The EX-4 Explorer Bass: An expedition into the world of kit guitars

**Fuzzyworbols** · 08-06-2021, 03:24 PM

My electronics arrived today;

1x Switchcraft 1/4" mono jack
1x Sprague .047mfd Orange Drop capacitor
3x 500k CTS Audio Taper Mini Pots
1 foot of black cloth wire
1 foot of white cloth wire

Not required for a few more months yet, but I'm glad to have them though as despite ordering "mini pots" it is now clear that I'll have to drill larger holes because the pre-drilled holes are 8mm and the CTS pots are 3/8".

8mm seems like a strange size to me as I've only ever had 3/8" pots in every guitar I've ever worked on, but I am quite thankful to discover this before painting/finishing.

**Simon Barden** · 08-06-2021, 06:11 PM

8mm is a fairly standard Asian mini-pot size. less metal, less overall cost I expect. When you are making the pots as cheaply as you possibly can, then all small savings make a difference when scaled up to a run of 100k pots or more. 'Mini' only refers to the pot diameter.

You'd probably need new knobs as well. The kit pots and knobs will have 18-spline shaft fittings. Whilst you can get CTS pots with 18-spline shafts if you look around, the standard CTS pot is 24-spline, and 18-spline knobs don't ft on 24-spline shafts.

Making the holes larger is easy. I normally use a reamer rather than a drill.

**Fuzzyworbols** · 08-06-2021, 07:46 PM

I actually got some speed knobs the other day but yeah they are metric ones, I’ve since worked out the 18/24 spline thing.
I’m hoping the shaft length is long enough now because the length is the same but the thread ends shorter than the stock pot, I’ll know for sure once I acquire an 3/8” drill bit or reamer.

I’ll track down a good deal on some imperial knobs soon, thankfully it’ll be a couple months before I can install them anyway.

This is how we learn.

**Rabbit** · 08-06-2021, 08:15 PM

Originally Posted by Fuzzyworbols

I actually got some speed knobs the other day but yeah they are metric ones, I’ve since worked out the 18/24 spline thing.
I’m hoping the shaft length is long enough now because the length is the same but the thread ends shorter than the stock pot, I’ll know for sure once I acquire an 3/8” drill bit or reamer.

I’ll track down a good deal on some imperial knobs soon, thankfully it’ll be a couple months before I can install them anyway.

This is how we learn.

I used a step drill to enlarge my pot holes. I got full sized pots with long shafts because the picture looked the same proportions as the kit supplied minis. Didn't realise they were full sized pots hehe.

**Simon Barden** · 08-06-2021, 08:17 PM

And you've also got a spare set of knobs for another guitar. Alpha pots are good, as good as CTS IMO, and they normally come with 18=spline shafts (though some suppliers will offer a 24-spline version).

**Fuzzyworbols** · 08-06-2021, 08:37 PM

Yeah it doesn’t hurt to have spare parts.

**Fuzzyworbols** · 12-06-2021, 09:55 AM

Painting: week one

I started my painting/staining today.

I basically applied the oil paint directly to the wood, then rubbed it in with a cloth. After the surface was covered I added a small amount of the medium to the cloth and wiped it in until I got a fairly even coat.

Now it will hang to dry for a week or two until touch dry and then I'll do the front and sides of the body.