100K Reverse Log Pot In Wah Pedal?!

[Paul Marossy]

Someone gave me a '72 Maestro Boomerang a couple of weeks ago. It had a replacement pot in it, a 25K pot that appears to have an audio (log) taper. It doesn't sound quite as good as my other Boomerang which has a 50K pot in it, which I think is a linear pot (appears to not be the original pot).

I decided to do something for fun. I have a few semi heavy duty 100K reverse log pots that were given to me a couple of years ago. I decided to replace the 25K pot with one of these pots. To my surprise, this actually sounds pretty dang good! The reverse log taper works well with the Boomerang circuit, it's a fat sound without the highs being too harsh or piercing. 

[John Lyons]

Hmmm...interesting.
Doe the RA pot not get the high end that the 25K does or does it just change the sweep so much that it's a different animal?

john

[Paul Marossy]

Doesn't change the high end too much, it just mellows it out bit. What I like about it is that it puts a nice whacka-whacka sweep right in the middle when you're rocking the treadle back and forth. It also changes the sweep a little bit. It's very similar to my other Boomerang, yet it sounds different. It's hard to explain... 

[A.S.P.]

http://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/index.php?topic=39813

[Paul Marossy]

Sorry, I meant to mention that puretube sent me those. I still have a few left for other projects. Thanks once again puretube! 

[Paul Marossy]

I did a recording tonight that is using the Boomerang with the reverse log pot in it. It's the one on my MySpace Music page called "Can You Hear The Sound?" It sounds similar to the other tunes with my original Boomerang, but I think that it is a maybe a little more distinctive than the other one is.

http://www.myspace.com/j201jams

EDIT: I guess you could say aside from being a slightly different sound, it kind of moves the highest action spot from the toe position more towards the heel position, which works better for me on the Boomerang.

[Joe Kramer]

Hey Paul,

A while back, I happened on some heavy duty A-B pots, 50K reverse log.  I've had one of these in my wah for about a year now and like it a lot.  As you mention, the treble-end of the sweep is a bit more cramped up near the toe of the wah.  This takes a little getting used to, but I like the quicker low-to-high transition, which gives it more of a nice "quackity-quack" sound.  After this pots wears out, I think I'll just use a linear taper pot with a 50K trimmer across two lugs to customize the taper. . . .

BTW, nice guitar sounds!

Regards,
Joe

[Paul Marossy]

Hey Paul,

A while back, I happened on some heavy duty A-B pots, 50K reverse log.  I've had one of these in my wah for about a year now and like it a lot.  As you mention, the treble-end of the sweep is a bit more cramped up near the toe of the wah.  This takes a little getting used to, but I like the quicker low-to-high transition, which gives it more of a nice "quackity-quack" sound.  After this pots wears out, I think I'll just use a linear taper pot with a 50K trimmer across two lugs to customize the taper. . . .

BTW, nice guitar sounds!

Regards,
Joe

Yeah, I can see that you know what I mean. I don't know why I never thought of it before. 
Glad you like the noise on my page. 

[Paul Marossy]

You know, the Boomerang schematic only states a 25K pot, not what type it is. I wonder what the taper was on those pots?
I'm only wondering because the guy who gave me this wah, after listening to the tune above, says that it sounds like it used to now that it has that reverse log pot in it. Hmm...