Different caps on HH configuration units

[ThreeChordWonder]

Specifically ES-335 types.

I've seen 0.015 uF suggested for one pickup, the regular 0.022 uF for the other, but I can't figure out which cap goes with the bridge, which with the neck.

Or why.

Please enlighten this humble grasshopper...

[GuitarStv]

There are two trains of thought.

Lindsay Fralin says to use a smaller value cap on the bridge than on the neck, reasoning being that the smaller cap is more a more noticeable effect on the bridge whereas a smaller cap on the neck will make less difference on the bassier neck pickup. This approach works well if you are often using your tone controls and a wide range of usable sounds. (FWIW, I think he often goes .010 or slightly smaller for the bridge.)

Then there's the other approach. A smaller cap on the neck pickup will allow a tiny bit more highs through with your tone pot fully on, and a bigger cap on the bridge will kill some of the very highest frequencies and harmonics that people usually don't like on the bridge. If you keep your tones maxxed most of the time, you will probably prefer this method. You will roll off less highs on the neck, so fully off the tone control won't make as big a difference. Rolling the neck tone down won't make much of a difference though, and rolling the bridge tone down might make things sound too muddy to be very usable.

Either can work great, it just depends what you want from the guitar.

[Securb]

Either can work great, it just depends what you want from the guitar.

It really is about preference and experimentation.

[jeremy]

yep. i tend to prefer a smaller cap on the neck pup but thats not a hard and fast rule

[uOpt]

Specifically ES-335 types.

I've seen 0.015 uF suggested for one pickup, the regular 0.022 uF for the other, but I can't figure out which cap goes with the bridge, which with the neck.

Or why.

Please enlighten this humble grasshopper...

That will be a small difference anyway, especially with 500k pots.

[beaubrummels]

There's also a misperception that smaller caps don't roll off as much treble while larger caps roll off much more treble. This is kind of false - they both roll off the same amount, the difference is what corner frequency they roll off at. Smaller caps roll off at a higher corner frequency while larger caps roll off at a lower corner frequency. This nuance matters in the actual sound you get. For example, the '62, Jimi Hendrix and Eric Johnson Strats have a 1 mfd cap, which while standard in the 60''s, most guys would never consider a 1 mfd cap now because they think it's just removing treble, but the lower corner frequency is really producing a different slope and behavior. If you've tried it, you realize partly rolled off produces a more vowel-like sound, similar to a wah cocked partway.