Caps
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beaubrummels
Well-known member
Re: Caps
Welcome to the forum
Sprague Orange Drop .022mfd
...or if you want to get extravagant, Black Bee .022mfd or VitaminQ paper-in-oil .022mfd.
If you installed the pickups, you were using a wiring schematic, no? Doesn't that have the cap values and wiring location on it?
Welcome to the forum
Sprague Orange Drop .022mfd
...or if you want to get extravagant, Black Bee .022mfd or VitaminQ paper-in-oil .022mfd.
If you installed the pickups, you were using a wiring schematic, no? Doesn't that have the cap values and wiring location on it?
beaubrummels
Well-known member
Re: Caps
Probably because it's been on the Les Paul schematic since 1954, and it works fine. I wouldn't trust any Duncan drawing or take it as a recommendation.
But if you have discovered something interesting that works better, why not recommend it.
Probably because it's been on the Les Paul schematic since 1954, and it works fine. I wouldn't trust any Duncan drawing or take it as a recommendation.
But if you have discovered something interesting that works better, why not recommend it.
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Lewguitar
New member
Re: Caps
The way I picture it is, the tone control offers a path to ground for the audio signal.
What goes to ground does not go through your amp and get amplified. It disappears.
So the tone control is like a gate that can be opened all the way or just a little and allow the treble to go to ground never to be heard again.
The cap allows treble to pass through it and disappear but blocks the bass and mids from passing through it so they remain in the signal path, go down your guitar cord and get amplified by your amplifier.
The mfd. of the cap determines the cut off point of the frequencies that are allowed through that gate.
.02 caps will block bass and mids and lower treble frequencies but allow upper treble frequencies to pass through it and disappear when the tone knob is turned down.
A .047 cap will block bass and mids from passing through it it, but will allow lower frequency treble to pass through it as well as upper treble.
So as the cap gets bigger (.02...to .1 mfd for example) it starts to allow lower and lower treble frequencies to pass through it.
This is not presented as an accurate explanation, but just to give you an idea of what's going on.
The way I picture it is, the tone control offers a path to ground for the audio signal.
What goes to ground does not go through your amp and get amplified. It disappears.
So the tone control is like a gate that can be opened all the way or just a little and allow the treble to go to ground never to be heard again.
The cap allows treble to pass through it and disappear but blocks the bass and mids from passing through it so they remain in the signal path, go down your guitar cord and get amplified by your amplifier.
The mfd. of the cap determines the cut off point of the frequencies that are allowed through that gate.
.02 caps will block bass and mids and lower treble frequencies but allow upper treble frequencies to pass through it and disappear when the tone knob is turned down.
A .047 cap will block bass and mids from passing through it it, but will allow lower frequency treble to pass through it as well as upper treble.
So as the cap gets bigger (.02...to .1 mfd for example) it starts to allow lower and lower treble frequencies to pass through it.
This is not presented as an accurate explanation, but just to give you an idea of what's going on.
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Demanic
PenultimateTone Member
Re: Caps
See, I see a tone pot not as going to ground, rather, the resistor determines how much signal is shunted through the capacitor. Shunt the whole signal through and the cap chokes the high frequencies. How much it chokes them is determined by its value. The greater the capacitance, the more highs are choked.
Sent from my MotoE2(4G-LTE) using Tapatalk
See, I see a tone pot not as going to ground, rather, the resistor determines how much signal is shunted through the capacitor. Shunt the whole signal through and the cap chokes the high frequencies. How much it chokes them is determined by its value. The greater the capacitance, the more highs are choked.
Sent from my MotoE2(4G-LTE) using Tapatalk
dystrust
Well-known member
Re: Caps
Correct. I don't understand why SD recommends .047 when that value is enough to turn a single coil to mud IMO. I use .022 for everything except neck humbuckers which get .015. As far as cap types, anything that isn't a ceramic disc should be fine. I personally like Orange Drops, but they're all pretty much the same once you start comparing decent caps.
Correct. I don't understand why SD recommends .047 when that value is enough to turn a single coil to mud IMO. I use .022 for everything except neck humbuckers which get .015. As far as cap types, anything that isn't a ceramic disc should be fine. I personally like Orange Drops, but they're all pretty much the same once you start comparing decent caps.
dystrust
Well-known member
Re: Caps
I guess my post could've been worded better. The SD humbucker diagrams call for a .047uf cap which is WAAAAY too much for a humbucker IMO; the tone is useless mud by the time the tone pot's on 5. A .047 cap is still too much even for something really bright like a Strat bridge pickup.
I guess my post could've been worded better. The SD humbucker diagrams call for a .047uf cap which is WAAAAY too much for a humbucker IMO; the tone is useless mud by the time the tone pot's on 5. A .047 cap is still too much even for something really bright like a Strat bridge pickup.
Re: Caps
No, but i found one on the SD site that showed .047 but no brand, i've got some .022 orange drops on order, i just wanted to make sure. Thx. For the reply
No, but i found one on the SD site that showed .047 but no brand, i've got some .022 orange drops on order, i just wanted to make sure. Thx. For the reply
PFDarkside
of the Forum
Re: Caps
Order two Orange Drops each of .015uF, .022uF, .047uF and for the heck of it, .1uF since at that point the incremental charge is basically nothing. Also get a few 300K posts. Try all 4 caps and both pots in both neck and bridge to see what YOU like. Personally, I like 500K and .022uF across the board for my LP, but you may like something different. Also experiment with 50's vs modern wiring.
Lew got me to try a .1uF in a Strat. (Along with non RWRP and vintage output middle). If you've seen my pic in the "guitar family" thread you know I have a Strat to burn on it, but I like having one in pure vintage mode.
Order two Orange Drops each of .015uF, .022uF, .047uF and for the heck of it, .1uF since at that point the incremental charge is basically nothing. Also get a few 300K posts. Try all 4 caps and both pots in both neck and bridge to see what YOU like. Personally, I like 500K and .022uF across the board for my LP, but you may like something different. Also experiment with 50's vs modern wiring.
Lew got me to try a .1uF in a Strat. (Along with non RWRP and vintage output middle). If you've seen my pic in the "guitar family" thread you know I have a Strat to burn on it, but I like having one in pure vintage mode.
Demanic
PenultimateTone Member
Re: Caps
+1
I like the darker caps. I think it has something to do with the resonant peak effect. I rarely turn the tone to 5. I use 500k for the tone pot and between 10 and 7 I get some great peaks.
Of course if you get better luck with .022 then go for it. I once used a .22. that was a mistake, even though it was on a bass.
Sent from my MotoE2(4G-LTE) using Tapatalk
+1
I like the darker caps. I think it has something to do with the resonant peak effect. I rarely turn the tone to 5. I use 500k for the tone pot and between 10 and 7 I get some great peaks.
Of course if you get better luck with .022 then go for it. I once used a .22. that was a mistake, even though it was on a bass.
Sent from my MotoE2(4G-LTE) using Tapatalk
photograft
New member
Caps
I've used orange drops personally and like them. I also hear good things about Mallory 150's but don't have any personal experience with them. Anyone care to comment on those?
Realistically the value matters more than the brand, as the value determines what frequencies stay in the mix as you turn the pot down.
Here's a great article on the subject.
http://zerocapcable.com/?page_id=224
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
I've used orange drops personally and like them. I also hear good things about Mallory 150's but don't have any personal experience with them. Anyone care to comment on those?
Realistically the value matters more than the brand, as the value determines what frequencies stay in the mix as you turn the pot down.
Here's a great article on the subject.
http://zerocapcable.com/?page_id=224
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
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Max Salas
New member
Re: Caps
I hear caps just affecting how much overall treble is rolled off. I will rarely use the tone knob closed to further than 4-5 out of 10 with a .047 .
A .022 works perfect wit humbuckers and maybe for most single coils.
I personally use a .047 with 3 singles and in my HSS guitar.
But I use a .022 in my HSH guitar
I hear caps just affecting how much overall treble is rolled off. I will rarely use the tone knob closed to further than 4-5 out of 10 with a .047 .
A .022 works perfect wit humbuckers and maybe for most single coils.
I personally use a .047 with 3 singles and in my HSS guitar.
But I use a .022 in my HSH guitar
Re: Caps
A guitar pickup is a parallel LC circuit. Their resonant peak is the result of their inductance "L" combined with that capacitance "C". Even though there is no capacitor in a pickup, the coil windings act as a capacitor. The purpose of a tone knob is to intentionally add extra capacitance, and drive the resonant peak further downwards. The higher the value the cap, the darker the tone will become. An important thing to know is that the tone knob also reduces the Q factor dramatically at any value other than "0" or "10", which is why they take on a peculiar tone when you reach the very bottom of the dial.
Inductors can be used in order to alter the inductance in a similar manner, but the results don't usually sound as good, and they cost a lot more than simple capacitors.
A guitar pickup is a parallel LC circuit. Their resonant peak is the result of their inductance "L" combined with that capacitance "C". Even though there is no capacitor in a pickup, the coil windings act as a capacitor. The purpose of a tone knob is to intentionally add extra capacitance, and drive the resonant peak further downwards. The higher the value the cap, the darker the tone will become. An important thing to know is that the tone knob also reduces the Q factor dramatically at any value other than "0" or "10", which is why they take on a peculiar tone when you reach the very bottom of the dial.
Inductors can be used in order to alter the inductance in a similar manner, but the results don't usually sound as good, and they cost a lot more than simple capacitors.
Re: Caps
Got a great deal on a bulk lot of low voltage Mallory caps many years ago on ebay. Also have some Sprague Pacers (192P). The Sprague's I have are .027 and .015. I use them when I want a .015 for the neck. When I do both the neck and bridge with .022, I use the Mallory's. I have swapped between .027 Sprague and .022 Mallory in same guitar with same pickup but I cant say there was a discernible difference. In other words, I couldn't definitively tell the difference between those different cap values let alone the cap brand/type. Could be a different story if I was able to AB them. Or, maybe my ears just suck. Whatever the case, I'm happy with either the Mallory or the Spraque 192P's.
Got a great deal on a bulk lot of low voltage Mallory caps many years ago on ebay. Also have some Sprague Pacers (192P). The Sprague's I have are .027 and .015. I use them when I want a .015 for the neck. When I do both the neck and bridge with .022, I use the Mallory's. I have swapped between .027 Sprague and .022 Mallory in same guitar with same pickup but I cant say there was a discernible difference. In other words, I couldn't definitively tell the difference between those different cap values let alone the cap brand/type. Could be a different story if I was able to AB them. Or, maybe my ears just suck. Whatever the case, I'm happy with either the Mallory or the Spraque 192P's.
dystrust
Well-known member
Re: Caps
I've had the chance to compare Mallory 150s and Orange Drops and I can't hear a difference. IME any decent cap (ie not a ceramic disc) will sound essentially the same at a given value.
I've had the chance to compare Mallory 150s and Orange Drops and I can't hear a difference. IME any decent cap (ie not a ceramic disc) will sound essentially the same at a given value.
hotrodtodd
New member
Re: Caps
I have a question about voltage value ,several different voltages listed for these.022 's (200v,400v,etc)does it matter and what would have been in a '59 LP?
Thanks for your time!
I have a question about voltage value ,several different voltages listed for these.022 's (200v,400v,etc)does it matter and what would have been in a '59 LP?
Thanks for your time!
Re: Caps
That indicates the maximum voltage the cap can handle. Electric guitars generate only a few hundred millivolts at best, and don't come anywhere close to testing those limits.
That indicates the maximum voltage the cap can handle. Electric guitars generate only a few hundred millivolts at best, and don't come anywhere close to testing those limits.
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