More useable tone pot advice

[gsh1968]

Replaced the pots in my MIJ Tele with 2 x alpha audio pots (B) (didn't want to have to buy new knobs or control plate for CTS pots). Wired it up according to the standard tele diagram at Seymour Duncan http://www.seymourduncan.com/support...=standard_tele
Everything seems fine, except the tone pot really only works for the first 1/3 from full cut. It goes from very bassy to (apparently) full open in that 1/3 turn.
Is there any way to make it more gradual and therefore more usable without switching it out for a linear pot?
Thanks.

[PhatTele]

If I read that post correctly, you probably got the wrong pots. Alpha pots w/a "B" on them are linear taper not audio taper. You want the audio taper.

[gsh1968]

Wouldn't the way the tone is acting suggest it is an audio/log taper? The supplier specifically states the "B" pots are volume pots. (I guess I should have simply bought one B and one A pot as suggested instead of getting "creative")
I've read it is possible to make a log pot act linear by adding a resistor, but I'm finding conflicting info on value of the resistor and actual connections.
I'll order another pot anyway - I just wanted to see if there was an easy fix I could do today.
Cheers.

[RomanS]

Nope, if there's a "B" on there, it is a linear pot!

What cap value do you have on that tone pot? I find 22nF tone caps more useful than 47nF, because they give you a much wider range of adjustment (sure, with the tone pot totally turned down, you won't get as muffled a tone as with a 47nF cap - but is anybody really using the tone pot totally turned down?)

[surfoverb]

Originally Posted by RomanS

Nope, if there's a "B" on there, it is a linear pot!

What cap value do you have on that tone pot? I find 22nF tone caps more useful than 47nF, because they give you a much wider range of adjustment (sure, with the tone pot totally turned down, you won't get as muffled a tone as with a 47nF cap - but is anybody really using the tone pot totally turned down?)

I was gonna say the same thing when I saw the title. .022

[gsh1968]

I'm using .047. I'll get a.22 along with the new pot and see how that fares.
Thanks.

[RomanS]

Probably just a typo of yours, but make it .022uF (=22nF).

[gsh1968]

Indeed a typo, cheers.

[gsh1968]

Thought I may as well update this.
I finally got round to ordering a few things from Axesrus, including a replacement "A" pot.
There's a significant difference, ie now the tone knob actually has more than 1/3 useful spread, even though the final 1/3 to full cut still seems to have the most significant/noticeable reduction.
May play around with different caps and wiring schemes at a later date, but it'll do for now.
Cheers.

[PhatBoy]

Originally Posted by RomanS

What cap value do you have on that tone pot? I find 22nF tone caps more useful than 47nF, because they give you a much wider range of adjustment (sure, with the tone pot totally turned down, you won't get as muffled a tone as with a 47nF cap - but is anybody really using the tone pot totally turned down?)

RomanS - I thought the higheryou went the MORE tone you got cause less was being rolled off.
Do I have it backasswards?

PB

[RomanS]

Nope, we're both right:

-) with a higher value cap (47nF), you can "roll off" more tone than eg. with a 22nF cap, you can make the tone even darker/more muffled (as I already mentioned in my first post).

-) BUT: I don't think anybody ever uses any guitar with the tone pot turned down all the way, as even a Tele on the bridge PU would sound way too muddy & muffled that way; most people probably use only the first third or half of the range of the tone pot...
So, with a 22nF cap, you need to turn down the pot more than you would have to with a 47nF cap, for the same result - consequently, you can set your tone more precisely with the 22nF cap, because 10° of turning will cause less difference than with a 47nF cap, the adjustment will be more gradual (and that's what the original poster was looking for!) - you don't have to be as careful/precise when setting the control; and that's what I meant with "wider range of adjustment"!

[surfoverb]

Originally Posted by RomanS

Nope, we're both right:

-) with a higher value cap (47nF), you can "roll off" more tone than eg. with a 22nF cap, you can make the tone even darker/more muffled (as I already mentioned in my first post).

-) BUT: I don't think anybody ever uses any guitar with the tone pot turned down all the way, as even a Tele on the bridge PU would sound way too muddy & muffled that way; most people probably use only the first third or half of the range of the tone pot...
So, with a 22nF cap, you need to turn down the pot more than you would have to with a 47nF cap, for the same result - consequently, you can set your tone more precisely with the 22nF cap, because 10° of turning will cause less difference than with a 47nF cap, the adjustment will be more gradual (and that's what the original poster was looking for!) - you don't have to be as careful/precise when setting the control; and that's what I meant with "wider range of adjustment"!

and now that I use .022 I use the whole pot, even with the neck PUP and the tone rolled all the way off it doesn't sound overly dark.