Are capacitors created equal?

[Dave]

I went to the local Radio Shack and got a few 0.047 mfd ceramic caps. Will they replace the 0.22 in my tele?

Here's the deal, the stock cap is much bigger-does size really matter? :smack:

Thanks,
Dave

 

[rspst14]

Re: Are capacitors created equal?

Ceramic caps tend to be cheaper in construction, and they have a grainy sound to them. Probably not a big deal for a guitar's tone control, but most people agree that Orange Drops are a good choice for guitars. I would at least go with metal film caps if you insist on using Radio Shack parts. The .047 uF cap will roll off the highs faster than a .022 uF, so I would stick with the original value unless you purposely bought a higher value for that reason.

Ryan

 

[big_black]

Re: Are capacitors created equal?

Here's a link on caps, orange drops specifically.

https://forum.seymourduncan.com/showthread.php?t=31272

 

[Fresh_Start]

Re: Are capacitors created equal?

IMHO there is an audible difference between ceramic caps and higher-grade caps like Orange Drops. I swapped tone caps - same rated value - in a Strat once without changing anything else in the circuit and the tone seemed less brittle & metallic sounding.

However, there doesn't seem to be any benefit in a guitar circuit in going for big $$$ caps like bumble bees or Mallorys. (See posts by Lew & John Spina in the linked thread.)

Chip