Fender Custom shop 51 Nocaster volume control

jeffreyk51 · November 22nd, 2008, 12:00 PM

I have a great sounding 51 Nocaster that I had converted the wiring to modern Tele specs. I found the blender pot more of a pain verses using the three way switch and I find the tone control a very useful tool as well. I do find the volume control does not taper smoothly from full on to full off. I do not notice a difference in volume until I am about half to three quarters the way down and then it is off. Is this normal or can I replace the pot and/or resistors for a smooth even taper?

Jeff

Mark Davis · November 22nd, 2008, 01:19 PM

Thats the way all my Fenders have always worked. On my Gibsons I can get a different volume as I turn the knob to each number but the Fenders seem almost dead until about 5-6.

dougk · November 22nd, 2008, 03:47 PM

Could try a linear pot vs audio taper (or vise versa depending on whats installed)

chknpckn · November 22nd, 2008, 11:30 PM

You should use an audio taper pot if there isn't already one in your guitar. A linear taper pot has a mathematically even increase in volume but we humans don't hear that way. An audio taper has a logarithmically calculated increase in volume that our ears hear as an even smooth increase. I've never experienced that problem on my guitars and I use the volume control quite a bit. Did you do the wiring yourself? If so, you might want to double check your work and make sure you don't have some wires in the wrong place. It's possible to wire up a circuit that will pass signal but will not work correctly.

November 22nd, 2008, 12:00 PM	#1 (permalink)
jeffreyk51 TDPRI Member Join Date: May 2003 Location: Rockaway Posts: 94	Fender Custom shop 51 Nocaster volume control I have a great sounding 51 Nocaster that I had converted the wiring to modern Tele specs. I found the blender pot more of a pain verses using the three way switch and I find the tone control a very useful tool as well. I do find the volume control does not taper smoothly from full on to full off. I do not notice a difference in volume until I am about half to three quarters the way down and then it is off. Is this normal or can I replace the pot and/or resistors for a smooth even taper? Jeff __________________ Jeff[size=1][/size]

November 22nd, 2008, 01:19 PM	#2 (permalink)
Mark Davis Doctor of Teleocity Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Bakersfield Ca. Age: 58 Posts: 15,548	Thats the way all my Fenders have always worked. On my Gibsons I can get a different volume as I turn the knob to each number but the Fenders seem almost dead until about 5-6. __________________ I'm so blind my seeing eye dog needs glasses.

November 22nd, 2008, 03:47 PM	#3 (permalink)
dougk Tele-Holic Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Sacramento, CA Age: 26 Posts: 512	Could try a linear pot vs audio taper (or vise versa depending on whats installed)

November 22nd, 2008, 11:30 PM	#4 (permalink)
chknpckn Tele-Meister Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Athens, GA Age: 30 Posts: 165	You should use an audio taper pot if there isn't already one in your guitar. A linear taper pot has a mathematically even increase in volume but we humans don't hear that way. An audio taper has a logarithmically calculated increase in volume that our ears hear as an even smooth increase. I've never experienced that problem on my guitars and I use the volume control quite a bit. Did you do the wiring yourself? If so, you might want to double check your work and make sure you don't have some wires in the wrong place. It's possible to wire up a circuit that will pass signal but will not work correctly.