[ga20t]

Every now and then I come across a knob/pot in a certain position on an amplifier or on some oddball guitar and they have a wonderfully smooth feel to them, almost as though they are weighted. Very liquid feeling.

What brand is this (never looked), or is this a characteristic of a certain type? I've been using CTS in my guitar builds just because, but they feel cheap, overly loose and scratchy to me.

 

[vadsy]

I used CTS for a long time and switched to Emerson last year, much improved and happy. They aren't the best but they're good enough for me.

 

[knight_yyz]

Might be one of the Bourne vintage series pots.

 

[mhammer]

The feel is partly a consequence of whatever friction may exist between the shaft and collet of the pot. One wonders whether delicate application of some sort of thick lubricant, like lithium grease, to the thin space between shaft and collet, would improve the feel of a pot. One also wonders what the makers of pots that feel smooth from the get-go might be doing to attain that feel.

 

[ga20t]

The feel is partly a consequence of whatever friction may exist between the shaft and collet of the pot. One wonders whether delicate application of some sort of thick lubricant, like lithium grease, to the thin space between shaft and collet, would improve the feel of a pot. One also wonders what the makers of pots that feel smooth from the get-go might be doing to attain that feel.

Yes, some of them have a pleasingly smooth resistance, as though they are packed in heavy grease and on precision bearings. Old Pioneer/Sony/Technics integrated amplifiers always had controls with this feel to my recollection. I'm going to order some of the Bournes vintage series & Emerson pots mentioned and see if that does it.

 

[jb welder]

Also note that pot cleaner/lube will thin the bushing grease and change the feel unless used very sparingly.

 

[TheYanChamp]

I sometimes layer Teflon tape so it drags slightly then put the pot back on. It wears out eventually but helps especially on my Tele who's volume gets knocked easily.

Sent from my H3223 using Tapatalk