Opinions on Cap value.....

[Buckeyedog]

Putting new pickups in my Les Paul DC and currently don't have the stock ceramic cap hooked up (using the tone for spin a split). Anyway, the new pickups are 2 conductor and I picked up 3 caps, .023, .033 and .047. The .047 will allow that most treble to bleed through.....correct?? Anyway, any opinions on what value I should try first are welcome. Amps are Marshall DSL 50 and Budda SD 80 for blues/classic and hard rock.

Thanks,
Kevin

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: Opinions on Cap value.....

Putting new pickups in my Les Paul DC and currently don't have the stock ceramic cap hooked up (using the tone for spin a split). Anyway, the new pickups are 2 conductor and I picked up 3 caps, .023, .033 and .047. The .047 will allow that most treble to bleed through.....correct?? Anyway, any opinions on what value I should try first are welcome. Amps are Marshall DSL 50 and Budda SD 80 for blues/classic and hard rock.

Thanks,
Kevin

Hello Kevin...The smaller the value of the cap,the more highs you'll retain...The bigger the cap,the quicker you can roll your tone control into darker tones,also your tone control setting of 0 will be darker as you increase the cap size..My favorite cap sizes in my humbucker Gibson axes is either .015 or .022...Anything bigger in value for me than this is too dark for my tastes..The tone cap also does have an effect on your overall tone even if your tone pots are on 10 unless you do the No Load Tone pot mod...John S

http://www.projectguitar.com/tut/pots.htm

 

[Lewguitar]

Caps are a high pass filter...they allow highs to pass and block lows. Smaller caps, like .022 mfd, allow highs to pass (and in a guitar tone circuit they pass to ground never to be heard from again) but block bass and mids from escaping the circuit. Larger caps, like .047 mfd, allow highs to pass AND some upper mids/lower treble as well, while blocking most mids and bass from escaping. So the way I look at it, the .022 value retains more upper mids/lower treble frequencies by blocking them from passing through the cap. Bottem line is: .022 retains more upper mids/lower treble when thetone control is turned down which makes a tone more appropriate for rock/blues soloing... .047 allows some upper mids/lower treble to escape the circuit and gives a warmer, "jazzier" tone like Wes Montgomery when the tone control is turned down. Lew

 

[Buckeyedog]

Cool

Cool

Hey guys, thanks for the responses. I'm getting clearer on how they work now! It's the pass through to ground that I wasn't getting. Much appreciated!