Aph1 Tone cap value?

R

ram_man

New member
Wondering if anyone has experience of experimenting with tone capacitor values with APH1s in both neck and the bridge?

I only have a master volume and master tone so I guess it's one value that will suit both positions.

Sprague orange drops are my intended choice, .015, .022,.033 or .047??

I know it's down to personal choice and you can fiddle forever and a day but...
 
Re: Aph1 Tone cap value?

The common selection is .047 for humbuckers, or .022 for single coil - YMMV. I can't do better than that as I can't recall what the APH1 is, nor have I tried one.
 
Re: Aph1 Tone cap value?

Cheers,

It's the original alnico 2 pro, every time I search the talk is all about the APH2 slash signatures.

Some sites quote the .022 for humbuckers and .047 for cutting single coil 'tinny sounds'
 
Re: Aph1 Tone cap value?

Yes I'm aware of the suggested cap but I only have one volume and one tone so maybe .047 may be a little too dark or unsuitable for the neck
 
Re: Aph1 Tone cap value?

500k linear pots on mine, nice to get an aph users opinion, sounds like .022 is getting the vote
 
Re: Aph1 Tone cap value?

I would definitely start with the .022uf cap.

The .047uf as illustrated in many diagrams, gives a way too dark/muddy sound...you will lose the crisp high end and even lots of the upper mids as the tone pot is rolled down.

Keep in mind that the APH1 has an A2 magnet which already is softening the highs somewhat. Using a .047uf cap is overkill.

I have many pups which are brighter than the APH1, but I use .022uf and even .015uf caps with great tonal success. And even though most of my guitars (over 30) originally came with .047uf caps, NONE of them currently have any caps larger in value than .022uf.
 
Re: Aph1 Tone cap value?

GuitarDoc said:
I would definitely start with the .022uf cap.

The .047uf as illustrated in many diagrams, gives a way too dark/muddy sound...you will lose the crisp high end and even lots of the upper mids as the tone pot is rolled down.

Keep in mind that the APH1 has an A2 magnet which already is softening the highs somewhat. Using a .047uf cap is overkill.

I have many pups which are brighter than the APH1, but I use .022uf and even .015uf caps with great tonal success. And even though most of my guitars (over 30) originally came with .047uf caps, NONE of them currently have any caps larger in value than .022uf.
Click to expand...

That might explain some of the disappointment I felt when I put PG's in my SG then - I had Orange Drop .047's on that - wonder if I killed it a bit?
 
Re: Aph1 Tone cap value?

Possibly, not sure how much the higher value caps cut treble when the tone is at 10, some say the values sound the same on full, others disagree, personally I cant see how a .015 would sound the same as a .047 - but if I knew the answers I wouldn't have asked for help.
 
Re: Aph1 Tone cap value?

Higher Pot values kill some effect on 10.
But its noticable.
Like a 500k centralab set i got that all read 650k -700k.
It sound identical 10-3 on tone pot with 47n vs the 22n equiped guitar.

So the volume tone are similar with 47n then a normal low reading cts set.
Many 500k in Gibson custom shop are ~390k-410k


I never go under 3 on tone.
 
Re: Aph1 Tone cap value?

I'd like to be able to use the full range and dare I mention it obtain 'the woman tone' so I think it's either the .015 or the .022, thanks again gents
 
Re: Aph1 Tone cap value?

0.047 uF will be very bassy when you turn it down to 0 on the tone knob. It's a horrid cap value on any guitar, IMHO. 0.022 uF will be less bassy, but still muffled. Also not a very good value IMHO. 0.01 uF will start getting into cocked wah territory. This is where I start actually like what caps do to the tone; it is my go-to, standard, starting cap value for all guitars. And I only even go down from there, never up. 0.0047, .0033, .0022 uF, and you are well into the cocked wah sound. It's more like an effect than like a tone control. 0.001 uF, and you are barely having an effect when you roll down the knob.

Capacitor type or wattage doesn't really matter, as hot signal doesn't pass through the cap, and pickups are very low-voltage devices. Also, cap value doesn't matter one bit if you never use the tone pot anyhow.
 
Re: Aph1 Tone cap value?

ItsaBass said:
0.047 uF will be very bassy when you turn it down to 0 on the tone knob. It's a horrid cap value on any guitar, IMHO. 0.022 uF will be less bassy, but still muffled. Also not a very good value IMHO. 0.01 uF will start getting into cocked wah territory. This is where I start actually like what caps do to the tone; it is my go-to, standard, starting cap value for all guitars. And I only even go down from there, never up. 0.0047, .0033, .0022 uF, and you are well into the cocked wah sound. It's more like an effect than like a tone control. 0.001 uF, and you are barely having an effect when you roll down the knob.

Capacitor type or wattage doesn't really matter, as hot signal doesn't pass through the cap, and pickups are very low-voltage devices. Also, cap value doesn't matter one bit if you never use the tone pot anyhow.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info, sounds like I'm going to start low... just need to decide on 50s or modern wiring then!!

Think I've spent too much time reading and not enough time playing!
 
Re: Aph1 Tone cap value?

GuitarDoc said:
I would definitely start with the .022uf cap.

The .047uf as illustrated in many diagrams, gives a way too dark/muddy sound...you will lose the crisp high end and even lots of the upper mids as the tone pot is rolled down.
Click to expand...
I used to believe that. But if a guy uses an overdrive most of the time the higher value caps like .047 sound good...perhaps even better than .02 caps.

In my Strats I've gone back to using a .1 tone cap and I like the tone a lot better than the tone I got for the last 20 years from .02 caps. Seems to change the resonance of the whole electrical circuit for the better - especially when playing through a Klon or a Klon Klone or similar clean boost/overdrive pedal.

Never hurts to keep an open mind about these things and be willing to experiment and change one's point of view.

I sure have!
 
Re: Aph1 Tone cap value?

Well that sets the cat amongst the pigeons!

Think I'm more into a blues or soft rock sound these days, have mellowed since my younger years, heavy overdrive doesn't appeal to me much these days
 
Re: Aph1 Tone cap value?

Just double checked and its a .01uf not .015uf so as soon as I can I'll get that in and go from there
 
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