New CTS Guitar Pots
When I met with the friendly CTS guys at the NAMM trade show, they talked up their new 450G series of guitar pots. Compared with the EP086 pots I’m used to, these 450G pots have slightly lower torque when turning. The CTS rep said this is due to less contact surface area on the underside of the pot, as you can see in this photo (EP086 on left, 450G on right).
Another of the primary goals of the new 450G pots is to address part numbering confusion. The rep told me that EP086 is an AllParts number that CTS stamps onto the pot. It’s really a series 450 pot made specially for AllParts, but there’s no cross reference back from EP086 to a CTS part number. The rep told me that CTS builds guitar pots a bit differently than they do commercial/industrial pots, so they internally assign a different 450 part number, built special/custom for the ordering customer. The customer (like AllParts, Mojo, DiMarzio, etc) can have their own part number (like EP086) stamped on the pots. The new 450G series will hopefully help to standardize this part numbering, making it less confusing to the average guitar-geek like you and me 🙂
The datasheet doesn’t appear to be up on the CTS website yet, so I had the rep send it to me. Here it is.
February 24, 2010 @ 8:58 am
Thanks for the scoop.. any ideas when these are going to be available?
February 24, 2010 @ 9:34 am
I recently sent this question to the CTS rep, and he replied that they are ready now. Distributors aren’t stocking them yet, but he’s pushing to get them to do so, soon. He said a number of distributors including AllParts expressed interest at NAMM so hopefully it won’t be too long now.
He also suggested that if customers start requesting them from distributors (like AllParts), it may prompt them to place an order and get them in sooner…
Also, they do sell direct, but minimum 600 qty.
-John
February 24, 2010 @ 10:06 am
Thanks John, I’m watching all your videos now – they are so helpful and so well done!
I recently sent my relic strat in for (amongst other things) new pots- and the horror when it came back – taller shafts, a taper i didn’t like at all, and stiff turning!
The 450G series sound promising – I want a real easy turn for violin swells. Would you say reduced torque is something to do with the ‘dimple’? My original dimpled CTS pots seem loads easier to turn. I was actually thinking of opening these stiffer ones to see if I could make them better – lubricating hasn’t done much.
Thanks again for the excellent info, and although your buddy may have laughed, your grilling of the CTS guy has certainly helped me!
February 24, 2010 @ 10:23 am
Thanks Alex!
Yeah, there’s a number of things that contribute to the feel of the pot: much of back of the shaft/wiper assembly contacts the back of the pot (surface area contact), how the inner back is greased or lubed, how the wiper contacts the wafer, the general mechanics of the shaft, and lastly how much the pot has been used. Yes, pots will tend to break in and loosen up a bit with time.
The standard CTS pots I’m used to have some thick grease lube on the inner back– I’ve never tried cleaning it off, but that may make it lighter. The reduced contact area on the backs of these 450G pots will make them a bit lighter-touch too.
If you want super-easy turning pots, try the Bourns PDB241-GTR pots. Too easy for my taste, but may suit you.
Unfortunately, there’s no way to know what a new pot will feel like until you try it. And it’s really a personal preference – so no amount of reading spec sheets or forum discussions will really give you the answers.
Hope this helps,
-John
February 24, 2010 @ 1:41 pm
John thanks again, in fact I’m just looking at the Bourns you mentioned..
I emailed AllParts about the 450G aswell, hopefully they will get the boat rolling soon.
All the best,
Alex
February 24, 2010 @ 2:16 pm
Cool.
I bought some Bourns pots at mouser.com, e.g: Mouser part # 652-PDB241GTR01504A2 is only $2.75
-John
March 3, 2010 @ 7:28 am
Just to say.. I opened up a CTS pot and had a gander at the weekend.
Removed all the grease (this stuff is like syrup) smoothed down the inside pot housing with 0000 steel wool, polished and then lightly lubricated it including the shaft/wiper.
Dramatic improvement on the torque – MUCH easier for pinky-volume swells now- so for me it was a success, although I can see why someone would enjoy the greased feel – it does exude more of a ‘quality’ feel to turning.
I thought about the Bourns pots but Mouser was the only place (£12 delivery to UK!) and I also wanted to keep the relic guitar true to it’s year and stick with CTS. For another guitar I’d probably get some though.
Cheers!
-Alex
March 3, 2010 @ 7:42 am
Nice work Alex! Thanks for the detailed report!
-John
July 17, 2012 @ 5:48 pm
I’m looking for CTS 500k dual concentric long shaft pots for a Les Paul. So far, I have not found such an animal.
Really like the J taper they offer on the 450G pot, but really want the dual concentric.
Know where I can source something like that?
Scott