Pots: what and where to use?

[zener]

Log, linear, reverse log, trim, taper, audio etc. etc. :shock:  I've seen all these pots used in many DIY stompboxes. I want to know if is there any specific kind of pot to use in whatever purpose (for stompboxes and amps only). Any basic rule?

Any site out there where I can get a basic rundown on what pot to use on what or where? (just limited to effects and small amps)

I already found one from GEO but upon scanning on it, it seems that it focuses on basic parts and assembly of pots.

Thanks for any help :wink:

[jimmy]

use Log (A) pots for volume and gain controls

use Lin (B) pots for everything else, unless specified

use Trim pots for fine tuning, they are very small. used for biasing mostly

Reverse log pots you dont see very often. i can o;nly think of two pedals that use them, and ive forgotten what one was. the other was the MXR Dist +, or the DOD 250 (theyre pretty much the same)

Audio pots are the same as log pots.

Taper describes how the pots resistance increases/decreases. linear is a straight line, logarithmic is a curve, reverse log is a curve that goes in the opposite direction to log pots. have a look at those graphs at GEOFEX. that pretty much covers it.

cheers
Jim

[smoguzbenjamin]

Wow  :shock:  That's the clearest explanation I've ever seen. Good for you Jimmy! Thumbs up!  :wink:

[jimmy]

haha thanks!!  :oops:  i was just thinking when i wrote it how i asked that question earlier this year... i think i started building pedals in around april/march. electra distortion. i remember i read the schematic wrong and put like a 390k resistor off the transistor emitter, so there was next to no distortion unless you belted the strings good, but i convinced myself it was awesome and spent the next few weeks feeling tough. good times.

cheers
Jim

[ExpAnonColin]

Two more quick categories to add:
2, 3, 4, etc ganged - When you need to control 2 aspects with 1 shaft
Switched - When you really want it to be totally off and not just resisted.

-Colin

[Ansil]

another thing they say is that we can't hear linearly.  thats why we usually use a log pot, but if you want a versatile control on your axe try a 1meg lin pot you will not be sorry.

i have been using lin for nearly everything for years. and i dont' even worry about logs unless i just screw up and didn't pay attention to what i was buying.

try what you like is the biggest thing to remmber here.  you might like how your eq sounds with a log pot instead of a lin one.

download duncans amp calculator and you will see what difference a pot makes and then in some instances it won't matter at all.  remmber working on fx is 85% know how and expiramentation  and 15%Voodoo.

anyone who trys to deny the VOodoO factor obviously doesn't get it.

[smoguzbenjamin]

Hey you go to joecartoon aswell!!   Cool! I also use lin pots for almost anything... I started FX building exactly one month ago today! And me being poor I like linear pots because if I screw something up I can usually use a linear pot again for something else...