# Replacing volume pot on Silverface Deluxe Reverb



## starjag (Jan 30, 2008)

Hi! I have a 70s Silverface Deluxe Reverb with the pull-boost volume pot.

The pot has extreme taper and it goes from zero to loud very quickly, the volume increase between 1 and 2 on the dial is crazy!

The boost feature has been disable and I would like to have a more useable volume range. I understand that the stock potentiometer has extreme taper.

If I want to replace the volume pot, should I go for linear or audio pot? What specs? Likely this is a very simple question, but I have no idea about the different potentiometer options. Thanks!


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

The pot presently in there likely has a linear taper, which is why the volume jumps so quickly. Legend has it that this was an old trick used by some manufacturers, to let the unsuspecting purchaser think "Man, if it gets THIS loud between 2 and 3 in the store, imagine how loud it'll be when I'm playing at home or in the high school gym, and turn it up to *8*!".

Replace it with a proper log taper pot and you should have the dial-ability you seek.

A lot of folks mistakenly think that pot taper is important to simply getting something to work. It isn't. But what it IS important for is getting the desired dialability in the range of interest.


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## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

I am going to test my skills here and say that you need a 1 meg pot with an audio taper.
It might have to be an HD pot...which I understand is a wire wound pot.

Are you going to replace the pot with one that is capable of having the boost feature reconnected in future ? (in case someone wanted it)

Looking forward to seeing what others say.

Cheers

Dave


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## starjag (Jan 30, 2008)

mhammer says log, greco says audio... what is the find verdict?


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## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

Wikipedia: The* 'log pot' *is used as the volume control in audio amplifiers, where it is also called an "*audio* taper pot", because the amplitude response of the human ear is approximately logarithmic. It ensures that on a volume control marked 0 to 10, for example, a setting of 5 sounds subjectively half as loud as a setting of 10.

Score: mhammer 1......greco 1 

Cheers

Dave


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## starjag (Jan 30, 2008)

^^^^ LOL! Thanks my friend! So 1meg it is?


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## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

starjag said:


> ^^^^ LOL! Thanks my friend! So 1meg it is?


It seems to be 1meg from the schematic I found. But that needs to be confirmed.

However, it also states "HD" for this pot on the schematic, which could mean "wire wound" or (maybe) "heavy duty"...I am not sure at all about this "HD" designation.

My limited electronics knowledge is dangerous...not lethal, just dangerous.

Hopefully, an amp tech will see this thread and confirm what is needed.

Cheers

Dave


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