Why do some pots have upstanding lugs on the top of the pot

frictionfraction

Might be asking a daft question but why do some pots have lugs on the top that have to be bent over or broke off?

Skodadad

For strats & teles (possibly others) they have locating holes in the pickguard to stop them rotating.

WezV

Rarely used on guitars, they are just locating pins

GuitarMonkey

The only guitars I can recall seeing use them are old Yamahas.

Skodadad

Is this what you mean, I I may be thinking of something else ?
Tele plate:
http://i68.tinypic.com/18bx9d.jpg
Strat pickguard holes:
http://i65.tinypic.com/fvlqmx.jpg

WezV

most tele & strat plates don't have the extra holes.. What's that from?

they are not a bad idea, just not industry standard.  

Skodadad

Both squier, maybe as they use cheaper mini pots?

WezV

i did wonder if it was a squier, seen them before but not often, i know they never used to do it.  my first guitar was a squier strat and i broke it by over rotating the pots

I imagine someone did the sums and worked out it was cheaper to program the holes into the CNC once than to cut the tabs off every pot

frictionfraction

Must admit I had never seen plates with locating holes. Seemed a bit unnecessary when you can just use a non slip washer

Sporky

I always drilled the extra hole on pedals. Saves stressing the wires if the pot rotates while you're doing up the nut.

Andyjr1515

I drilled a hole in one of mine that was using a 6 position radial switch....the spring mechanism was quite 'robust' and the spring washers had no chance of holding it in place. Using the tab worked a treat

ICBM

frictionfraction said:

Must admit I had never seen plates with locating holes. Seemed a bit unnecessary when you can just use a non slip washer

The locator hole is much more effective and guarantees a specific alignment.

The main annoyance with them is that they only seem to be used on guitars that have mini-pots, so if you change to better quality full-size ones the pin doesn't fit and the hole is redundant.