In tech-speak, an electric guitar or bass potentiometer is an electronic resistor equipped with a rotating voltage divider that gives you control over the volume or tone of a guitar pickup. The most common guitar pots are the volume and tone controls found on most electric guitars.
Audio (Logarithmic) and Tone (Linear)
There are many different potentiometers you could get, and each one serves a slightly different purpose. More generally speaking, you have the pick of audio pots and tone pots. Mainly used for volume controls, audio potentiometers use a logarithmic curve and usually come marked with an 'A', while tone potentiometers have a linear curve and usually come marked with a 'B'.
Resistance: 250K, 500K or 25K
The resistance is another thing you'll want to pay attention to when you're picking out your pots. Potentiometers with a resistance of 250K are mainly used in combination with passive single-coil pickups, while passive humbuckers are often wired up to 500K pots - or 1000K pots in the case of high-output passive humbuckers. Active pickups, like most EMG models as well as Seymour Duncan's Blackouts and Fishman's Fluence pickups are normally combined with 25K pots. Always bear in mind that the resistance influences the sound.
Guitar Maintenance, Soldering Wires and Replacing Parts
While replacing or upgrading potentiometers isn't particularly difficult, some prior soldering experience is preferable. If you don't have the original wiring diagram, it's also wise to take a picture of the old pot before taking it out so you have something to refer to in case you get stuck installing the new pot. Upgrading the pots of your guitar is an easy way to enhance its sound. Mounting a push-pull potentiometer to set yourself up with a coil-split function for a wider range of sounds is another. Need help repairing, upgrading or setting up your guitar? Check out the extensive Bax Music blogs for countless tips, step-by-step guides and more technical info.
Choosing the Best Pots for Your Electric Guitar or Bass
The best pots for your instrument are determined by a number of factors, including what the pot needs to control, the type of pickups you have, the body depth of your guitar and even the country of origin. Dig deeper in Guitar Potentiometer Buyer's Guide.
Frequently Asked Questions About Guitar Potentiometers
Do I need a logarithmic or a linear potentiometer?
In general, logarithmic (A) pots are used for volume controls, while linear (B) pots often serve as tone controls. Check out our Guitar Potentiometer Buyer's Guide for more in-depth info.
How does a volume control work?
Volume controls feature a logarithmic pot, meaning the values (so the possible volume settings) are equally spaced. In practice, this means that the output volume of the corresponding guitar pickup can be steplessly adjusted.
