I'm somewhat a n00b on building but not as much any more. Something I'm really frustrated by in both the stompbox and synth DIY project universe is that I can't identify the pot pin numbering convention used from project to project- if there is any. At least 50% of the time I end up wiring pots in reverse (I do mainly off board wiring, dislike pcb mounted pots etc) because the wiring diagram does not indicate whether the pot drawings are representing front (shaft) view or back (round) view.

Probably there's an answer to this buried in FAQs or books somewhere, and I'm sure that the answer is more complicated or I'm asking the question the wrong way or something. But: is there a convention and if a project is unclearly diagrammed how can I save myself the trouble?

Resoldering my wiring,

Strategy

  Figure the output is the wiper is the middle lug for a volume control.
  You want it to connect to ground when it's all the way down, turn the pot CCW and see which pin connects to it, put that one to ground.
  That leaves 1 pin left, since the ground, and output are taken, the last pin left is the input lug.
  For gain knob it migth be backwards, kinda need to understand what makes gain rise, often it's a VR [adjustable...variable resistor, or,...a wiper and an outside lug of a pot], and connecting to ground is ^setting, adding resistance to ground decreases gain. Again, hook to the wiper, turn the pot which way you want max to be [in the case of ground connection being highest gain, it'd be the potlug which provides 0.0 resistance when turned ATWay 'down'.
  Then again...if you don't have the right taper pot, it might be easier to either get it or wire the other pot in backwards to make it ''adjustable in the area you like to adjust''.
 
 

http://www.diystompboxes.com/wiki/index.php?title=DIY_FAQ#POTS

Thanks for the link and advice!!

- Strategy