Bourns® 95 Premium Series Audio Taper Potentiometer

Package Contents:

• Bourns 250K or 500K Split Shaft Audio Taper Potentiometer (Bourns 500 Premium Series)
• Nut, Lock, & Dress Washer

STANDARD CARBON POTENTIOMETERS

Standard carbon potentiometers have been a staple in the electric guitar industry for many years. All-in-all, guitarists encounter a common dilemma with standard carbon guitar potentiometers that can wear quickly and/or become noisy or “scratchy” in the output with frequent use.

Commercially available potentiometer spray cleaners may temporarily reduce the noise output of a carbon potentiometer. However, the cleaner typically removes lubricant from the element, which can further shorten the rotational life of the potentiometer. Specially- formulated lubricants have been created to minimize noise and to meet the expected rotational life of the potentiometer.

Resistance tolerance plays a major role in the overall tone of an electric guitar. Carbon resistive inks can shift in excess of 15 % with changes in temperature and humidity due to the hygroscopic characteristic of the carbon resistive ink. Although there are commercially available 1 % tolerance carbon potentiometers with a hefty price tag, expectations that the potentiometer will maintain the tolerance in the actual application over an extended period may be unrealistic.

WHY BOURNS?

POTENTIOMETER DESIGN

Bourns has over 60 years of experience in development of potentiometers and developed a full line of high grade potentiometers customized for use in electric guitars with the same conductive polymer resistive inks.

Materials used in construction of the pot contribute to the stability and performance of the pot. Conductive polymer inks that are used in high grade Bourns® potentiometers are silk- screened onto ceramic elements and fired at much higher temperatures compared to carbon inks that are sprayed on phenolic substrates.

The result is a much more stable element and a longer life potentiometer with excellent performance characteristics over temperature and humidity changes seen in the actual application. The multi-finger contact spring design enhances clarity of tone while minimizing extraneous noise.

The housing seal protects the internal components from the effects of temperature, humidity and dust.

Audio tapers can play a major role in the performance of an electric guitar

if the player uses the potentiometer for an effect such as a volume swell. Bourns® Model 95 Premium Guitar Potentiometers are designed with a specific audio taper to provide a desirable gradual increase in output without “dead spots,” or areas of sudden level increase that may be encountered with lesser grade potentiometers. Together, the element and a multi-finger wiper system produce true sound and tone clarity, providing the guitarist with many years of service.

Bourns® Model 95 Premium  are available in 250k Ω and 500k Ω standard resistances with audio taper. They are also available with knurled split-shaft and solid shaft configurations, and long or short bushing to fit all standard electric guitar styles.

Please Note: All guitars manufactured in Japan, China, Indonesia and Mexico use metric pots (6mm), and have metric sized holes drilled for the pots. All pots sold by KDG use standard pots and hole diameters (3/8"). Therefore, holes in the guitar, plates and/or pickguards will need to be enlarged to 3/8" to fit properly. Also, metric knobs will not fit the Bourns pot shafts; most popular knobs are available in store.