Layout of the Ford Amp #102

[Bombacaototal]

Are there any conclusions relating to the middle pot?

Max thanks for getting back with me on the pots..here is what I have


Volume and Master: 1M AUD 021832 1377738
Level and Ratio 100K AUD 021873 R1378238
Treble 250K AUD 021857 2-35 R8242
Mid 13 1377402
Bass BA 8113220 1376702

I have no such records nor could I find any of the 02 # specifying the pot types and tapers if you have this info or a link and could post this I would appreciate..
AFAIK.. the 7 digit starting in 13 I know are the part/date codes (although the 6 digit does not indicate decade just year) the 2-35 indicates a Fender special taper ordered by Fender..?..
This is what I know.. Perhaps these pots have been changed in the update however since the middle pot is one that would have been changed in the skyliner mod I don't have the so called taper # you have info on..Help if you can..

Tony

Hi Tony,

Volume and master: 021832 is the Fender part number of this CTS pot. 137 the CTS code, 7738 the date code: year 77, week 38. 1M AUD the value and taper. The taper of these pots usually measures somewhere between 15% and 25% AFAIR.

Level and Ratio: 021873 is the Fender part number of this CTS pot. These are linear pots usually labelled "- D -". 137 = CTS; 8238 = week 38 in year 82. "AUD" is for sure a typo in your notes. 021873 are linear.

Treble: Fender part # = 021857; "2-35" indicates indeed a special AUD taper (AFAIR 2% at 10% turn and 35% at 50% turn). The taper of 021857 pots usually measures around 30% AFAIK. R8242 indicates week 42 in year 82.

The 500K bass pot is IMO a Gibson guitar pot. The date code indicates 137 = CTS and and week 02 in year 67. This makes sense because AFAIK Gibson had changed from Central Lab to CTS already in '67. These 60ies 500K CTS guitar pots are AUD and AFAIR their taper usually measures around 30%.

All these pots would make sense in an amp that has been finished at the end of 1982. This may well be the case, as Robben once told that he did use #102 for the first time for a recording in '83.

Skyline update: AFAIR the early classics below around #110 all used 021857 for treble and bass and 021873 for middle. So if you would use the "classic" 021857 bass pot for the "skyline" 250K middle, then you would only need an additional 500K bass pot. But I will not imply that this is the way Alexander usually did these updates. But it would match with your notes - whatever this may be worth.

I'll look for some links concerning pot specs and codes.

Take care,

Max

[splgeo]

I will tell you my experance from going down the rabbit hole of chasing the Robbin Ford tone is the bass pot needs to be 400k. I ended up using a resister across a pot to get it to 400k. This is very important fir the PAB usage.