Invader without tone cap?

[UsrName]

Hey guys,

I just got a strat and I'm totally changing out the pickguard/pups/electronics. I'm putting in an Invader I had lying around and just got a little '59 bridge to go in the neck. A bridge model is all they had, but I figured I'd try it out.

Anyway, I have 2 CTS pots, one 500K volume and one 250K tone. I want to limit any muddiness from the Invader (think tight palm mutes). I only use the pots to get a more classic rock tone, so not that much. I'm playing through a Boogie Mark IV and would like to be able to use the treble from the amp.

My questions are:

Do I have to install a tone cap? If so, which value would go best with the 250K tone pot and retain high end? Should I keep the 250K or change to 500K? Also, how will this affect the little '59 in the neck? (I also want to retain high end in the neck for leads) Any other suggestions are most welcome. Thanks.

 

[El Dunco]

Re: Invader without tone cap?

You shouldn't really have to. Honestly, I have a stock setup in a mahogany bodied, set-neck 7 string with an Invader 7. That can do ultra-tight standard tuned palm mutes, but despite the common consensus, mine stays tight doing Drop A and even Drop G!

This is all through a Fender red-knob twin with a few hi-gain mods. Many people will agree that it sounds very tight, some where even shocked to know it was a series wired Invader with no mods. (Clips are available if necessary)

 

[Zhangliqun]

Re: Invader without tone cap?

Try it both ways, see which you like best. You could even temporarily wire it up to a switch so you could pop the tone knob in and out for better A/B testing.

 

[Artie]

Re: Invader without tone cap?

I would use a .022uf cap. If you want to have a real subtle tone control, try a .001uf. I have a tone cap switch in one of my guitars to go back and forth between the two, and the .001 sounds good. It just trims off some of the very high-end for when I'm using heavy distortion.

You may also want to wire the Invader in parallel. I use mine that way most of the time. You'll get a nice vintage-PAF-type tone and it will balance better with the Lil 59.

Easy to swap back to series later if you change your mind.

 

[PoorMan]

Re: Invader without tone cap?

My questions are:

Do I have to install a tone cap? If so, which value would go best with the 250K tone pot and retain high end? Should I keep the 250K or change to 500K? Also, how will this affect the little '59 in the neck? (I also want to retain high end in the neck for leads) Any other suggestions are most welcome. Thanks.

You have to install a cap to make it a tone pot.

250k and 500k = 166k (darker overall tone)
500k and 500k = 250k (brighter overall tone)

The little 59 is designed for 250k pots, but you have a bridge pickup (hotter and darker) which will compensate (to some extent) for the use of at least one 500k pot. It might work very nicely in the neck. I'd use a low value tone cap in that position--maybe .015uf. That should maintain the highs.

Using a 250k and 500k pot will darken the bridge tone a little. I'm more of a PAFish guy and I often do this to warm up a bridge position pickup...it's a good thing. An Invader is a different animal though so your results may differ.

 

[UsrName]

Re: Invader without tone cap?

Thanks for the replies! I'll probably try the .022 and see how that goes. I mainly use the tone pot for darker tones like Sabbath. I was just worried that a cap would affect it when both pots are on 10, but that doesn't seem to be the case.

If I don't dig the Invader, I also have a Screamin' Demon trembucker lying around also. For that one, I would probably use the .047 cap, as it's a brighter pup, correct?

 

[UsrName]

Re: Invader without tone cap?

Just giving an update:

I forgot to add the tone cap before I restrung it, but no biggie - you were right, PoorMan, the tone pot does nothing. It is a bit dark, so I might put a 500k tone pot in later and install the cap then. I have the Invader lowered from the strings a bit and it sounds good there. I was also able to turn up the treble on my amp a bit.

As a side note: The Little '59 sounds pretty **** good in the neck! Beefy, but clear - I was really surprised. Sounds great on leads with gain, but I kinda miss that single coil sound when clean.

Guess there's only one way to find these things out, huh?