Mission Engineering or value...

shotgunn

shotgunn

Fractal Fanatic
Hey guys!

My subject pox should have said, "Mission Engineering pots...' I don't know what my iPod thought I typed. Anyway...

Ever since I started posting here I've heard about ME's pedals. So I checked out their site and learned about their stuff. I'm impressed so far, but something will not let me pay $119+ for a wah chassis (even if it is adjustable), a stomp switch, a pot, an LED, and a few jacks. I have everything I need parts wise exceptthe chassis. I am on the hunt for broken wah's to cannibalize.

My question is this... Does anyone know what type of pots they use? I have read a couple different reports. Some say it is a custom taper 20k pot and others say it's a Dunlop Hot Potz. From the gut shots I've seen I'd say it's an off the shelf Dunlop Hot Potz pot.

Any clues?

Thanx,

shotgunn
 
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They are the best feeling, smoothest response and best built expression pedals I've ever used.

That does not answer your question; but that's where I am with them. I have used a lot of different expression pedals, including some professionally done conversions from Dunlop chassis. None were smooth as the Mission pedals. It took me about 20 seconds once I plugged one in to know they are 'it'.
 
I also have a machine shop as well as an electronics shop so I can pretty much do whatever is needed to adjust the feel. Any clue what type of pot they use?
 
shotgunn said:
I also have a machine shop as well as an electronics shop so I can pretty much do whatever is needed to adjust the feel. Any clue what type of pot they use?
Click to expand...

i was trying to figure this out last week as well. my guess is the bass wah 105q 20k dunlop pot. technically it's not a "hot potz" pot, but almost the same part number (ecb-24c vs. ecb-24b for the 100k in the regular wahs). this is just conjecture as nobody answered my posting either, back @
http://forum.fractalaudio.com/threads/32724-mission-engineering-spring-loaded-option-and-auto-engage

anyway, that's what it looks like from the somewhat tiny photo on mission's site in the kits page. let me know if you find out too shotgunn.
 
shotgunn said:
I also have a machine shop as well as an electronics shop so I can pretty much do whatever is needed to adjust the feel. Any clue what type of pot they use?
Click to expand...

They sell a conversion kit right on their site. I'd just check into that - and perhaps just buy that and make your own if that's your goal. The actual chassis they use is really first rate though. If you are a DIY type guy though, they have the kit available.
 
FWIW, I ordered the 20k Dunlop 105Q Bass Wah pot and will install it in a Crybaby shell this week. I'll post the results.

If the taper stinks, I'll ask Mission if their kit uses this pot before I order one from them.
 
I have every part for the kit in my shop right now, except the pot. I can get replacement Dunlop Hot Potz if that is what they use. I'm not knocking what they're doing, I respect their business and what they do. Heck, I do the same thing. I sell parts kits w/Mod instructions for some EHX micro synth mods that I devised. I charge $150 for that. The main part of the cost is the hours and hours of R&D I did.

I just want to know what type of pot they use.

Scott Peterson said:
They sell a conversion kit right on their site. I'd just check into that - and perhaps just buy that and make your own if that's your goal. The actual chassis they use is really first rate though. If you are a DIY type guy though, they have the kit available.
Click to expand...
 
steadystate said:
Maybe you could ask them :)
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i'm w/ shotgunn, but i could see how it might hurt business to give away "secret" info.

Scott Peterson said:
They sell a conversion kit right on their site. I'd just check into that - and perhaps just buy that and make your own if that's your goal. The actual chassis they use is really first rate though. If you are a DIY type guy though, they have the kit available.
Click to expand...
scott, do they really offer the full kit w/ the actual pedal housing (don't see it on the site), or did you mean just the switch and pot in the "kit-a"? can anyone else vouch for this? i may also want to add the spring to one of the pedals for the auto-engage, faux "optical" wah feel.
 
Just got off the phone w/ ME. They confirmed that they use regular Dunlop wah chassis' and the 20k Dunlop Potz. Well, that answers that. The guy I spoke with didn't know if 'his boss' modifies the chassis' in the shop or not. There is a hex adjustment. IDK if Dunlop has this from the factory. So essentially ME uses Dunlop chassis', nothing special there as I suspected.
 
shotgunn said:
Just got off the phone w/ ME. They confirmed that they use regular Dunlop wah chassis' and the 20k Dunlop Potz. Well, that answers that. The guy I spoke with didn't know if 'his boss' modifies the chassis' in the shop or not. There is a hex adjustment. IDK if Dunlop has this from the factory. So essentially ME uses Dunlop chassis', nothing special there as I suspected.
Click to expand...

this should be stickied! haha :p
 
Just got off the phone with Dunlop and the confirmed that ME does in fact have them made to set specs. I stand corrected, ME pedals are different. BTW, I am now a Dunlop dealer!!!
 
shotgunn said:
Just got off the phone w/ ME. They confirmed that they use regular Dunlop wah chassis' and the 20k Dunlop Potz.
Click to expand...
That's good to know. I ordered this pot based on that assumption and descriptions that stated it has a different taper than the 100K pot.
 
shotgunn said:
Just got off the phone with Dunlop and the confirmed that ME does in fact have them made to set specs. I stand corrected, ME pedals are different. BTW, I am now a Dunlop dealer!!!
Click to expand...

can you hook me up w/ those dunlop 20k pots for cheap?! :) $30 is a rip-off, imo
 
Dunlop actually sells them for $35.67!!! PM me with your request. In my experience most forums frown upon sales made in the public domain here. I just ordered 4 of them that I plan to use for my own pedals. I think they ship everyday though. So ordering more shouldn't take too long. Hopefully they will drop ship to you.
 
Obsess much????!!!?!?! Even as a dealer for Dunlop they do not shell the wah chassis'. So I went to my local music-go-round and sho-nuff... I found over a dozen Crybaby's of various type and condition. I ended up buying 4 that actually work perfect even though the label said otherwise on one or two of them... Check it out. Not a bad deal. They are in near mint conidition too.

WahChassis1.jpg


WahChassis2.jpg


WahChassis3.jpg


WahChassis4.jpg


WahChassis5.jpg


Not too bad, 4 working wah's out the door for $138. I will be converting these all to expression pedals for my new LFP. BTW, I FINALLY was able to update the friggin' firmware...

shotgunn
 
I just tried the 20k Hot Potz. It still does not have what I would consider the ideal taper, but it is better than the 100k. I can now at least adjust the modifier curve parameters to obtain a fairly linear relationship between the pedal position and the parameter change when something like whammy is the target. It's not perfect, but at least it is usable.

I tried linear pots and couldn't even get close. I tried several "audio" taper pots that failed as well. No matter how I adjust the modifier curve, I can't get the response I want. Exactly what taper the Axe is geared for is a mystery.

I have one old ganged audio taper pot (made by Alpha) that I pulled out of an old stereo that is almost perfect when the modifier curve is at the default. I don't know if this pot works because it is true log instead of segmented linear, or what. It would never hold up in a footpedal, even if I could make it fit. I guess if I plot the rotation angle vs. resistance, I would get an idea of what taper provides the most linear response with the Axe.

For wah or volume, the 20k or 100k works ok for me. A linear response is a much greater challenge.
 
I am still waiting for my 20k pots to arrive. They may come today along with my 7-pin MIDI cable. Anyway, I tried a 100k Hot Potz in a port of my LFP. I had very poor results. Then I tried my Ernie Ball VP with the LFP and had the same very poor results. I had previously used the EVBP in the Axe pedal port 1 with great results. I am starting to think it is not liking being connected to the LFP. I followed the calibration steps and pressed S16 to enter my selection. I have the port set for *continuous. I am getting some really unexplainable sounds when controlling my wah 1 FX block. What could cause this? Later today I will try both again directly in the pedal 1 & 2 ports on the Axe.

Any tops as to why the LFP ports would create nasty sound when controlling the wah FC block? I tried controlling a whammy block and did not hear the same artifacts.

Thanx,

shotgunn
 
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