 

[davware]

Hi Roy, I purchased the premimum upgrade kit long shafts for a 1981 LP Standard that I am upgrading. Are the pots all the same value 500K plus or minus 10%? Or do you order something greater than 500K for the volume controls?
Thanx,

 

[rsrelic]

Hi Roy, I purchased the premimum upgrade kit long shafts for a 1981 LP Standard that I am upgrading. Are the pots all the same value 500K plus or minus 10%? Or do you order something greater than 500K for the volume controls?
Thanx,

In the kits all the pots are not the same value. The Tones should say Nt and Bt so you know what goes where. The volumes will be very close to matching. We try to insure they are matched to 1k 0r 2k of each other and we try to keep them over 520k.

 

[davware]

Excellent! Thanks

 

[Johnny Q]

JQ, I stopped by the shop to check on that number and it is indeed a CTS 500k pot in what they call “vintage audio”. I’m sorry for any inconvenience this may have caused, but our CTS shipment is late so we had to by 500k Audios from another distributor till ours show up after the first of the year.

Roy

Roy - one more question, this CTS 500K short shaft from the "alternate" vendor doesnt have the brass shaft like the others I typically get from RS, does this matter - should I return it for an exchange?

JQ

 

[AnthemBassMan]

-Johnny Q. Now it seems like your next purchase is a multimeter. You can even pick up a cheap one from Harbor Freight Tools for about $5. It will work well enough for you to measure pots and p'up resistance. Sure it won't hold a candle to a Fluke, but it will help you get by.

L8R,
Matt D.

 

[rsrelic]

Roy - one more question, this CTS 500K short shaft from the "alternate" vendor doesnt have the brass shaft like the others I typically get from RS, does this matter - should I return it for an exchange?

JQ

For years RS used those same series pots and there are a lot of guys here still using them in there guitars. They will give you years of great service. If you want to retrun them keep in mind it will be over a month before I have any new ones.

 

[Plankspanker]

Have a somewhat related question on CTS pots; do they make a 100K pot same specs as the 250k and 500K?

 

[rsrelic]

They would make them, but I don't know of any one having them done. Alpha makes one in audio taper, but that's the only one I've seen in twenty years.

 

[Johnny Q]

For years RS used those same series pots and there are a lot of guys here still using them in there guitars. They will give you years of great service. If you want to retrun them keep in mind it will be over a month before I have any new ones.

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