Vitamin Q 0.022

[Big Flannel]

Re: Vitamin Q 0.022

I'm probably going to need a graph to help me understand any of that.

[Securb]

Re: Vitamin Q 0.022

This discussion occurs regularly and is almost always polarising. I have a slightly different take on things ....

If you're upgrading a cheap, unspectacular guitar on the cheap, it's probably not worth investing $10-20 for a tone cap that may not make any audible difference to your ears. However, once someone is looking at upgrading a good guitar with expensive pickups, it's usually logical to make sure that the pots and wiring are also up to a good standard, so one might then spend more on new pots, wiring harness, switches etc. After all, if you invest in $200-300 pickups, it would be silly to compromise them by using poor quality pots, switches and wiring, surely ?

At that point, it's not a big deal to invest in a very good tone cap, so that regardless of what the conventional wisdom may be, and regardless of what you think you hear, you know you've installed the best cap along with the best pots, switches, wiring and pickups.

All my guitars have Sprague Vitamin Q caps. Can i hear the difference ? I don't know, the caps were installed at times when the guitars got new pickups and improved electronics. But i sleep fine at night knowing my guitars have the best parts in them, no compromises have been made, they sound brilliant and there is no need for further consideration; now i can simply play them.

And considering each guitar probably had $300+ spent on upgrades, $10 for a tone cap is a very small percentage of the total, so in my mind, the bad decision would have been to NOT upgrade the cap.

No doubt most people will not agree with my approach and would prefer to continue debating the issue. Personally i think it's worth $10 to just move beyond that and get back to playing.

For those who'd prefer to continue debating, just get some Wima red-box caps. Cheap and virtually boutique.

Crusty that is no doubt a great practice. If you are going to do something you may as well do it right.

“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” ― Benjamin Franklin

[ArtieToo]

Re: Vitamin Q 0.022

Spending more on a cap for better tolerance is a fine idea +/- %1 , %5 and %10 are a pretty large difference.

I think this is one of the most important points when talking about cap selection. Capacitors have notoriously loose tolerances. A .022uf could easily be anywhere from .0176 to .0264. That could possibly cause an audible difference.

Btw, for my ears, I've done the 5-caps-on-a-5-way-switch test. From a $22 Hovland to a cheap ceramic. All custom matched in a temp/humidity controlled calibration lab. I could hear no difference. But I usually use OD's just 'cause they look cool.

[Dr.J4ckal]

Re: Vitamin Q 0.022

I'm the opposite. I would throw out the ceramic disc. Any of the others, as long as the value was in tolerance would be just fine.

Funny because I went back and forth with several types in my MIJ strat : Orange drop 715, 716, 225, Mallory 150, silver mica, Russian PIO, and I think large NOS ceramic disc sounds best lol.
I put them in a les paul copy as well, I also prefer the sound over stock caps with same value.
Could be the tolerance, but I tested smaller and larger value caps as well and still prefer the ceramic.

[beaubrummels]

Re: Vitamin Q 0.022

NOS is different. I had a 1966 ceramic disc cap from a Strat that worked just fine. It's the cheap new ones that suck.

[Myaccount876]

Re: Vitamin Q 0.022

NOS is different. I had a 1966 ceramic disc cap from a Strat that worked just fine. It's the cheap new ones that suck.

I've actually been able to crumble a few Radioshack ceramic capacitors with just my fingers. Those capacitors really do suck, and they have the audacity to charge you $3 for a mere two POS capacitors that aren't worth more than a few cents.

[jon the art guy]

Re: Vitamin Q 0.022

Smallbear, Mammoth, GuitarPCB...even Tayda.
If you're going to do electronic work on your guitar/amp/pedal, just suck it up and order from a trusted online site and wait for shipping. Radio Shack has been trying to separate themselves from their nerd past of being useful and helpful for the hobbyist community. Arduino boards aside, I haven't found a reason to walk in one anymore.

[Myaccount876]

Re: Vitamin Q 0.022

Smallbear, Mammoth, GuitarPCB...even Tayda.
If you're going to do electronic work on your guitar/amp/pedal, just suck it up and order from a trusted online site and wait for shipping. Radio Shack has been trying to separate themselves from their nerd past of being useful and helpful for the hobbyist community. Arduino boards aside, I haven't found a reason to walk in one anymore.

Or find an electronic component store. The one I'm getting a job at is awesome.

[beaubrummels]

Re: Vitamin Q 0.022

I've actually been able to crumble a few Radioshack ceramic capacitors with just my fingers. Those capacitors really do suck, and they have the audacity to charge you $3 for a mere two POS capacitors that aren't worth more than a few cents.

OK. So suck is an equal opportunity vender. All the more reason - for me - to just stay away from ceramics. Not because of any sonic reasons, but because of quality issues.

[Agileguy_101]

Re: Vitamin Q 0.022

Smallbear, Mammoth, GuitarPCB...even Tayda.
If you're going to do electronic work on your guitar/amp/pedal, just suck it up and order from a trusted online site and wait for shipping. Radio Shack has been trying to separate themselves from their nerd past of being useful and helpful for the hobbyist community. Arduino boards aside, I haven't found a reason to walk in one anymore.

They have Fulltone Supa Trem knobs for a couple bucks a pair.

That's about it.

[Big Flannel]

Re: Vitamin Q 0.022

As a former Radioshack store manager, I can confirm that the company doesn't give a damn about DIY'ers.

I got written up by my DM for ordering a bunch of parts and expanding my project section. Th customers loved it. Corporate? Not so much.

[jon the art guy]

Re: Vitamin Q 0.022

(Shiver) ugh the death of can-do attitude for corporate whoresmanship.

[dr. ad]

Re: Vitamin Q 0.022

Drex, read Crusty's build thread, then read some of his amp threads, then consider that he's most likely been doing this longer than you've been alive, and then have a think about trying to tell him about "completeness and authenticity".

[Ayrton]

Re: Vitamin Q 0.022

As a former Radioshack store manager, I can confirm that the company doesn't give a damn about DIY'ers.

I got written up by my DM for ordering a bunch of parts and expanding my project section. Th customers loved it. Corporate? Not so much.

...and another example of why Radio Shack will be gone soon.

[jon the art guy]

Re: Vitamin Q 0.022

Drex, read Crusty's build thread, then read some of his amp threads, then consider that he's most likely been doing this longer than you've been alive, and then have a think about trying to tell him about "completeness and authenticity".

From previous threads DreX has said that life experience doesn't matter. Its anecdotal and beneath his contempt. No, I'm not quoting. That would mean unignoring him.
He's bulletproof around here, so no sense barking up that tree and getting an infraction.