Need help deciding on caps for semi-hollow rewire.

Re: Need help deciding on caps for semi-hollow rewire.

Welcome to the forum.

.047uF is traditional. .022uF is popular because it does not completely assassinate the top end of the guitar signal. Much depends on the style(s) in which you intend to play. (You might WANT to dump the top end.)

My own choice would be .022s
 
Re: Need help deciding on caps for semi-hollow rewire.

Vintage humbucker guitars came with .022.

I have no idea why the SD diagram comes with .047 for buckers.......but its not the only 'mistake' in these diagrams. The JB was originally intended for 250k pots in a tele, so you might have to fiddle a bit with values to get the treble content you want.......remember you get your tone adjusted for the neck pickup and turn the tone on the bridge to remove the excessive bite.

I'm a fan of .033 for bridge and .01 for neck. There is some small difference at 10, but the bigger differences come as you turn down the tones.
 
Re: Need help deciding on caps for semi-hollow rewire.

I PREFER TO USE ALL CAPS.

EDIT - More seriously, I like .047 . . . it sounds right for me with humbuckers in a jazzbox. The capacitor changes the cutoff frequency . . . rolling back on the tone pot isn't the same as changing the cap.
 
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Re: Need help deciding on caps for semi-hollow rewire.

Well my LP and my fat strat both have .022 for the humbuckers and I'm used to that, but this guitar is a semi-holllow maple body, and the other ones are not, so I'm wondering if it's already going to sound brither than .047 would in a solid body and more like a .022? My initial gut instinct is to go .022 and manage the highs with my tone pots and change it later if it's too bright, but this being a semi-hollow... it's not exactly easy changing caps later in there...
 
Re: Need help deciding on caps for semi-hollow rewire.

JB's aren't the best choice for a hollow body. What kind of music are you playing? They're at their best in bright-toned solid bodies playing '80's metal.
 
Re: Need help deciding on caps for semi-hollow rewire.

blueman335 said:
JB's aren't the best choice for a hollow body. What kind of music are you playing? They're at their best in bright-toned solid bodies playing '80's metal.
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JB's have found their way into many a semi hollow in the hands of various punk and other artists... I sure would not presume at all know whats "best" for the OP.
 
Re: Need help deciding on caps for semi-hollow rewire.

Edgecrusher said:
JB's have found their way into many a semi hollow in the hands of various punk and other artists... I sure would not presume at all know whats "best" for the OP.
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That's why I asked what kind of music he's playing. If he's playing jazz or blues, there's definitely much better choices.
 
Re: Need help deciding on caps for semi-hollow rewire.

blueman335 said:
That's why I asked what kind of music he's playing. If he's playing jazz or blues, there's definitely much better choices.
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I'm looking for a versatile axe really, not necessarily a jazz or blues guitar. I'm going really for more of a classic and hard rock sound with this project and I've heard beautiful leads with the SH-2 so I'm pretty sure that's what I want in the neck position. I was kinda torn between the SH-5 and the SH-4 for the bridge, and I even considered a 59 Hybrid, but I really liked Randy Rhoads' tone and he used this same setup, so I think I'm on the right track.

As for playing clean and jazz... I tried out a solid LP a while ago with the jazz in the neck and it actually IS a great jazz pickup as well, or just a good clean tone in general for whatever you want to do. Both these pickups also split very nicely and I love messing with split coil sounds.

Anyway, in terms of the pickup selection, I'm pretty sure it's what I want. I have a few other SD humbuckers in other guitars and I haven't owned the JB yet, or the Jazz, and that combo is Seymour Duncan's personal favorite so if it's good for him, I think it's good enough for me (plus I love the sound of other pros that have used the same setup).
 
Re: Need help deciding on caps for semi-hollow rewire.

This is the guitar I'm modding fyi. Planning on getting the HB's in zebra and changing the rings and toggle switch to cream to match the binding. I'm kinda digging the Ibanez Suregrip knobs and they feel like they're going to be great for push/pulls. They feel kinda cheap but I think it's because of the pots.

I'll be using alpha pots and a switchcraft LP switch. Have to clean her up still and take her apart a bit and see what the input jack looks like. Not looking forward to fishing parts but at least the sound holes are a decent size.

myas73.jpg
 
Re: Need help deciding on caps for semi-hollow rewire.

Ahh yes, I've got that bookmarked. :)

I honestly have had good luck going with the recommended wiring in the past. I'm just seeing many discrepancies in SD's schematics and it's throwing me off.

For example, on the page for the Jazz, there's a link to wiring instructions: http://www.seymourduncan.com/images/products/electric/humbuckers/501005-110.pdf

It shows you an example for 4-conductor humbuckers using .047 and then the same example except for 2-conductor humbuckers using .022... that can't be right can it? And every 2 HB schematic I'm finding is using 500k pots, not the supposed 250k that the JB is supposed to use?

What I'm looking for is what the actual recommended wiring is for these particular humbuckers. Right now I'm leaning towards .047 I think...
 
Re: Need help deciding on caps for semi-hollow rewire.

There is no 'recommended'. There are many choices......and as many opinions on what works as there are pairs of ears on guitar players.

Remember - you can always turn the tone control down if its too bright.
 
Re: Need help deciding on caps for semi-hollow rewire.

AlexR said:
There is no 'recommended'. There are many choices......and as many opinions on what works as there are pairs of ears on guitar players.

Remember - you can always turn the tone control down if its too bright.
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Agreed. I think I'll just go with the .047. Being in a brighter semi-hollow body might make those low dark tones interesting.

Now the pots... I'm watching that thread on the 250k pots for the JB while leaning to the standard 500's, so now I'm wondering... what about 300K volumes and 500k push/pull pots? I've seen that pot setup on many a gibson custom so maybe there's something to it? Otherwise, I'm going to start with SD's recommended 2HB wiring (500k pots, .047 caps) and go from there. I was really torn on a HSS fat strat I rewired recently because there were so many ways to do but I just ended up going with SD's recommended and it worked out very well, so maybe I'll do the same here to start, except the 300/500 pots. That I'm kind of interested in doing perhaps...
 
Re: Need help deciding on caps for semi-hollow rewire.

Just an idea regarding the caps . . . you could always wire in a miniswitch with both a .022 and .047 cap. Then just reach in the f-hole and flick it if you don't like one or the other. They only cost a couple bucks.
 
Re: Need help deciding on caps for semi-hollow rewire.

GuitarStv said:
Just an idea regarding the caps . . . you could always wire in a miniswitch with both a .022 and .047 cap. Then just reach in the f-hole and flick it if you don't like one or the other. They only cost a couple bucks.
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Not a bad idea, but I'm not sure how much room I have in there to hide it while still being able to reach it. I'd hate to look into the soundhole and see that.

Honestly after watching some videos, I don't think the fishing is going to be all that hard, just time consuming. I think I'll find the knob removal more annoying as per usual. ;)
 
Re: Need help deciding on caps for semi-hollow rewire.

On an amp it's an input jack (the sound is coming IN to an amp from an external source). On a guitar it's an output jack (the sound is going OUT from a guitar to some sound processor...amp, recorder, etc).

With the large sound holes in that guitar you shouldn't have much problem "fishing" in the electronics. But still, why do it more than once?! I'd start with .022uf caps (I sometimes even use .015uf or .010uf with humbuckers). If they sound too bright you can always roll off the tone control. However, if you start with .047uf caps and they sound too dark, there's nothing you can do about it except take out the pots and start all over soldering and installing with different caps.

As for the pots...the Jazz and JB are pretty bright pups. I don't recall you mentioning what amp you're using. If it is a bright toned amp I would definitely recommend 250k or 300k pots since the Jazz is already a bright pup. And the JB (also with a bright high end and upper mids) was originally designed to be played with a 250k pot.

Everyone hears things their own way and there is no such thing as a standard setup. Let your ears be your guide as to what is "right" for you.
 
Re: Need help deciding on caps for semi-hollow rewire.

GuitarDoc said:
On an amp it's an input jack (the sound is coming IN to an amp from an external source). On a guitar it's an output jack (the sound is going OUT from a guitar to some sound processor...amp, recorder, etc).

With the large sound holes in that guitar you shouldn't have much problem "fishing" in the electronics. But still, why do it more than once?! I'd start with .022uf caps (I sometimes even use .015uf or .010uf with humbuckers). If they sound too bright you can always roll off the tone control. However, if you start with .047uf caps and they sound too dark, there's nothing you can do about it except take out the pots and start all over soldering and installing with different caps.

As for the pots...the Jazz and JB are pretty bright pups. I don't recall you mentioning what amp you're using. If it is a bright toned amp I would definitely recommend 250k or 300k pots since the Jazz is already a bright pup. And the JB (also with a bright high end and upper mids) was originally designed to be played with a 250k pot.

Everyone hears things their own way and there is no such thing as a standard setup. Let your ears be your guide as to what is "right" for you.
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I'm playing through a Marshall JVM205C and a 90's Fender Pro Twin Amp. What do you think about using 300K volume and 500k tone knobs?
 
Re: Need help deciding on caps for semi-hollow rewire.

I have a jazz in the neck and a PGB1 in a Chibson LP . Rare thing occurs with these 2: A useful mid selection on the toggle.
It sounds like "Sultans of swing". I've actually found myslef just using the mid selection and the bridge.
The jazz neck is excellent. It sounds exactly like the SD description reads. I bought it cos the Alnico 2 pro neck was too boomy.
It is a very versatile pup and for what they cost, you won't regret trialling one.
If it doesn't work out for you, keep it for something else or handball it. Someone will buy it for $70 easy.
 
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