CTS 1Meg Audio Taper Pot - Split Shaft
We find that CTS potentiometers provide a more accurate and refined response than you'll find with others. Available in solid and split-shaft options, each CTS pot includes a flat washer, lock washer, and a hex mounting nut for custom height adjustment on a pick guard or control plate. We do not sell these in a solid shaft option but you can buy Pot Sleeves to modify. Sold individually.
Technical Notes
Required Mounting Hole Diameter: 3/8" (9.52mm)
Replacing Metric Pots: Metric pots generally come mounted into smaller mounting holes (5/16"). These will need to be enlarged to 3/8" with a reamer or small sanding bit to fit American CTS pots. Additionally, metric solid shafts measure at 6mm and American CTS solid shafts are .25" - take this into account when buying new pots as you may need new knobs. Lastly, most metric split shaft pots come with 18 knurled splines - American CTS pots come with 24 knurled splines.
250K, 500k, or 1Meg?: We recommend 500K pots with most of our pickups. The few exceptions being the Starwood Strat and the Starwood Tele, which sound best with 250K pots. 1Meg is suggested under certain circumstances (if you require more treble).
Helpful Notes
Why use 1Meg pots? When it comes to pots, larger resistance values equal more treble you hear. This is due to the pot "bleeding" off less frequencies to ground. More treble and response with 1Meg pots can help brighten up guitars that are too dark - an easy and potentially game-changing mod for your rig (and often overlooked).
General Pot Replacement: Split shaft is the option you want for press fit knobs (like Gibson and Strat-style guitars). Gretsch Electromatics, Streamliners and most other metric knobs will require a CTS split shaft pot. Solid shaft for vintage or Fender-era Gretsch guitars and knobs with set screws (Ex: Tele-style knobs).
2003-now (Fender-era) Gretsch Pot Replacement: Pro-level Gretsch guitars from the current era require solid shaft pots. Electromatic and Streamliner guitars from this era will require split shaft pots.
Vintage Gretsch Pot Replacement: Pre-1989 or "vintage" Gretsch guitars require solid shaft pots.
1989-2003 Gretsch Pot Replacement: This era of Gretsch guitars require split-shaft pots. The stock pots from this era are solid shaft, but they are a smaller (metric) measurement than the American CTS pots we use, therefore requiring the split shaft.
