Old CTS Potentiometer's How Do You Tell??

[tube-a-lou]

On the older CTS pot's how do you tell if there audio or linear?

 

[BinaryMike]

Adjust the shaft to mid-rotation and measure DC resistance between the wiper and each end. If the resistances are near equal, then it's a linear pot.

 

[gadget73]

As a corollary, if its roughly 90% to one end and 10% to the other, its log / audio taper. A 100K audio taper pot will give about 10K to one end and about 90K to the other when set to mid rotation.

 

[tube-a-lou]

Thanks guy's, I tested a few and found one I thought was good was a reverse and a
linear.

 

[tube-a-lou]

Could you hear any difference in sound with a CTS pot if I measure one at 1.012meg and
another around .867meg?

 

[BinaryMike]

It's very unlikely that you would ever hear any difference between channels due to this amount of difference in total end-to-end resistance. The main problem with economy dual volume control pots is poor tracking at low volume settings, which is an unrelated type of imperfection.

 

[gadget73]

For volume on a single channel amp, not likely. As a 2 channel amp for volume, maybe, tone control, probably.

Honestly its one of the things I hate about old pots. Not sure if they were that bad about tracking when new or if they got worse with time but either way its crap. Modern pots that work right are way more better.

 

[tube-a-lou]

I want to use it in the tone control in my Fender Deluxe amp.