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Audio Taper For Tone? Advantages?


Alac Luin

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I'm finally building my first guitar after reading much of on the subject.

I don't yet know everything there is to know, but I know enough to question myself : :D

My understanding...

Tone Pots = liner

Audio Pots = Audio Taper

What I've seen while ordering, linear pots are hard to find, which leads me to believe most people seem to be using audio pots for tone control.

Is there an advantage for this?

I've done a little searching on the boards here, and it seems there is debate on this, unless.

Audio taper tone pots- smoother operation

Liner taper tone pots- more precise control

On a side yet related note- Fender's TMX, like/dislike?

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Audio taper pots will give you smoother control around 1-3, but from 6-10 if you barely move it it will make a big difference. If you usually play with tone all of the way down you could use audio taper for more control, but that's not very common.

thank you, for the quick reply.

This certainly breaks it down in clear enough terms for me.

I think I'm going to hold out for the liner pots (they have been on back order for a few weeks from my supplier).

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I have them on order from a place called GuitarElectronics.com.

I went with them since (for me) they are a local company, even if I did order them online.

They stock them, just not on hand at the time.

If there was an advantage or no real difference, I would have changed my order.

I've looked at a few other places (stewmac and Guitarfetish for example) which only carry audio taper.

There are so many sources, its hard to keep them all straight :D

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read this. thread. there is a reason the other sites only carry logarithmic (audiotaper) pots. the linear pots you have on order will have barely any change from say 10 - 6 (10 being wide open) and all of a sudden change the tone quite rapidly after that. the log (audio taper) pots will have a smoother mor gradual change

Edited by suicidecustom
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I've got 3 windows open, this thread, the thread linked to, and "the secret life of pots" page here.

I'll assume "barely any change" refers to "audible" change.

Audio tapers seem to have little control on the 0-5 range, with the something like 80 % difference between 5-10 range.

This is speaking only about voltage. I understand "voltage" change and "audible" change are two different things.

I think I'm beginning to get it.

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think of it this way. 10 to 1 on a linear will sound like you are changing it to half way of the total possible change, even if you just moved it 90% of the way (assuming the pot goes to 0) where the log/audio the half way will be percieved at 5 (middle of the rotation)

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