Jazzmaster roller pots - are they just "mini-pots"?

[elliptic]

I'm about to do a Jazzmaster build, a 12-string with Lollar mini-humbuckers and a middle Strat pickup. I want to the electronics to be

• Master volume and tone (regular controls, push-push)
• two mini-DPDT switches for (maybe partial) coil tap on the humbuckers (using a Strat jack route to free up space on the pickguard)
• traditional slider + 2 roller pots for the top controls
• use the top "rhythm-lead" switch to just switch the Strat pickup in or out
• the top roller pots to be individual volumes for the humbuckers
• possibly a Wilde Q-filter on the up position on the master tone pot
• haven't decided what to do with the up position on the master volume pot, maybe a volume drop on the Strat pickup, or phase on one of the humbuckers

I have the Lollar mini-humbuckers in a '75 Les Paul Deluxe (original, not re-release), and they sound great into 500K pots, but most places only sell "Jazzmaster" roller pots in 1M and 50k. There appear to be some 500k mini-pots available, just wondering if any old "mini-pot" will actually fit into that space with the standard mounting plate. Here's an example - https://www.realparts.com.au/500k-cts-audio-taper-mini-pot.html

Also, anyone see anything horribly wrong with what I'm proposing? Or any suggestions for improvement? I kinda doubt I'll use the Strat pickup that much but it's nice to have the option for some extra sounds.

 

[stratamania]

On the mini pot. Jazzmaster roller pots are solid shaft, 4mm the mini pot you have linked is 6mm split shaft.

Perhaps narrow the focus of what you want the various options to do and simplify it to what you really need it to do.

 

[elliptic]

Thanks, I haven’t seen that documented anywhere.

My previous build was this, which is a hybrid Gibson/Strat kinda thing, pull up on the volume and it’s Strat mode with the lower 5-pos switch, normally in Gibson mode with 2 humbuckers and 3-pos switch. It works great, but the thing that’s missing is individual pickup volumes. I’ve run master vol+tone with individual pu volumes on my Les Paul for many, many years, and it’s what I think would be appropriate for a 12-string. Maybe I should ditch the Strat pickup. And maybe go for a Tele Deluxe body.

 

[J-Bones]

Yes, the "roller pots" we sell are just 16mm mini-pots with 6mm shafts. Actually, they're pretty much the same type of thing you'd see inside most guitar pedals, albeit with solder lugs instead of PCB legs. They only become roller pots when you put them on the mounting bracket and throw the roller knobs on them.

 

[stratamania]

Yes, the "roller pots" we sell are just 16mm mini-pots with 6mm shafts. Actually, they're pretty much the same type of thing you'd see inside most guitar pedals, albeit with solder lugs instead of PCB legs. They only become roller pots when you put them on the mounting bracket and throw the roller knobs on them.

So I would assume that the bracket and rollers also fit those shafts, which would mean the OP could use those provided by Warmoth for his mini pot idea.

 

[stratamania]

I’ve run master vol+tone with individual pu volumes on my Les Paul for many, many years, and it’s what I think would be appropriate for a 12-string.

In the first post, I was wondering where you were going with individual volumes versus master volumes. Though there seems to be a mix of terminology in the sentence above.

Traditional Les Paul wiring does not have master volumes, it has two individual volumes and tones, one of each for each pickup. None of them are master volumes.

Or are you planning an individual volume for each pickup, which in turn goes to a master volume that reduces the overall volume.

 

[elliptic]

Now that I know what to look for, I'm seeing some rollers knob that have a 6mm center hole. Unfortunately the ones on the Warmoth site don't say what size they are, but I'm assuming they're the same as these, which have a 6mm mounting nut shaft. The 16mm/6mm ones appear to have the mounting shaft as 6.5mm, will they fit in the mounting bracket? I guess I can just buy one and try it.

I'm also not seeing any 6mm mini-pots with solid shafts, they all seem to be gnarled, but I think that should work fine given the grub screw on the roller.

Traditional Les Paul wiring does not have master volumes, it has two individual volumes and tones, one of each for each pickup. None of them are master volumes.

I've owned a '75 Les Paul since 1975 (bought it new, obviously). Over the years I've tried every type of wiring setup I could find, including "Jimmy Page", which is about the most flexible. What I've found works best for me is individual volumes for each pickup plus master volume and tone. But that's for 6 string, where you often need to change the volume during a song when playing live for solos etc. but you don't want to change the pickup blend.

I don't think that's necessary for a 12-string (i.e. changing volume mid-song), but being able to blend the right amount for each pickup is. But given there are only two main pots in a Jazzmaster unless I use the roller pots I can either have two volumes and no tone, or single volume and tone for both pickups. I guess I could use one of the roller pots as the master tone and use the two main pots as the individual pickup volumes.

 

[stratamania]

@elliptic Okay thanks for the clarification.

On the parts when it comes to Jazzmasters apparently there are various specs. e.g. the part linked in your last post mentions it does not fit the Fender Japan version but they have those in stock also. I think it is going to be a case of searching and checking, and as you say trying it. There are also brass sleeves you can get to go over the split shaft that may be useful for you as an option.

(On Jimmy Page inspired wiring I have a design I did somewhere for an LP wiring that uses a Freeway switch and push pulls on all four pots to give 72 different selections, I have not used it yet, but you never know. As I recall, it has one volume which is a master volume for both pickups and an individual volume for one of the pickups)

 

[elliptic]

There are also brass sleeves you can get to go over the split shaft that may be useful for you as an option.

Thanks, I'll have a look around.

On Jimmy Page inspired wiring I have a design I did somewhere for an LP wiring that uses a Freeway switch and push pulls on all four pots to give 72 different selections

JP wiring was fun to play with and I used it for maybe a year or so, but I found that, for me, a bunch of them weren't useful, especially the phase switch and serial. There are some Led Zep tunes that obviously use the out-of-phase setting, and the serial setting was kind of Brian May-ish, but I didn't find them relevant for me. I'd love to see your design though, 72 permutations sounds intriguing.

 

[stratamania]

I think a lot of the permutations may end up somewhat redundant but I also did another design for an HHH Strat with 90 permutations. I might make a thread at some point with them in but they are probably somewhat impractical for most use cases. The 72 LP I have a diagram for which took ages to do, but the 90 position one I think I still need to draw out.

Click like, folks, and leave a comment if any of you would like to see these?

 

[Spud]

A lotta ins a lotta outs a lotta strands in the old duder's head. Certainly too many for Spud.