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Which new pots most like a vintage centralab?

Ed A

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Jul 16, 2001
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I have been playing nothing but vintage centralabs for years. Now that I have a '59 replica for budget reasons i am keeping it all new repro parts. I did some searching and the amount of new replacement parts and the opinions is a bit overwhelming. I am simply looking for a quality pot that has as close as possible taper to a vintage centralab and is fairly easy to turn like a vintage one as well. Again it must have a similar taper to a '50s Centralab. What say you?... Thanks.
 

Skydogfan81

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Dec 13, 2006
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I like the Dr. Vintage Pots, but I think the retrospec Vintage Taper CTS pots are what you are looking for:

Kit:

http://www.historicmakeovers.com/store/true-vintage-lp-control-kit/

Retrospec's new True Vintage LP Control Kit includes 4 Retrospec custom CTS "True Vintage Taper" (TVT) 500K pots, 2 Luxe .022/400V "Bumblebee" capacitors, and 2 strips of vintage correct ground wire. The taper on the new Custom CTS pots are based on pots from the '50s.

They feature:

Solid Brass thread and shaft
Real Bakelite Baseplate
Right earbelonging curve of 30% (like the old ones)
Low turning torque


Single pots:

http://www.historicmakeovers.com/store/cts-split-shaft-500k-pot/

Custom CTS 500K "True Vintage Taper" potentiometer for Les Pauls. Split shaft, with a true vintage-correct taper. The taper on the new Custom CTS pots are based on pots from the '50s.

They feature:

Solid Brass thread and shaft
Real Bakelite Baseplate
Right earbelonging curve of 30% (like the old ones)
Low turning torque
Tolerance under 10% (Standard CTS up to 30%)


They even have the Luxe PIO Woman tone set!

http://www.historicmakeovers.com/store/luxe-woman-tone-bumblebee-kit/




Although someone like TM1 would be more qualified to weigh in on this.
 

Ed A

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Thanks for that info, sounds like they're really trying to get it right. I just hope they turn as easy and as smoothly as centralabs. personally can't stand stiff turning pots.
 

Cream Fan

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May 1, 2003
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Ed: The TVTs are not bad and the Historic Spec pots are decent. The problem is that none of these pots will SOUND like the Centralabs. There is an airy quality to them that modern pots can't duplicate. From what I've learned, the Centralabs had lead mixed into the carbon track. Don't know the percentage, but it was enough to add lubricity and longevity to the final product. That's why they've lasted so long. In my opinion, while they can get the taper very close, it's still not exact, and these new pots will have more lower midrange. Just the nature of the beast, unfortunately. All this clicked into place when I added an original Centralab harness with real Bees to my Historic Makeover. It now has a completely vintage electronic component chain. Those pots made it sound as if a blanket had been removed from the guitar. An astounding difference.

As to the amount of torque, that's another thing modern pots seem to not be able to do. DeOxit will make them spin a lot easier, but they never lose that slight tugging feel. Again, the old pots win.
 

Skydogfan81

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Dec 13, 2006
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I've sprayed contact cleaner in the pots to make them turn easier, but you have to only give them a quick squirt. Too much is a bad thing.
 

Cream Fan

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You never want to flood a pot with any kind of contact cleaner, even DeOxit, which is pretty gentle. The problem with too much is that it will leak down the shaft and get into the finish. And that would definitely not be good.
 

Ed A

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Jul 16, 2001
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Believe it or not I have been using cheaply made bournes pots. They are like four bucks each. But they turn extremely easy and they have a taper that is acceptable. They roll up nice and slow and don't just come on. I was looking for something new that is higher quality. But I certainly know from my years of being anal about testing every possible part available that nothing beats original centralabs. I may have to bite the bullet and look for a set I was just hoping that somebody really figured it out without having to buy vintage.
 

Mark Kane

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Ed, after messing with this forever I've finally settled on DiMarzio branded pots. I'm not sure who the manufacturer is but they have the shaft showing through the bottom of the can and I think Fender has used them in the past or maybe still is. Turn very easy too! I've put them in a couple guitars since getting my '61 ES 345 and they match the old pots in there pretty much to a T. They start making sound right away don't have a number and half of no sound when you first start turning them and they go up gradual with the big bump from 8 to 10. Anyway, $5 or $6 apiece so....
 

Kris Ford

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Jan 6, 2007
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Ed, after messing with this forever I've finally settled on DiMarzio branded pots. I'm not sure who the manufacturer is but they have the shaft showing through the bottom of the can and I think Fender has used them in the past or maybe still is. Turn very easy too! I've put them in a couple guitars since getting my '61 ES 345 and they match the old pots in there pretty much to a T. They start making sound right away don't have a number and half of no sound when you first start turning them and they go up gradual with the big bump from 8 to 10. Anyway, $5 or $6 apiece so....

Mark, aren't those CTS?
http://tse4.mm.bing.net/th?id=OIP.M179b51aa66560ad7832fb0eee3e49c05o0&pid=15.1
 

Ed A

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Thanks Mark I will check them out. The shaft all the way through reminds me of what came in the historics in the 90s no?
 

Mark Kane

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Thanks Mark I will check them out. The shaft all the way through reminds me of what came in the historics in the 90s no?


You could be right, I know I've seen them somewhere. I don't remember the '90's pots turning this easily though. But memory is not my strong suit :hee
 

Ed A

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I just ordered the set. At that price worth a shot. Thanks.
 

ChevChelios

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Jan 22, 2012
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I really like the ones Rick Norman sells (esp. since they all measure ~ 550 kOhm). I've used some 50s PIO Sprague caps instead of the Russian caps that come with the set, but feeling (and sound-) wise, these are pretty awesome (albeit a tad expensive for what it actually is ...).

http://www.doctorvintage.com/drv2_controls.html

Gotta say, though, that his solder shield literally went up in flames when I touched it with the soldering iron :wow Never used that thing again ...

I should say that I have Kim's Retrospec pots in another Les Paul and they're fine, too. I personally prefer the taper of the Dr.V pots, though.
 

renderit

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Jan 19, 2009
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I always use RS Guitarworks stuff. They have the CTS Superpots for volume and the audio taper for tone. There custom made pio caps are the bee's knees as well. I have used these spiffy components for years and been blown away by them. The prices are very reasonable as well.
 

PaisleyTube

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Mar 13, 2006
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Don't have enough experience with the old 50s pots but I really the vintage taper pots from Crazy Parts in Germany compared to other modern (CTS) ones.
 

Kris Ford

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That's the design, they say DiMarzio on them instead of CTS. Didn't check the numbers

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
 
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