Question about using potentiometers

[Gleix]

If anyone could help me out I'd appreciate it. I see videos of people who stick pots on their bent instruments/toys that have absolutely no effect when fully turned to the left, then as it goes to the right the effect will set in.  I've tried different sized pots (10k, 20k, 500k, 1M...) and I always seem to have a connection still being made when the pot is in the off position, but just getting gradually more connected as it's turned to the right. 

Is there something I need to make it so I don't need an on/off switch wired to the pot? So I can just leave it turned to the left and turn it to the right when I want the desired effect?

Thanks guys.

P.S.  I've got 4 videos edited together of my MT-55, PT-10, wuv luv toy and Hing Hon EK-001 that should be uploaded and posted here within the next few days.

[Circuitbenders]

It depends entirely on what you are using the pot to do, but as i'm sure you're aware, if you wire the pot using the centre tag and the left tag it will turn one way for maximum resistance and the right tag will turn the other way.

I would say to use a bigger value pot so that the resistance is just too big at the maximum position but sometimes that still doesn't work and you will have to have an on/off switch.

One thing you could try is to wire the spare pot tag to ground.

[PolyPhuckin]

Another one to try is by making your pot 'switchable'.

If you have one of the nice big ones with a metal casing, take a look at the body of it and you will notice four tags bent over holding it together. You can can pry open the case to get access inside.

Once in side you can cut the track at either end so when the pot is in one position, you get nothing through it, but when it moves, it'll move on to the carbon track and start working. Hey presto, one slightly dodgy switching pot.

[Gleix]

Thanks! I'll try the ground method first and then may have a go at opening up one of my pots depending on how that goes.   

[computer at sea]

Once in side you can cut the track at either end so when the pot is in one position, you get nothing through it, but when it moves, it'll move on to the carbon track and start working. Hey presto, one slightly dodgy switching pot.   

Clever.

[Signal:Noise]

very...might have to try this on my new rx 17.

[Gleix]

Another one to try is by making your pot 'switchable'.

If you have one of the nice big ones with a metal casing, take a look at the body of it and you will notice four tags bent over holding it together. You can can pry open the case to get access inside.

Once in side you can cut the track at either end so when the pot is in one position, you get nothing through it, but when it moves, it'll move on to the carbon track and start working. Hey presto, one slightly dodgy switching pot.

Wow, that worked absolutely perfectly. Two 1M pots on my Yamaha PSS-200 for distortion now and I don't need a switch.  It doesn't even have a sudden jolt of distortion when turning it, it just gradually adds more distortion.  Thanks for the advice, I'm gonna be using this trick a lot in future projects!

[Circuitbenders]

or you could get a less dodgy switching pot by actually buying a switching pot 

Does anyone know how push button pots work, like you get in some dimmer light switches where you press the knob to turn the light on and off and turn the knob for brightness. Is that switching built into the pot or is it a separate push button thing inside the dimmer switch assembly?

[PolyPhuckin]

or you could get a less dodgy switching pot by actually buying a switching pot

Where would the fun in that be