---
product_id: 687060442
title: "The Art Of Tone CTS 500k Potentiometer for Guitar - Custom Short Split Shaft, Audio Taper, 10% Tolerance (4x)"
brand: "the art of tone"
price: "$81"
currency: NZD
in_stock: true
reviews_count: 12
category: "The Art Of Tone"
url: https://www.desertcart.nz/products/687060442-the-art-of-tone-cts-500k-potentiometer-for-guitar-custom
store_origin: NZ
region: New Zealand
---

# 500k audio taper precision includes full install hardware 24-spline brass shaft fit The Art Of Tone CTS 500k Potentiometer for Guitar - Custom Short Split Shaft, Audio Taper, 10% Tolerance (4x)

**Brand:** the art of tone
**Price:** $81
**Availability:** ✅ In Stock

## Summary

> 🎶 Upgrade your tone game with precision-crafted control!

## Quick Answers

- **What is this?** The Art Of Tone CTS 500k Potentiometer for Guitar - Custom Short Split Shaft, Audio Taper, 10% Tolerance (4x) by the art of tone
- **How much does it cost?** $81 with free shipping
- **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship
- **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.nz](https://www.desertcart.nz/products/687060442-the-art-of-tone-cts-500k-potentiometer-for-guitar-custom)

## Best For

- the art of tone enthusiasts

## Why This Product

- Trusted the art of tone brand quality
- Free international shipping included
- Worldwide delivery with tracking
- 15-day hassle-free returns

## Key Features

- • **Smooth Audio Taper:** 10% logarithmic taper delivers buttery-smooth tone & volume control.
- • **Precision Fit Shaft:** 6mm fine spline split brass shaft fits nearly all US push-on knobs flawlessly.
- • **Ready-to-Install Kit:** Comes with hex nuts, dress & lock washers—no extra parts required.
- • **Crystal Clear Stamping:** Instantly identify resistance & taper—no guesswork, no tools needed.
- • **Universal Compatibility:** Fits iconic guitars like Les Paul, SG, Telecaster & Strat with ease.

## Overview

The Art Of Tone CTS 500k Potentiometer pack offers premium 10% audio taper pots with crystal-clear stamping for easy identification, a 24-spline 6mm brass split shaft for broad knob compatibility, and all necessary hardware included for quick installation. Perfect for professional-grade tone and volume control on classic and modern electric guitars, these pots deliver smooth, reliable performance favored by discerning musicians.

## Description

We’re extremely proud to present our own custom TAOT CTS 500k potentiometers! These pots are specifically stamped to make it clear what resistance and taper they are without any external reference to complex manufacturer numbers or additional metering. Typically used for Gibson guitars (SGs, Les Pauls, Explorers, Firebirds), but can be used for Fender guitars with humbucker setups (HSS or HH setups). These audio taper pots are suitable for both tone and volume controls. These come in a pack of 4.

Review: 500k Art of Tone CTS pots - This review is for "The Art of Tone or TAOT CTS Pots 500k Short, Split shaft". I always put what the item is in the headline and review because I've seen reviews for other products that are similar on the wrong product in desertcart repeatedly. If you have prime, the shipping on these are outstandingly fast....received in about a day. I can't praise desertcart enough for this....exceptional! I've read polarizing reviews for these pots. Most love them. Some really hate them. My experience with these is more on the love them side obviously from giving them five stars. They were installed in a 2021 Epiphone Les Paul Custom. In the pics for my review, the left pot is the original CTS pot that came with the guitar. The right pot are these obviously. These TAOT CTS Pots are virtually the same height as the stock CTS pots. I've had repeated issues with the stock pots....especially on the Bridge Volume. I have tried multiple pickups in this guitar since I've owned it. I recently was trying a different pickup and I slightly bent the hot lug on it and as you see in the pics the PCB board the lug was connected to broke. The only reason there's a slight difference in height in the pics is because the Original pot still has Solder on the back of it. I measured all four pots for resistance with my multi-meter. Two of them measured around 480k. One measured 512k and the last measured 518k. No issues with any of the "sweeps" when measured. I can say that the drop-off in volume is quite large when rolling down the Pot at around 6 or 7 knob-wise. All four in this pack came unbroken and in great condition. When I first installed before soldering, I was worried because there was barely any threads showing on the top of the guitar. At first, I thought they were smaller than the original pots. I can confirm they aren't. They fit perfectly in this guitar. I realized afterward that the original pots did not have "lock Washers" installed on top of the pot inside the cavity. This is the reason for the difference but even using the Lock Washers, there were no issues with getting the washer and nut installed on top of the guitar. Soldering to the pots was a breeze. Very easily accepted Solder on all lugs and back of the pots. One of the surprising benefits of using the lock washer was that the original Epiphone knob, when placed on the pot after I was finished soldering, sat more flush with the body than on the originals. I was highly pleased with this. The original pots have no lock washer installed with them, so the knobs sit quite high off of the body with a noticeable gap. If you use the lock washer, they're way more flush. There's still a gap but much smaller. You can see in the pics, the difference in appearance. These are honestly a steal for the price and seem to me to be same quality or better than the original CTS pots. No issues with noises from these TAOT CTS pots at all. They were around $38.00 so that's about $9.00 a pot. There are cheaper but are few and far in between on the web. Most I found on desertcart are more expensive at $12.00 per pot. I had no issues with them falling apart as other reviewers suggest. If I had to guess, they might be novices when soldering and got the part too hot and this may have resulted in the pot falling apart. These are just best guesses though. You only barely need to touch the iron to these pots for tinning and solering. I recommend tinning all lugs and the back of the pots before attaching the wires. To solder the wires to these pots, add a little more solder to your iron and it will cause the solder already on the pot(from tinning) to melt much quicker which means less heat applied to the part. Overall these CTS pots are seemingly great quality and for this price, I would not hesitate to purchase in the future!
Review: Excellent pots at an excellent price. - Installed with no issues and in perfect working condition. Everything feels smooth and high quality. Just ordered a second set. If you want to put these into an import guitar, be sure to pick up a cheap tapered hand reamer to cleanly widen the holes so that these fit.

## Features

- Crystal Clear Stamping: Know exactly what your pot is at a glance! No need to meter or decipher complicated part numbers to know what you’re working with.
- Versatile design: Perfectly suited for both tone and volume controls and compatible with many guitar models like Les Paul, SG, Telecaster, Stratocaster, and more!
- Smooth audio taper: 10% logarithmic audio taper (fast taper or 'A' taper) provides a perceptively seamless and smooth transition in signal.
- Imperial-fit: .236" (6mm) diameter fine spline (24-spline) split brass shaft will fit nearly all push-on knobs made in the USA. Metric-sized and import knobs may not work.
- No additional hardware needed: Includes 2 hex nuts, 1 dress washer, and 1 lock washer for each pot, ready for installation!

## Technical Specifications

| Specification | Value |
|---------------|-------|
| ASIN | B0DLHMWTRG |
| Best Sellers Rank | #6,769 in Musical Instruments ( See Top 100 in Musical Instruments ) #54 in Electric Guitar Electronics |
| Customer Reviews | 4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars (503) |
| Date First Available | October 30, 2024 |
| Item Weight | 2.89 ounces |
| Item model number | 450S500K-K |
| Material Type | Brass |
| Product Dimensions | 1.25 x 1 x 1.25 inches |
| Wattage | 250 Milliwatts |

## Images

![The Art Of Tone CTS 500k Potentiometer for Guitar - Custom Short Split Shaft, Audio Taper, 10% Tolerance (4x) - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71PigpugAYL.jpg)

## Available Options

This product comes in different **Style** options.

## Customer Reviews

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 500k Art of Tone CTS pots
*by R***N on June 16, 2024*

This review is for "The Art of Tone or TAOT CTS Pots 500k Short, Split shaft". I always put what the item is in the headline and review because I've seen reviews for other products that are similar on the wrong product in Amazon repeatedly. If you have prime, the shipping on these are outstandingly fast....received in about a day. I can't praise Amazon enough for this....exceptional! I've read polarizing reviews for these pots. Most love them. Some really hate them. My experience with these is more on the love them side obviously from giving them five stars. They were installed in a 2021 Epiphone Les Paul Custom. In the pics for my review, the left pot is the original CTS pot that came with the guitar. The right pot are these obviously. These TAOT CTS Pots are virtually the same height as the stock CTS pots. I've had repeated issues with the stock pots....especially on the Bridge Volume. I have tried multiple pickups in this guitar since I've owned it. I recently was trying a different pickup and I slightly bent the hot lug on it and as you see in the pics the PCB board the lug was connected to broke. The only reason there's a slight difference in height in the pics is because the Original pot still has Solder on the back of it. I measured all four pots for resistance with my multi-meter. Two of them measured around 480k. One measured 512k and the last measured 518k. No issues with any of the "sweeps" when measured. I can say that the drop-off in volume is quite large when rolling down the Pot at around 6 or 7 knob-wise. All four in this pack came unbroken and in great condition. When I first installed before soldering, I was worried because there was barely any threads showing on the top of the guitar. At first, I thought they were smaller than the original pots. I can confirm they aren't. They fit perfectly in this guitar. I realized afterward that the original pots did not have "lock Washers" installed on top of the pot inside the cavity. This is the reason for the difference but even using the Lock Washers, there were no issues with getting the washer and nut installed on top of the guitar. Soldering to the pots was a breeze. Very easily accepted Solder on all lugs and back of the pots. One of the surprising benefits of using the lock washer was that the original Epiphone knob, when placed on the pot after I was finished soldering, sat more flush with the body than on the originals. I was highly pleased with this. The original pots have no lock washer installed with them, so the knobs sit quite high off of the body with a noticeable gap. If you use the lock washer, they're way more flush. There's still a gap but much smaller. You can see in the pics, the difference in appearance. These are honestly a steal for the price and seem to me to be same quality or better than the original CTS pots. No issues with noises from these TAOT CTS pots at all. They were around $38.00 so that's about $9.00 a pot. There are cheaper but are few and far in between on the web. Most I found on Amazon are more expensive at $12.00 per pot. I had no issues with them falling apart as other reviewers suggest. If I had to guess, they might be novices when soldering and got the part too hot and this may have resulted in the pot falling apart. These are just best guesses though. You only barely need to touch the iron to these pots for tinning and solering. I recommend tinning all lugs and the back of the pots before attaching the wires. To solder the wires to these pots, add a little more solder to your iron and it will cause the solder already on the pot(from tinning) to melt much quicker which means less heat applied to the part. Overall these CTS pots are seemingly great quality and for this price, I would not hesitate to purchase in the future!

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Excellent pots at an excellent price.
*by C***N on September 16, 2025*

Installed with no issues and in perfect working condition. Everything feels smooth and high quality. Just ordered a second set. If you want to put these into an import guitar, be sure to pick up a cheap tapered hand reamer to cleanly widen the holes so that these fit.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Quality
*by H***Y on September 18, 2025*

Nice quality . I always use CTS .

## Frequently Bought Together

- 4x TAOT Custom CTS 500K Pot 3/8” Short Split Shaft Audio Taper 10% Tolerance
- Orange Drop Capacitors .022uf / 200v, 715P Series, Tone Capacitor for Electric Guitar & Bass, Pack of 2
- Switchcraft 3 Way Toggle Switch w/Genuine Tip, Short Toggle for Les Paul Electric Guitar (Black Tip)

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*Product available on Desertcart New Zealand*
*Store origin: NZ*
*Last updated: 2026-02-18*