The Parts That Matter (And Why They Matter More Than You Think)
It’s easy to get swept up in flashy flame tops, custom colour finishes, or the name on the headstock. But ask anyone who’s taken the backplate off a guitar and they’ll tell you that the small stuff - the electronics - decides whether your guitar really sings or sound like someone has draped a blanket over your guitar amp. At Armstrong Music, we spend as much time obsessing over guitar electronic parts as some people do on flame maple. There’s a reason for that.
CTS Pots
Potentiometers (or “pots”) control volume and tone, but they also load your pickups. That loading (known as 'resistance') directly affects the brightness and clarity you hear.
Here’s the thing, not all CTS pots are created equal - most off-the-shelf CTS pots come with ±20% tolerances. That means your 500K pot could actually measure anywhere between 400K and 600K. On paper, that sounds acceptable. In practice, it isn’t.
- A pot that measures closer to 400K bleeds more of the high frequencies to ground. The result? Your pickups sound darker, muddier, and less defined.
- A pot closer to 600K will sound brighter and clearer. Most players lean toward that end of the spectrum - hence why vintage Fenders, which often measured high, are prized for their sparkle.
To take the guesswork out, we worked directly with CTS to create our own spec pots. Ours are stamped with “AM” in the parts code (Armstrong Music) and have the following specifications:
- A 550k and 275k rating - 10% above the usual 500k or 250k, ensuring even if one drifts down a little, it never falls below spec.
- A ±9% tolerance - far tighter than the industry standard.
- Brass bushing and shaft - built to last, even after years of use.
- A graphite wiper - for smooth, dependable performance.
The point is simple: your guitar will always perform as it should, and your pickups will always sound the way they were designed to. See our CTS pots ›
Capacitors
Capacitors determine how your tone control rolls off the highs. Change the cap, and you change the flavour of your guitar’s tone.
- Ceramic capacitors - Functional, affordable, and perfectly fine for most modern instruments.
- Orange Drop capacitors - Stable, reliable, and consistent across batches - just like the tolerances that we discussed for pots above, the same applies to capacitors. Orange Drop capacitors tend to have tighter tolerances, ensuring the value stamped on the cap is very close to the value that you are actually getting.
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Paper-in-Oil vintage capacitors - Deliver a warm, mellow tone that vintage enthusiasts chase, using the same construction methods and materials as capacitors from the golden era of guitars.
Does it make much difference? There’s certainly a lot of marketing hype and mystique surrounding capacitors. So why do we stock these different types? Orange Drop caps strike a perfect middle ground: they offer greater reliability than stock ceramic versions while remaining more affordable than the expensive paper-in-oil types.
And why choose paper-in-oil? If you have a vintage original in need of restoration, or a high-end vintage-style custom shop reissue and want to remain faithful to the original design, sticking with paper-in-oil makes perfect sense.
It’s not about better or worse; it’s about choosing the response that feels right under your fingers. Explore our capacitor range ›
Jack Sockets
Few things are as frustrating as a crackly jack socket. You hear it every time you move, and it makes your guitar feel unreliable.
- Switchcraft jacks - the industry’s go-to for decades. They just work.
- PureTone jacks - a newer design with dual contacts that grip the plug more firmly, reducing signal dropouts and extending lifespan.
It’s a small upgrade with a big payoff: stability. See our jack sockets ›
Gavitt Wire
Inside your guitar, neat wiring isn’t just cosmetic. Consistent wire ensures a consistent signal, and push-back cloth wire makes the job a lot easier to work with.
- Gavitt push-back wire in black, white, green, blue, red, yellow, and orange—clean, vibrant, and professional-looking.
- Gavitt Gibson braided wire for vintage-correct circuits.
Internal neatness meets tonal reliability. Check out our wire ›
Switches
The switch on your guitar needs to not only operate without any unwanted noise as you move between different pickup selections but also feel smooth and positive. We stock some of the very best brands:
- CRL
- Switchcraft
- Oak Grigsby
Made in the USA, these brands have been the supplier to the top guitar manufacturers for many decades, offering trusted reliability and durability. Browse switches ›
Kent Armstrong Pickups
Kent Armstrong pickups is a family story, spanning three generations that have shaped the guitar world.
It began with Dan Armstrong, whose Plexiglass guitars and on-board effects became icons of the industry in the 1960's and 70's. Guitars like his transparent Plexiglass models and pedals such as the Orange Squeezer and Green Ringer helped define the sound of an era, combining innovation, quality, and a sense of adventure.
His son, Kent Armstrong, carried that spirit into pickups. Recognised as one of the top pickup designers in the world, Kent continues to make and repair pickups personally while also offering a Korean-made range under his own name, delivering consistent tone and quality.
Now Kent’s son, Aaron Armstrong, continues the tradition in the UK, handcrafting and repairing pickups with the same precision and dedication. Choosing a Kent Armstrong pickup - whether Korean-made, UK-handmade by Aaron, or a US custom model - connects you to over 50 years of family innovation and tonal expertise.
- Korean-made models - great value, exceptional tone.
- Handmade UK models by Aaron Armstrong - Kent’s son continues the tradition with precision and care.
- US-made models by Kent himself - the pinnacle, with every detail attended to by hand.
Pickups define your guitar’s voice, and with Armstrong heritage, you’re in good company. See Kent Armstrong pickups ›
The Takeaway
Electronics aren’t exactly glamorous and yet they’re the foundation of your guitar’s sound. A crackly, worn-out pot, a cheap jack socket, or a failing switch won’t just frustrate you, they’ll rob your guitar of its playing potential. At Armstrong Music, we’ve chosen guitar electronic parts that remove the uncertainty, carrying only the best brands.