Cap. Values

[BS123]

I currently have a 0.05uF cap. in my ash Tele. I installed a couple of Fender Vintage Noiseless pickups to see if I liked them or not. Well, I took'em out because they were so ear-piercingly bright. I talked to a frind of mine who owns and ash American Deluxe Tele with those same pickups. He has the same value pots as I do (250k no-load). The difference is in the cap. values. Mine, as I said before, is 0.05uF and his is 0.022uF. Both he and another fellow Tele player said that the cap. value is the issue here. Both told me to either use a 0.022uF cap. or go even lower than that.

What do y'all think? I'm not versed on cap. values and their respective tone results.

 

[Artie]

Re: Cap. Values

A .05uf will roll-off a lot more highs than a .022uf. Are you sure you're reading the values correctly. The higher the number, the more highs go to ground.

BTW - if you mean the (no-load) pot on "10", the cap value doesn't come into play.

(You probably already know that.)

 

[BS123]

Re: Cap. Values

BTW - if you mean the (no-load) pot on "10", the cap value doesn't come into play.

(You probably already know that.)

Actually, I didn't know that....


This is directly from Fender's website...

50's Telecaster cap. value= 0.05µF

Am. Dlx. Telecaster cap. value= 0.022µF

I can't figure this out...

 

[Artie]

Re: Cap. Values

Yeah . . . when a "no-load" pot is on 10, it, and the cap, are removed from the circuit.
Which will, of course, make the guitar somewhat brighter.

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Cap. Values

I use .02 caps in every electric guitar I own except my '63 Strat....that one is almost 100% stock with the original volume and tone controls. But I think it'd sound better with .02.

Sprague Orange Drops are what I use...tho I do have a .02 Hovland in my Strat with the Antiquity II Surfers.

When I tested the Hovland vs. Orange Drops in that same Strat, I could not hear any diff at all!

But I left the Hovland in it anyway and it does sound great. Best sounding Strat I own.

Lew

 

[BS123]

Re: Cap. Values

Yeah . . . when a "no-load" pot is on 10, it, and the cap, are removed from the circuit.
Which will, of course, make the guitar somewhat brighter.

I have standard 250k pots in mine. Mine aren't the "no-load" type.

I use .02 caps in every electric guitar I own except my '63 Strat....that one is almost 100% stock with the original volume and tone controls. But I think it'd sound better with .02.

Sprague Orange Drops are what I use...tho I do have a .02 Hovland in my Strat with the Antiquity II Surfers.

When I tested the Hovland vs. Orange Drops in that same Strat, I could not hear any diff at all!

But I left the Hovland in it anyway and it does sound great. Best sounding Strat I own.

Lew

Thanks Lew, I'll drop a 0.022µF cap. in tonight.

Now, if I can figure out why these noiseless pickups are humming like crazy, I'll be good to go....

 

[Artie]

Re: Cap. Values

I have standard 250k pots in mine. Mine aren't the "no-load" type.

Ooops, sorry Butch. I misread your post. It's the "other" guy who has the no-loads. Which makes it even stranger that yours would be so much brighter.

That doesn't make any sense at all. :smack:

 

[BS123]

Re: Cap. Values

Stop the Presses!!

I just got off the phone with Fender. The guy said that a different cap isn't going to help me and that the VN's are just really bright. I'm going to call the tech who does all the stuff I can't do and see what he says.

 

[BS123]

Re: Cap. Values

Okay, I have talked to 5 different people who are great players as well as great guitar modders. The VN's, as it turns out really aren't good for an ash-bodied guitar. They're just too bright. They're also made to produce that late 50's and 60's Tele sounds. They're brighter than the early 50's Tele pickups like the Broadcaster and the Nocaster; which I happen to prefer. I believe I'll take them back to the store.