Not again...???? tone cap question....

G

guppypuppy2

New member
Hi sorry guys. This is like betting a dead horse.... but... All I really want to know is with all you guys trying a .047 Vs. a .022... With humbuckers. even though on seymours diagrams it shows .047.. What seems to be the one most guys end up likeing?? And does the Volts on those really matter? thanks ron
 
Re: Not again...???? tone cap question....

Voltage shouldn't really matter, because an electric guitar circuit isn't mega volt city.

As for values, I typically don't use tone controls with humbuckers, but when I do, I prefer a bigger value. My #1 has a .018µf and it's quite useable when rolled all the way down. The type of cap has an impact too, e.g. whether it's a paper in oil, ceramic, or polyester type.

It's all matter of taste. .047 for single coils and .022 for humbuckers is a fairly general guideline, demonstrating that the higher value will be darker sounding and thus better at taming the high end of singles than a .022. I imagine that even on vintage guitars you'd have values that are all over the place, especially now 50-60 years after the instruments and their constituent components were built.
 
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Re: Not again...???? tone cap question....

The higher the cap value, the most treble goes to ground when the pot is lowered. With a standard PAF replica through an average cable, a 22n cap would remove frequencies above 400hz, while a 47n would lower the cut frequency to 340hz.

That's why 47n (.047µ) is often considered as too high a capacitance for HB's. Folks prefer 22n (.022µ) or even 15n or 10n. Now, I have 47n caps with my TV Jones Classic, which are bright humbuckers, and I've got the Strat tone in my head with a 100n cap.

Actually, you can try anything between 1,5n and 100n (.1µ). The lowest values will act like a mid enhancer and the highest capacitances will give a muddy tone with a lot less volume in some cases. A sweet spot is to find in between, for any guitar and pickup.

The voltage doesn't matter, theoretically. High voltage caps are just bigger.

I encourage you to try several caps, anyway: those things are cheap and IME, two capacitors of the same theoretical value can change the sound differently, even when the tone pot is full up (I open a can of worms by saying that but hey, it's MY experience of old fart).

EDIT - Ashurbanipal, sorry, we've answered in the same time. I wonder if we mean the same thing by "lowest value" but our replies have the same general meaning. :-)
 
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Re: Not again...???? tone cap question....

Ashurbanipal said:
It's all matter of taste. .047 for single coils and .022 for humbuckers is a fairly general guideline, demonstrating that the smaller value will be darker sounding
Click to expand...

I realize that the seasons may be reversed down under from the northern hemi, but I didn't imagine that your numbers are also reversed.
Up here in the States .047 is a higher value than .022. The higher value cap is darker than the lower value because it shunts more of the higher frequency range to ground.
 
Re: Not again...???? tone cap question....

hi ther.e wow. That's very good info. So why do you think on the Duncan wiring diagram for humbuckers. They chose a .047?? oh. Heres more info. My set up is a Duncan distortion bridge and 59 neck. And I play harder type rock metal. If that matters. thanks ron
 
Re: Not again...???? tone cap question....

Yes, sorry gents, we're on the same page, my bad. That's right, Doc, the cap values here are reversed as well :laughing:.

As I said, it's best to experiment and see what you like best. Starting with a recommended value then going back and forth until you're satisfied if the recommended isn't right.
 
Re: Not again...???? tone cap question....

uOpt said:
Do you actually use the tone pot much?
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Ever since I switched to a .015 neck (on a humbucker) and a .022 bridge (on a JD telecaster bridge) I find myself using the tone control all the time. 500k volume/tone pots all around. Maybe it's because everything is too bright anyway haha.

Any other guitar I never touch the tone control.
 
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Re: Not again...???? tone cap question....

So why do you think on the Duncan wiring diagram for humbuckers. They chose a .047??
Click to expand...

Ask them why, you'll learn us something new. :-)

Here is my take on a few possible answers:
-because most Duncan HB's are splittable and because a splitted pickup sounds too trebly when the amp is set for HB's. Hence the need of a tone pot useable in single coil mode (.047 being the best value in this case);
-simply because it's an "average value" adapted to most rigs and ears...

Acrtualy I hardly touch the tone
Click to expand...

It has been my case during 20 years then I've discovered the 50 wiring.

Anyway, the cap has a subtle influence on the overall tone, even with the pot full up - unless you play with loads of gain, of course.

WARNING for those who want to check Duncan schematics on the web: some unofficial links contain a virus!!!
 
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