Source for pot with push-pull switch

[grazioso]

i have ric/alpha in my continuous project/330 with high gains - it is wired as tone + 0047 cap on pull and i do not like the sound when the bright cap is out of circuit - something's missing ...when i have time i'll try one of those MEC audio pots instead, they are quite regular store item here unlike anything else e.g. switchcraft parts or cts

[Wiker]

I ordered pots from RIC. I suspect the 500k with switch will be an Alpha type unit (and linear which isn't great since I plan to wire it as the middle pickup volume). If I end up not liking it ...

If you don’t like linear there’s also logarithmic Alpha 250K and 500K push-pulls, but, the only source I know is Banzai in Germany.

i have ric/alpha in my continuous project/330 with high gains - it is wired as tone + 0047 cap on pull and i do not like the sound when the bright cap is out of circuit - something's missing ...when i have time i'll try one of those MEC audio pots instead, they are quite regular store item here unlike anything else e.g. switchcraft parts or cts

Could it be that the pot itself is only working in the pulled-out position? Maybe it only needs cleaning and/or lubricating?

The central axis in a push-pull must be able to move up and down through the viper and track parts, while the viper and track is not moved, and at the same time be able to rotate the viper part. So, push-pull pots have a higher risk of mechanical malfunction.
I had some problems with two of those MEC push-pulls where the pot worked only in the pulled-up position due to me over-lubricating them. I have the habit of spraying new pots with lubricating cleaner to make them run easy and smooth. I gave it too much and the viper part stuck in the lubrication, was lifted off the track when axis was pushed down, and only in pulled-up position there was contact between viper and track.
After removing nonfunctional pot from the harness it worked properly again. The heat of unsoldering made the lubrication more fluent letting it flow away, and problem was solved. I repeated this three times with the same result until I understood what was going on.

[grazioso]

no it's not that ric/alpha doesn't work, it works fine but i don't like the sound. trying the audio version is perhaps the option to consider....i am used to 250k audio pot for volume and 1meg audio for tone...it was the experiment with push pull ...under normal circumstances i would put bright cap there into the circuit with microswitch...

[Wiker]

Ah.. sorry Dusan
Those MECs are nice, I think, but doesn’t seem to come in higher than 500K.
If you still want push-pull there is also Alpha 1M log at Banzai
http://www.banzaimusic.com/Alpha-16-DPDT-1M-log.html

Just curious, the Ric 500K push-pull, is it an Alpha pot? Only close-up photo I’ve seen is at one of the UK dealers, and that has "Alpha" clearly stamped on the housing.

Btw, if you think 500K drains too much high end you can make it into a no-load pot, which in theory should save even more high end than a 1M pot. With no-load the path to ground is broke when turning the tone full up, completely decoupling the tone cap from ground. The operation is quite easy (I’ll give you some photos if you’re interested), only open the pot and cut over the resistive track at the proper lug.

[grazioso]

i think it is alpha... there is no label or print on it. i don't think it is taking too much high end out of it - it is bright more than enough, it is taking some mids out or bit of color....
it is hard to describe in words...i will try just plain 1 meg pot there and leave out the bright cap all together...it is experimental guitar and i already had torres ing. decade control in it and many other things just to try them out before they go into something permanently ...

[Wiker]

Oh, wish I had an experimental bass.
Hm, sound a bit strange to me the pot should do that, unless you shifted around from the “standard” order of pickup -> tone cap+pot -> in-line cap -> volume pot.
But, that’s a different topic, and I don’t really know much about electronics.

[Wiker]

Just for the record: I now have a Ric vintage push-pull kit, ordered from a UK dealer before I decided on those MECs. The push-pull pot in this kit was an Alpha pot (stamped into the housing), 500K audio tapper (not linear).

Also for the record: Those MEC pots seems to a bit fragile. As I mentioned previously I had some problems due to me over-lubricating. Now I have some connection problems on my Hofner bass, where I also used MECs. I’m not 100% sure it’s the pot (it may be a switch or a bad solder joint), but wiggling and pressing on the knob seems to affect the connection. Those MECs have some plastic parts in them, which will melt if overheated during soldering. The pot in question has been through a lot of back and forth soldering and unsoldering, which I suspect may have caused some damage.
Just thought I’d mention it as a warning if anyone should try MEC pots. Be careful not to overheat when soldering – just a quick touch of the iron.

[analogpackrat]

Found some time yesterday to put the new harness together and swap it into the guitar. Works great and it is really nice to have the bridge cap on a switch. No more scratchy pots and flaky 46 year old switch. Thanks to Tony at Pickguardian for the fast turnaround on the custom guard. I decided to use some vintage knobs I had in my pile-o-parts to give it the early 60s look. This is a 12/64 guitar and from what I can tell they switched over to the silver insert knobs in mid 64 or thereabouts, so I'm not stretching it much.

[Wiker]

Neat wiring Doug. Where did you find those vintage looking pots?
I prefer the vintage knobs - easier at a glance to see where they are set to.

[grazioso]

cts - @ e.g. guitarpartsresource.com

[analogpackrat]

Thanks! Those are 330k CTS pots straight from RIC. The pot w/switch is a 500k linear Alpha unit also from RIC. I wired the 5th knob as a middle pickup volume control and I paralleled both sides of the DPDT switch for reliability. It feels a lot sturdier than the one on my Tele copy. The push-pull action is good and the shaft is a solid 1/4" diameter so no wobbly knob (can I say that on here?). No complaints so far. The bushing on the Alpha is a good bit smaller than the full sized pots, so I used a white nylon washer on the top side of the guard below the nut.