Wah pot 100k vs 200k

[spoontex]

Hi,

anybody can explain me the difference between a 100k and 200k pot in a wah?

Thanks.

[pacealot]

Simple/simplistic non-EE answer: provided that everything else remains the same in the circuit (including approximate pot sweep, which becomes somewhat important), the 200K pot should bottom out at a lower peak frequency in heel-down position than the 100K, while remaining at the same peak at toe-down.

I've found that deviation from those results is usually due to differences in the sweep and useful range of the various specific pots I've tried. One major annoyance for me about the current Dunlop Hot-Potz II 470K is that its sweep is so spread out over the entire throw of the pot that it has almost no increase in overall usable range over the various "boutique" ICAR-type 100K pots out there unless you go back to the old game of trying to hack the throw of the actual treadle with the grommets and stops and all. Which I find needless and irritating, but I digress.

Also, there's something of a point of diminishing returns with increasing the pot value. Doing tests with "standard" pot values, at 500K, the bottom frequency peak is only slightly lower than at 250K; from 500K to 1M, the difference is nearly imperceptible. There's a point of infinite resistance (disconnected wire) where the circuit's peak cannot go any lower without changing component values.

Some players actually prefer a narrower sweep, presumably for better control (I am not one of them); narrower is much easier to accomplish than wider, both mechanically as well as electronically.

[antonis]

To make Paul's long story short:
100k pot for footsize up to 42(EU)/9(US)/8(UK), 200k up to 47(EU)/13(US)/12(UK) and 500k for Yeties/Bigfoots..

[spoontex]

To make Paul's long story short:
100k pot for footsize up to 42(EU)/9(US)/8(UK), 200k up to 47(EU)/13(US)/12(UK) and 500k for Yeties/Bigfoots..

haha, great!

[pacealot]

I have been told that I wouldn't know Occam's razor if it cut me. Sorry. 

So, yes, bigger pot, deeper sweep. Some exceptions apply. Void where prohibited. Member FDIC. Batteries (quite literally) not included.

(and is it "bigfoots" or "bigfeet"??) 

[Paul Marossy]

I personally never noticed a difference between 100K & 200K. Whatever I have, I always adjust the pot to have the sweep range that I prefer. A long time ago (like 20 years now) I bought a "vintage" Italian made Vox wah pedal with the original red Fasel in it and it had one of those "Pro Pots" in it that measured around 200K - it was scratchy and I didn't hear anything special about it. Back then there was some hype around those Pro Pots and I just couldn't understand it. I put a Dunlop Hot Potz II in it and never looked back. I care much more about not having a scratchy pot. It's one of my most expressive wah pedals.