Changing vol pot changes tone - Observations, anyone?

[Mr Orange]

I replaced an old crackling vol pot with a new one (same value) and got slightly darker tone.
I know some hard core vintage fans never replace their 50s pots, but has anyone noticed if some manufacturer's pots sound brighter as some sound darker?
Any other ideas how to manipulate tone except by using pots/caps with different values?

[6828]

I guess this is a similar thing to changing the pot in a wah pedal. Some people swear by getting the $20 ones while the majority of people couldn't tell the difference between a $20 one and a $0.50 one.

If the two pots you have are made from the same component types then they should be pretty similar. Perhaps there are discrepancies between pots regardless of their rated values ? dunno.

Perhaps you could try a switch cleaner on the old one ?, I've found it pretty hard to kill a volume pot or even a wah pot. If either get scratchy you can bring it back to life with a squirt of switch cleaner, and if it's really bad you can often pull em apart and clean out the gunk in there with a cotton bud.

Tony

[bob oakman]

Logic dictates that, with no semiconductors in the pot, identical construction and material should produce the same tone... yet, it does not. I don't understand this, but my old ears tell me that it is true.

Good question.