Clarostat pots

[Tdale]

Is it just me, or does anyone else find it a bit strange that www.westlabs.com is about the only webshop that sells Clarostat pots?

I got some of them, and I love them, but they're kind of expencive and I can't pay with visa, so it makes things a bit complicated.

Tommy

[dehughes]

I've looked at those and wondered if they are worth the price....they sure look like they'd be nice pots, though.


david

[mlp-mx6]

I have the same question about the PEC pots that are available from DigiKey. They sure look nice.

Though I know they're cheap, I really like the smooth feel of the Alpha pots. They feel much better than old-school Fender-style pots. That damped feel is a nice tactile sensation. How do either the West/Clarostats or the PECs compare in this regard? (I know, this question is not comparing longevity or taper or tone, or anything truly important...)

[Tdale]

the clarostat that I got from westlabs are 100% noiseless.

For my first projects, I got some small size, unknown brand, cheap pots, that really buzzes when they are turned. That's why I went for the expencive Clarostats. I'm not sure why the cheap ones buzzes..it might be because they are bad quality, but it could also be that I was a bit unexperienced with my solder iron when I built the amp, causing the pots to get very hot during the soldering..

Most people seem to use Alpha, so they should be good and noiseless I suppose.

As for the feel of the Clarostats, I was a bit disappointed when I got them. They turn very easily, almost no damping or turning-resistance at all. They even fell a bit "gritty" when turned, like the sliding surfaces are a bit gritty and not smooth. They do work perfectly though, so I'm quite happy with them.

Found this by the way:

http://www.precisionelectronics.com/Product%20Specs.htm

Tommy

[LeftyStrat]

I found an old Clarostat pot that I had bought years ago for a project that I never completed. It happened to be the value I needed, but it had to be close to ten years old, sitting in a box of junk parts in my unheated garage. I decided to go ahead and use it in an amp, I could always pull it out if it was scratchy.

It was still like new, no scratch.

Ever since then I use them on all my 'permanent' builds. If I'm prototyping I'll use whatever, but if a prototype turns out to be a keeper, I'll use Clarostats.

I would like to try the PEC pots some time.

[Tdale]

Where do you buy Clarostats?

Tommy

[Tdale]

The pec's look a bit like the clarostats..they even have a name that looks like them (RV4)

http://www.farnsworthelectronics.com/potentiometers.htm

[LeftyStrat]

I've been buying from westlabs, but I'd love to find a wholesaler that I could buy in bulk from. Of course westlabs does have discounts for larger purchases. Maybe we could pool together a larger purchase for a discount (Of course we probably get screwed on shipping).

[Tdale]

I'd like to know where westlabs buy them

I contacted Honeywell in Norway, to get a price from them. Honeywell is the distributor I think. I got a price of about 40$ a pot, and a minimum order of 100 pots....

No wonder they say Norway is a expencive country to live in!!

Tommy

[LeftyStrat]

Well, they're made in Mexico, anyone have any connections south of the border?

[malt]

I have some clarostats "made in Mexico" they are harder to turn than the pec pots. The pec pots are very nice much better feel than clarostat .
AB pots are god pot’s but can bee hard to find ,but you can bee lucky.

Mouser has some pec`s , no log

s2 has Pec in most values http://www.s2amps.com/pots.html

higher watt pot’s suppose to bee les noisy.

apexjr has some clarostat pot’s for 2.50$

Electronix Express as some 2watt that looks like clarostat fore 2.95$
http://elexp.com/cmp_pmt5.htm

btw the pec pots are made in Canada

[Noel Grassy]

I found an old Clarostat pot that I had bought years ago for a project that I never completed. It happened to be the value I needed, but it had to be close to ten years old, sitting in a box of junk parts in my unheated garage. I decided to go ahead and use it in an amp, I could always pull it out if it was scratchy.

It was still like new, no scratch.

Ever since then I use them on all my 'permanent' builds. If I'm prototyping I'll use whatever, but if a prototype turns out to be a keeper, I'll use Clarostats.

I would like to try the PEC pots some time.

I agree the Clarostat's have to be about the best in every category. True too is their turning resistance variations among pots of the same value. But on the other hand you get what you pays for in this case as well as most things in life and those Taiwan pots fail far to quickly for audio purposes. Just my two scents.

[Tdale]

By the way, westlabs don't sell 100K clarostats.. That's too bad, concidering that there are a couple of them needed in a ODS.....

Tommy

[BluzMike]

By the way, westlabs don't sell 100K clarostats.. That's too bad, concidering that there are a couple of them needed in a ODS.....

Tommy

I happen to have a good stash of NOS CTS 100k lin pots with straight nylon shafts, just as used by Fender and also Dumble and would consider trading or selling some of them. Just pm me with your needs and eventual trade offers.

Michael

[NitroLiq]

Can you solder to the backs of the Clarostats like you can with the alphas or are they stainless like the PECs? I know Allyn was having an issue with that. I have some alphas Nik sent with his chassis for Richie's 36 watter but I was going to pickup some PECs and use those instead....bend some of the lugs and run the buss wire through it for grounding.