Capacitors

[Benjy_26]

Hello all.

Where do you guys get your caps?

I mainly like Orange Drops, but I'll use pretty much anything that sounds good.

[ErikH]

Anyplace that sells electronics. Small Bear Electronics is my go-to source if I need to order online but I try to go to local electronics stores if possible.

http://diy.smallbearelec.com/

https://smallbear-electronics.mybigcommerce.com/

[GuitarStv]

The good news is if you're open to using anything that sounds good, all capacitors that measure the same value sound exactly the same when used in a regular guitar tone circuit. No reason to spend more than five cents.

[ehdwuld]

get these and explore the differences in values

Frienda 840 Pieces 24 Types 50V Ceramic Capacitor Assortment Kit

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B089W1K4YS

[ErikH]

Imagine my surprise when I found out my Gibson Les Paul Traditional Pro has .022uf ceramic disk caps. Nah, I wasn't really surprised at all to be honest.

The only reason those big caps were used back in the day was due to availability. On, we're out of the little caps, let's use this one that's the same value from the amp stock.

[ErikH]

get these and explore the differences in values

Frienda 840 Pieces 24 Types 50V Ceramic Capacitor Assortment Kit

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B089W1K4YS

All of those, aside from .1uf, are larger in value than what would be used in a guitar's passive tone circuit.

[Chistopher]

The good news is if you're open to using anything that sounds good, all capacitors that measure the same value sound exactly the same when used in a regular guitar tone circuit. No reason to spend more than five cents.

PIO tend to drift to higher values over the years though and people don't like ceramic caps for some reason.

[GuitarStv]

PIO tend to drift to higher values over the years though and people don't like ceramic caps for some reason.

Yep. If you want that old paper in oil "sound" pick a bigger capacitor. Still shouldn't cost more than about five cents.

Ceramic caps usually don't look as pretty as the other types (I mean c'mon . . . matte orange? Yuck) and looks matter a lot more than some folks like to admit.

[beaubrummels]

The good news is if you're open to using anything that sounds good, all capacitors that measure the same value sound exactly the same when used in a regular guitar tone circuit. No reason to spend more than five cents.

When I tested this, this was mostly true, except for the bottom of the barrel cheap-o ceramic caps. They do not measure a consistent value over real-time measurements. It seems to result in a murky, less-clear audio signal.

Imagine my surprise when I found out my Gibson Les Paul Traditional Pro has .022uf ceramic disk caps. Nah, I wasn't really surprised at all to be honest.

The only reason those big caps were used back in the day was due to availability. On, we're out of the little caps, let's use this one that's the same value from the amp stock.

Well, the flat discs do fit in control cavities easier than barrel-sized 'bee' types.

[ehdwuld]

the point is you can purchase over 800 caps for less than $10

and you can get an assortment

I would suggest an assortment and try several sizes

get a box of resistors and and a box of caps
and build something interesting

[Benjy_26]

So there's no difference between ceramic and polyester caps when it comes to sound?

[Mincer]

So there's no difference between ceramic and polyester caps when it comes to sound?

If there is, I can't hear it. Does anyone have ideas on what are the most accurate compared to the stated values?

[Benjy_26]

If there is, I can't hear it. Does anyone have ideas on what are the most accurate compared to the stated values?

I started using Orange Drops because they were pretty accurate way back when and I thought I heard a bit smoother roll off when playing through full range/high fidelity amps. It may all have been in my head, though.

[beaubrummels]

If there is, I can't hear it. Does anyone have ideas on what are the most accurate compared to the stated values?

All the variants I tested were within 5% tolerance of stated values. IME material/construction doesn't change the sound. Just the value, and quality of the construction - e.g. the cheapest ceramic caps seemed to 'leak' or not 'discharge' consistently (when I tried to measure them, the meter never settled on a value), so they did make the resulting audio a bit murky. All the rest were consistent in sound as long as the values were close.

I tested Sprague Orange Drops, Black Bees, Vitamin Q PIO, Fender polypropylene, cheap ceramic, mylar roll, and generic polypropylene.

This is one of my test boxes (can't embed images):

https://i.imgur.com/CEv5uS3.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/zbOBXDd.jpg

[Clint 55]

So there's no difference between ceramic and polyester caps when it comes to sound?

There is. It's up to you if you want to spend a few bucks more for a small difference, but it's significant enough to be audible over a recording, youtube, and laptop speakers.

The part after 7:40