Can you reverse the way pots turn?

[reynoldbot]

I recently received a new bass and the control knobs turned backward (clockwise to turn up, counter-clockwise to turn down). Is it possible to re-wire the pots to reverse the way they turn, or do I have to get new "lefty" pots?

[Frenchy-Lefty]

NOoooooooooooooooooooooooo! It works but not really - Righty pots are not meant to be wired lefty and for some technical reasons won't function and then sound the same way.
I did that for years before talking to some "pot experts" (there are many in California!) and confirming that it does not sound the same. I had always thought my passive instruments sounded harsh. If you wire them righty you should hear the difference. If there was no difference they would not sell "lefty pots"
What I eventually did, to make easier, is getting used to the righty configuration so that I can use regular pots.

[bajito]

If 'm not mistaken,
- yes you can for linear pot, on problem, cause linear can be reversed
- no you shouldn't for log pot, it wouldn't work properly

[Rodent]

like noted above - YES on linear pots

but for an audio lot, definitely NO unless you don't want it to be usable the entire rotation

why is your builder having issues with lefty pots? it's not like you have a preamp in that bass that you need special pots for. AllParts stocks lefty pots, and any reasonable builder will have an account here

500K pots - http://www.allparts.com/CTS-Left-Handed ... 86-l00.htm
250K pots - http://www.allparts.com/CTS-Left-Handed ... 85-l00.htm


IME this is exactly where builders who don't do a load of lefty instruments get themselves in trouble. for those who build from parts, they find it easy enough to order a lefty body and neck yet fail to recognize that the electronics need to be lefty as well. I'm sure once you get this all worked out that your builder will get it correct on future builds

all the best,

R

[pjmuck]

Excuse my ignorance, as I'm so used to playing lefty basses with righty pots, but how should a lefty pot technically turn? Should volume/tone increase as you turn clockwise, or visa versa? My J bass pots turn counter-clockwise to turn volumes up, which is my preference.

[Jeroen]

Counter clockwise for up. My Jazz Bass with Audere preamp is the only exception, I forgot to order it with lefty wiring.

[amimbari]

i have used so many rightys in the past that i left the leftys alone so to turn up, meaning they turn clockwise "towards me" to turn up. same with the blend knob, turn towards the bridge pickup is c-clockwise ( or downwards ), up for the P.

my non-modded lefty does have the pots wired for lefty, and it's so weird to turn the pot DOWN, to turn the vol UP

[reynoldbot]

like noted above - YES on linear pots

but for an audio lot, definitely NO unless you don't want it to be usable the entire rotation

why is your builder having issues with lefty pots? it's not like you have a preamp in that bass that you need special pots for. AllParts stocks lefty pots, and any reasonable builder will have an account here

500K pots - http://www.allparts.com/CTS-Left-Handed ... 86-l00.htm
250K pots - http://www.allparts.com/CTS-Left-Handed ... 85-l00.htm


IME this is exactly where builders who don't do a load of lefty instruments get themselves in trouble. for those who build from parts, they find it easy enough to order a lefty body and neck yet fail to recognize that the electronics need to be lefty as well. I'm sure once you get this all worked out that your builder will get it correct on future builds

all the best,

R

Thanks for the info, everybody. This was my builder's first lefty, so yeah it didn't even occur to him that he would need to order lefty pots. Live and learn I guess.