What's with the Mexican pots?

[Gitfiddler]

We've done a great job picking the fly crap out of the pepper with this topic.

[bluessbreaker]

Mexican food???? People are talkin' Mexican and you're thinking food??? I'm thinking . . . Salmya Hayek . . . or Penelope Cruz

 

Penelope Cruz is from Spain. Just my 2 cents

[Patrick]

Mexican food???? People are talkin' Mexican and you're thinking food??? I'm thinking . . . Salmya Hayek . . . or Penelope Cruz

 

Penelope Cruz is from Spain. Just my 2 cents

 

 

No . . . . . She's from Guadalajara Mexico . . . . . and I would follow her anywhere!!!

[golferwave]

We've done a great job picking the fly crap out of the pepper with this topic.

 

 

Ain't it the truth. My 2005 Chestnutburst H-150 had SD 59's when I got it so I ordered a set of Sheptone PAF Tribute pickups and changed the MIM pots that were in it to CTS 500K when the pups went in and added Grey tiger paper in oil caps. The MIM pots worked ok but didn't have a very smooth taper to them. It didn't bother me very much because the mahogany on my guitar was grown in Honduras, the maple in Michigan, the hardware made in a variety of places, and the pickups in the U.S. The main thing to me is that everything came together under the hands of the fine craftsmen (and Katie) in Kalamazoo.

[Kuz]

I am quite amazed that some are commenting (openly as everyone has a right to) about parts (MIM parts actually) that haven't been used in Heritage guitars for like 3 years.

 

People, Heritage upgraded and moved on....... shouldn't we?

[pcovers]

I haven't really read any hypocricy. Hypocricy would be a post that took a stand on buying US only for any of a host of reasons, then that person went out and bought a guitar made elsewhere. I don't think anyone has suggested or said that have done that. While I do own an asian guitar, I don't take a stand that you should only buy american. However, it cannot be overstated that many buy Heritage because it has a story. This is evident by the number of times there are posts in the forum repeating the story. And it is evident by the number of times you see a Heritage for sale on eBay in which a selling point is the "story". A big reason many factor the story in to their buying choice is they like the idea of owning a part of that romance. Now, those that like the romance of the story may have a problem with Mexican pots. I'm not saying it is a good thing or a reasonable thing or a right thing, but one has to acknowledge that the romance of the "story" is not particulalry aided by the notion of sourcing pots from a Mexico to save money. I know, they don't do that anymore, but they did and the post that started this helped to raise a philosophical question that remains, despite the fact that the pots may or may not still be foreign pots.

 

This is one of those things that people can agree to disagree on several levels.

[james]

I just took the control plate of my 2002 Heritage 150 but couldn't make out anything on the pots. There's likely solder covering areas I may have otherwise been able to read. There are two small "yellow" caps in there also but they show no markings in their present position.

 

I don't have a hard opinion either way about where parts are from, but was simply curious. I am all for quality components, though.

[bluessbreaker]

No . . . . . She's from Guadalajara Mexico . . . . . and I would follow her anywhere!!!

 

If we are talking about the same actress, you would have to follow her to Alcobendas, Madrid, where she was born in 1974:

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penelope_Cruz

 

Cheers

[jmc7581]

This is one of those things that people can agree to disagree on several levels.

Well, I guess this is true. I've been following this thread, after making one comment early on, and the whole thing still puzzles me a little.

 

I just ordered my first Heritage, but I've been a member for awhile and I think I've absorbed why people find romance and magic in the brand, apart of course from how they sound and how they play. It never occurred to me that this had anything to do with where the components were made or where the wood was harvested or anything like that. I can see, though, that not everybody would agree with me.

 

When I ordered my 535, I confirmed what pots and caps they were using these days (CTS and Sprague), because I wanted to make sure they were from what I would regard as reliable makers. But did I ask where they're made, as opposed to which company? Nope. Do I care? Well, I confess I don't think I do, at least not in relation to this one guitar. Now, SHOULD I care, in a big picture sense? Yes, and I actually do - if American electronics companies are being squeezed out by shoddy low-priced foreign products, that's terrible. And if on the other hand American companies are being out-competed and beaten fair and square by superior foreign products, then that's terrible too. Neither's a good thing for home-grown companies.

 

But do I care - in terms of whether the instrument in my hands is what I expect it to be, as long as it performs the way I expect it to - where all the parts are from? Nope, I think I don't. I feel like the Kalamazoo magic is in the builders' hands, and in the idea of the small, history-steeped shop, and that it's the craftsmanship and the care and the individuality of the final product that gives it its mojo. That's why I ordered mine, anyway. Just one view, though.

[FredZepp]

The pots from Mexico are CGE and the CTS are made in Taiwan. At one point Gibbon was using the CGE and Fender the CTS. While there are some debates over which is better, a large part has to do with the feel and the taper of the pot. You will find players that prefer either one. Each company made different variations also. While there can be detailed arguments made about the function of each, sastisfied users should be a good end result ... and both have that.

As of 2007, the CGE pots are no longer made and the CTS has become a preferred source for many. They make pots under other names also, Dimarzio for one, and seem to have a lions share of the market.

 

Now , I'm wondering..... what about the pickup selecter tip... Where are those made.... ? (just a joke, ok )

[Kuz]

The pots from Mexico are CGE and the CTS are made in Taiwan. At one point Gibbon was using the CGE and Fender the CTS. While there are some debates over which is better, a large part has to do with the feel and the taper of the pot. You will find players that prefer either one. Each company made different variations also. While there can be detailed arguments made about the function of each, sastisfied users should be a good end result ... and both have that.

As of 2007, the CGE pots are no longer made and the CTS has become a preferred source for many. They make pots under other names also, Dimarzio for one, and seem to have a lions share of the market.

 

Now , I'm wondering..... what about the pickup selecter tip... Where are those made.... ? (just a joke, ok )

 

Everyone knows that only the amber tipped ones made Tjackikstan, sound good. The black ones made in Puevabarata, sound like crap.

[Orangepicker]

Ladies and Gentlemen, friends and neighbors, one and all, I am amazed that everyone is still talking about this so I picked up the phone and called the one person who is in charge of the electronics on Heritage Guitarsl That would be Rendal Wall. Rendal said that they used to Mexican made pots but they were designed by Heritage to Heritage specs, they even have the drawings there in Kalamazoo. They specified the output and the taper on these pots. The Mexican pots are all 300K for the volume and 250K for the tone. If your pots are Mexican then the values are different than the CTS. I repeat the Mexican pots were designed by Heritage and made to their specifications, they were ordered through a supplier(Rendal wouldn't tell me who) who had these pots custom made in Mexico. Rendal said that CTS has the reputation so they are using all CTS 500K pots and Sprague capacitors. Volume and tone controls are both 500K. He said they intend to keep using these. So Heritage wasn't looking for a cheaper product by going to Mexico but the supplier had them built for Heritage to their specs in Mexico. One final time "Heritage doesn't use Mexican made pots any more, it was just for a period of time quite a while ago according to Rendal" The current pots are regular production CTS pots. So there is the info direct from the The Man! And one more thing, GOD BLESS AMERICA! BUY AMERICAN! ...........unless it's a BMW.

 

Thank You,

Dennis

[FredZepp]

Everyone knows that only the amber tipped ones made Tjackikstan, sound good. The black ones made in Puevabarata, sound like crap.

LMAO at this...

[FredZepp]

Ladies and Gentlemen, friends and neighbors, one and all, I am amazed that everyone is still talking about this so I picked up the phone and called the one person who is in charge of the electronics on Heritage Guitarsl That would be Rendal Wall. Rendal said that they used to Mexican made pots but they were designed by Heritage to Heritage specs, they even have the drawings there in Kalamazoo. They specified the output and the taper on these pots. The Mexican pots are all 300K for the volume and 250K for the tone. If your pots are Mexican then the values are different than the CTS. I repeat the Mexican pots were designed by Heritage and made to their specifications, they were ordered through a supplier(Rendal wouldn't tell me who) who had these pots custom made in Mexico. Rendal said that CTS has the reputation so they are using all CTS 500K pots and Sprague capacitors. Volume and tone controls are both 500K. He said they intend to keep using these. So Heritage wasn't looking for a cheaper product by going to Mexico but the supplier had them built for Heritage to their specs in Mexico. One final time "Heritage doesn't use Mexican made pots any more, it was just for a period of time quite a while ago according to Rendal" The current pots are regular production CTS pots. So there is the info direct from the The Man! And one more thing, GOD BLESS AMERICA! BUY AMERICAN! ...........unless it's a BMW.

 

Thank You,

Dennis

Thanks for the info... sounds reasonable.

[tulk1]

Ladies and Gentlemen, friends and neighbors, one and all, I am amazed that everyone is still talking about this ......

Thank You,

Dennis

 

It was a slow forum weekend. Got to talk about something.

 

When I moved out here to the boonies I went down the road a spell to one of the local tractor dealerships, looking for a smaller tractor. The salesman tells me he can make me a good deal on a John Deere ZeroTurn, which weren't quite the all the biz at the time except for commercial use. Says he can't sell this one because of the engine. We open it up and ... it had Kawasaki badging on it. Told me if it didn't say John Deere, it wasn't a real Deere to the locals. Then he grinned, told me all the JD engines for the ZTs were made by Kawa at the time. This one just happened to have the Kawa badges. Not sure this is germain to the thread, but I've always liked the story.

[Gitfiddler]

Ladies and Gentlemen, friends and neighbors, one and all, I am amazed that everyone is still talking about this so I picked up the phone and called the one person who is in charge of the electronics on Heritage Guitarsl That would be Rendal Wall. Rendal said that they used to Mexican made pots but they were designed by Heritage to Heritage specs, they even have the drawings there in Kalamazoo. They specified the output and the taper on these pots. The Mexican pots are all 300K for the volume and 250K for the tone. If your pots are Mexican then the values are different than the CTS. I repeat the Mexican pots were designed by Heritage and made to their specifications, they were ordered through a supplier(Rendal wouldn't tell me who) who had these pots custom made in Mexico. Rendal said that CTS has the reputation so they are using all CTS 500K pots and Sprague capacitors. Volume and tone controls are both 500K. He said they intend to keep using these. So Heritage wasn't looking for a cheaper product by going to Mexico but the supplier had them built for Heritage to their specs in Mexico. One final time "Heritage doesn't use Mexican made pots any more, it was just for a period of time quite a while ago according to Rendal" The current pots are regular production CTS pots. So there is the info direct from the The Man! And one more thing, GOD BLESS AMERICA! BUY AMERICAN! ...........unless it's a BMW.

 

Thank You,

Dennis

 

Thanks, Dennis. That (HOPEFULLY) will bring this important discussion to its rightful 'dead horse' end.

 

 

Oh, by the way, here's some interesting reading about BMW manufacture...

 

 

BMW

[Orangepicker]

Thanks, Dennis. That (HOPEFULLY) will bring this important discussion to its rightful 'dead horse' end.

 

 

Oh, by the way, here's some interesting reading about BMW manufacture...

 

 

BMW

My Beemer has 2 wheels!

[smurph1]

Took a look inside my H150 LW. The pots are stamped Mexico and look like they came from a dime store (youngins' go ask your parents). Anyone have any insight besides "they are trying to keep cost down"?

I LIKE Mexican POT!! But seriously folks...

[pcovers]

Economic theories and consumer brand loyalty psychoses aside, I really like Heritage guitars.

[FredZepp]

Economic theories and consumer brand loyalty psychoses aside, I really like Heritage guitars.

I do believe that we all have something in common....

[smurph1]

I do believe that we all have something in common....

Yeah but what about the Headstock? Just kiddin..don't throw stuff..

[hiro]

Thanks Dennis for clarifying things.

 

The person who wrote in all caps, man, quit trying to a drama queen. The only DQ that is accepted is dairy queen ;D

 

I Wonder if the secrecy for the company is that they do manufacturing and some high end guitar electronics companies use them and put their brand name on it . ..

 

 

 

Well my HEritage was made in 08, but it doesn't matter.

 

But if the tone rocks and sounds good and hasn't broken *knocks on his head* well and HEritage feels the Mexican pots were good, then can I really complain?

 

Loving a guitar and saying it sounds great, and digging the feel it has and construction, then we find out where its made and then its not as great anymore . .. That's just like going swimming and complaining of getting wet.

 

Some of the best Fender production guitars were the mexico and baja ones.

[blueox]

" . . . But if the tone rocks and sounds good and . . . Heritage feels the Mexican pots were good, then can I really complain? . . . Some of the best Fender production guitars were the Mexico . . . ones."

 

I own two Mexican Telecasters ('69 Thinline Reissue and '72 Thinline Reissue), and they are flawless instruments. For my money, they could not be improved. Beyond the originals, Fender has not made these particular models in the U.S.A., so one has to deal with what is available. That said, parts are a different story, as they can be made in a variety of geographic areas. In Heritage's case, the pots were designed by Heritage to Heritage specs, so that was definitely a plus.

[Tamayo]

So a couple of pots on my 535 are scratchy. Thinking about replacing all four with Alpha pots. I know CTS is the standard but I'll try something different. What do you all think about that?

[yoslate]

Sorry...but have to ask.... Tried contact cleaner...?