wtf? A&B Pots are the opposite way around USA to Europe?

[fleeps]

Have I used incorrect pots on my builds?
I'm based in the UK and as far as I'm aware all my builds are from US websites (tone pad, madbean, fuzz central). 

reason I ask is I just saw this: 
http://www.generalguitargadgets.com/faq/40-technical-questions/174-what-does-pot-taper-mean-audio-log-linear

[joegagan]

That chart is incomplete. The designations have changed over the years. Most AB pots i run into in the US with an A designation are lin.

[fleeps]

Mmm... thanks although after a check it looks like I have the wrong pots on my last build which was the Tonepad Big Muff.  I'll be checking my other builds when I have time...

[Earthscum]

Turn the pot to halfway and check resistances. If it measures same from either side to the wiper, it's linear. If it measures 10% on one side and 90% on the other it's log (or somewhere thereabouts).

Joe, you mean log? All the "A" pots I have are audio (log), and all the "B" pots I have are Lin and the "C" pots are reverse log. "W" = W taper (most of the resistance is in the middle of the rotation, with lesser resistance towards the ends).

[Jdansti]

Mmm... thanks although after a check it looks like I have the wrong pots on my last build which was the Tonepad Big Muff.  I'll be checking my other builds when I have time...

How do your builds sound and react to changing the controls?  Using the "wrong" pot might change how the control reacts along the knob's travel, but it might not cause the sound or effectiveness of the control to diminish.

[fleeps]

How do your builds sound and react to changing the controls?  Using the "wrong" pot might change how the control reacts along the knob's travel, but it might not cause the sound or effectiveness of the control to diminish.

Well, they seem to react as they should.

Turn the pot to halfway and check resistances. If it measures same from either side to the wiper, it's linear. If it measures 10% on one side and 90% on the other it's log (or somewhere thereabouts).

Cheers, I'll be checking them as soon as I have the time

[joegagan]

Everything changed at some point.    
See chart

Taper   Old Code.    New Code        Alternate
Linear   A.                          B.               LIN
Log            C.                      A.                     LOG
Antilog   F.                    N/A                   N/A

Above chart from

http://sound.westhost.com/pots.htm


I posted a very large chart at this forum, i will be damned if i can find it tho

[joegagan]

found it!

http://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/index.php?topic=91048.0

[nocentelli]

I've found it doesn't matter hugely for the BMP: you need a linear tone pot, but the volume and sustain controls can be either.

[teemuk]

Those codes don't mean a thing. Each manufacturer can randomly use their own (usually in a conflicting manner); not to mention there are several different tapers falling into the "log" category, W-tapers (S-curve), ganged pots, etc. Each usually having their own manufacturer specific code.

It would all be so simple if there was just A, B and C but in practice there are at least: A, B, C, D, E, F, G, K, S, W, and Z.

CTS, for example, may use a code such as 282TAAR103A25B1, which is composed of several different codes (both letter and numbered) indicating things like: product series, terminal style, bushing lenght, shaft lenght, shaft diameter, EIA resistance code, tolerance, linearity, IP rating, rotation angle and locating lug placement. Oh... did I mention, none of those codes are actually indicating the taper function.  
Then again, with a different model, they may use an identical code but all those letters and numbers actually have an entirely different meaning, in some cases indicating the taper. For that purpose CTS may use either letter codes OR numbers. Confusing, eh? If we want to know the details we must

STUDY THEIR DATASHEETS.

I can't stress that enough.

Unless you can directly reference to the catalogues/datasheets of a specific manufacturer in question your best bet is always to measure.

[fleeps]

Cheers guys.
I checked on the retailers website which states that A = log and B = lin.  So it looks like my builds are OK! - Sorry for my panicking!

Unless you can directly reference to the catalogues/datasheets of a specific manufacturer in question your best bet is always to measure.

I'll be heeding your advice in the future!

[joegagan]

here is a current clarostat order guide, RV4 style, :