how to determine tone volume pot values?

  • Thread starter Thread starter roodboy
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roodboy

roodboy

Well-known member
I bought a set of aldriches to have installed on a les paul axcess. I am trying to determine pot values of the axcess pots as shown in the pic so I can buy new pots if necessary and bring to tech for install.
I have a feeling if I put a multimeter in the right places in the photo I can determine the values, but have no idea where.
Any help would be appreciated.
2wnr0r4.jpg
 
One where the red wire is connected, one where the lug is soldered to ground.
 
I thought it was on the middle lug and the one that wasn't grounded??

Or am I just tired?

Set the multimeter to OHMS, put one probe on the middle lug and the other probe on one of the other lugs. See if you get a reading. If no reading, turn the knob completely off and check again. If still no reading, try the other lug. Do the same with the knob.

Generally you want around 500k with humbuckers, but that's not to say other values would work just fine or even better. I have heard some of the Gibson pots could be around 300, but I don't have any stock ones I ever bothered to test.

Kinda shocked to see that the cavity of these Gibsons isn't even shielded. Something you might want to do if you're doing an upgrade anyway. Can't hurt.
 
Either method will work as long as you desolder the wires first or you'll be measuring through the rest of the circuit too.

@ TS: remember you can always trim the value of a pot down by adding parallel resistors to it

Giga
 
I could have the lugs mixed up--I'm sick as heck right now...
 
If memory serves me correctly, you take a DMM and place one probe on the middle lug and one probe on either of the outside tabs. Turn the pot all the way up. Look for a value that makes sense. If it's around 250k, 300k, or 500k then you're doing it right. It won't be exactly that because pots usually have +/-10% tolerance.
 
^^^What Vrad said. I recently measured a 300-ohm Gibson OEM pot and it read 258. Go figure...
 
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