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In have this wheel volume pot. I want wire only mono with no tone control. Has 5 lugs but the 2 outside I assume are grounds. The middle is hot. To go to Jack which lug to use? I take any help.
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12-22-2023 03:23 PM
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I think I might have this at least figured out. The outside lugs are just for mounting. The three inside are the typical pot lugs but normally I ground to the back of the pot. What do you do here except run two ground out. One to jack and one to?
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The outside mounts are analogous to the case of a typical pot. They are wired as ground.
Then, the other three are analogous to the usual three tabs.
Caveat: I could be wrong.
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That's correct. The two outer lugs are the equivalent of the back of the potentiometer case. The three inner lugs are wired like you would any other potentiometer for guitar. I can't remember which "side" you're looking at from this perspective; central lug would be hot out to the jack and, with the lugs facing towards you, I think the left of center lug is probably the hot input. Worst case scenario, the potentiometer thumb wheel works in the opposite direction.
I have to say, though, Mark, that pot looks like it's been sitting out in a jar of rusty water in the garage for a few years. Have you checked to make sure it's still works?
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Which of the inner lugs to use depends on which way you want to turn to increase and decrease volume. Cunamara is correct in that the outer lugs, which are obviously one piece of metal, are analogous to the case of the pot, and the other three are the usual three lugs on any standard potentiometer. I've used that type of pot before, and have several in a drawer. I suggest using an ohmmeter to test the resistance as the wheel is turned, and see which you want to use, because I don't remember exactly how those were wired. My main guitar is wired with just one thumbwheel pot for volume, but it's a Shatten thumbwheel, not quite the same configuration as yours. Just remember which way would be the usual top of a standard pot and which the bottom, with the thumbwheel turned upside down under the pickguard. I use the f hole, but it's the same thing.
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I just looked at what I have and the right inner lug should be wired to the outer ground lug, pickup ground goes to either of the outer lugs, and pickup hot goes to the left inner lug. The center lug goes to the output jack. In the photo, you're looking at what would be the top of the pot, with the shaft pointing up. But you're going to install it upside down and backward.
1 Humbucker/1 Volume
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After looking at it then it made sense. It takes my old brain awhile. I don’t do much electronic repair only what is needed to get things working.
I always say I would rather refret a guitar than wire a new harness. The pot been sitting in my parts bin a bit shop worn but works. I clean it up before the install.
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AMEN! If I completed a refret, checked it for true and level, strung it up and ...nothing, and I knew somewhere in there a fret just wasn't seated correctly or had a speck of dust...or sometimes it would play fine but tilt it the wrong way and a huge buzz or hum appeared... I'd probably do less refrets. Ha ha.
Originally Posted by deacon Mark
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Those thumbwheel pots are usually log pots. I have installed the pot with the 'correct' log effect on my guitar under the pickguard. But this means its upside down compared to normal pots, i.e. it turns reverse to normal installed pots e.g. installed in the top.
Looking at the pic in post #1 the ground will be the upper of the three pot lugs for correct log effect. Lowest of the 3 will be input from PU.
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I agree. The topmost lug goes to ground, or the outermost lug, and that connection has to be made, it's the same as connecting the lug to the pot case. I've wired it without the connection to ground, and regretted it. The ground wire from the pickup can go to either of those, or to the lowest lug in the picture, which is just a continuation of the case, and they're all identically ground.Looking at the pic in post #1 the ground will be the upper of the three pot lugs for correct log effect. Lowest of the 3 will be input from PU.
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The thumbwheel can actually be wired using the bottom lug to ground, and the pickup hot to the top inner lug, because as the wheel is turned the resistance is just reversed, going from ~0 to the pot value on one side, while going from the pot value to zero on the other. But the wheel has to be turned backward to get volume, and it can be confusing. Doing it the way explained above works. If the wheel is installed on top of the pickguard, or otherwise in that configuration, the wiring has to be reversed to get what most people consider normal results when turning the shaft.
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I completely confused by this post. Terminology lowest of the 3 does not ring in my understanding. I see 2 outer grounds. The inner are the hot to the jack and from the pickup. So tell me what you are saying? Originally Posted by bluenote61
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Sorry for starting any confusion.
The big 2 most outer lugs with the large hole are for fixing the pot housing. No electrical function.
The 3 smaller inner lugs are the pot lugs for electric connections. These are the three lugs mentioned in my post. Looking at the pic from post #1:
Up to down: 1st Ground - 2nd output to jack - 3rd input from PU.
See pic below in next post.
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This is correct, but to be clear there should be a very short wire from the lug marked ground to the outer lug marked bracket. The ground wire from the pickup can be extended to bridge between them if desired, instead of another tiny piece of wire, but I generally use two, for convenience if later maintenance is needed.
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I finished soldering 2 of these pots for a pickup and while they are decent pots, it is pain in ass to solder those small lugs. I had to work with all sorts of clips and jigs but in the end it works great. The best thing is the pickguard remains completely intact and the whole set up can simply be taken off if you want. I don't even use a string ground I just run the grounds together from the jack/pickup. No noise either.
The set up I like is a small 1/8 inch jack connect from the pot.
Like these and it hang it loose in the f hole when not plugged I like this arrayment better than the tailpiece jack. I then tread it through a holder on the strap button for safety. It probably is not the best thing if you are gigging all the time but I am not with the guitars that have this set up. It simply allows for amplified sound at home and no modifications at all to the guitar. I don't mind the small 1/8 jacks I am used to them for the past 45 years with Dearmonds, and I have a number of guitar chords with a 1/4 end and 1/8 end male inputs.
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I have a little soldering stand that has a rack for the iron, and two alligator clips on jointed arms. The clips hold small stuff securely for soldering, including wires if need be. It also has a large magnifying glass mounted above everything else. Trying to solder things like this without something to hold them in place is frustrating. For the $10 or so, probably less, that I paid, it's a good investment.
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