caps question (hey Jonesy!!)

[Iceman0124]

Checked under the guard of my classic vibe and unlike most of the vibe teles with full size alpha's, this had crap mini pots....went to my go to guy luthier and picked up a trio of CTS 250's and new switch, at first he said he wouldnt worry about the cap, then he played her and was wowed, and dismayed cause quality guitars like the vibe at their pricepoint makes him wonder how long he can survive building american part guitars in america.....but afterwards he dug through his personal "cool stash" drawer and gave me this



Said it was the holy grail of fender caps, and should make a positive difference. I know very very little about things like these so a little info would be appreciated.

[leftyguitarman]

I'm assuming your guitar has single coils. If so, putting in a 0.047µF cap is going to make them sound a little darker. Most single coil guitars come with 0.022µF caps. Humbucking guitars usually come with 0.047µF caps. It's an easy thing to change them out. It's worth a shot just trying it. I recently replaced the caps in my Strats from crappy 0.01µF to 0.022µF and noticed a very, very slight difference in the sound. They sounded more "full" afterwards. I'm actually curious now to know how a 0.047µF cap would sound in my Strat with Texas Specials.

[Iceman0124]

Most vintage strat electronic kits have .047 caps thats I've seen online. On Guitar parts resource .com that have .047 for all but the "standard tele kit wich uses a .022

The RS vintage strat kit also uses a .047

http://www.rsguitarworks.net/rsstore...roducts_id=409

[leftyguitarman]

Maybe I got em mixed up.. I thought 0.022µF went with single coils and 0.047µF went with humbuckers. I'm certain Fender, now, uses 0.022µF caps for their guitars. Their wiring diagrams online call for 0.022µF caps. Get Jonesy in here!

EDIT: I put some 0.022µF Orange Drop caps in my Strats the other day, and when I went to the guitar repair store to get the caps, the guitar tech, who has been a guitar tech for like 30 some years, gave me the 0.022µF caps when I said it was for a Strat.

[PINKBITS]

Originally Posted by leftyguitarman

Maybe I got em mixed up.. I thought 0.022µF went with single coils and 0.047µF went with humbuckers. I'm certain Fender, now, uses 0.022µF caps for their guitars. Their wiring diagrams online call for 0.022µF caps. Get Jonesy in here!

EDIT: I put some 0.022µF Orange Drop caps in my Strats the other day, and when I went to the guitar repair store to get the caps, the guitar tech, who has been a guitar tech for like 30 some years, gave me the 0.022µF caps when I said it was for a Strat.

Ya you got mixed up mate. Generally speaking .022 bucker and .047 singles. Some also use .015 in a neck humbucker.

Jonesy is the man when it comes to caps. Shoot the man a PM.

[Iceman0124]

His PM's must be off, as I dont have the option, sent him a little note though

[jonesy]

Originally Posted by Iceman0124

Checked under the guard of my classic vibe and unlike most of the vibe teles with full size alpha's, this had crap mini pots....went to my go to guy luthier and picked up a trio of CTS 250's and new switch, at first he said he wouldnt worry about the cap, then he played her and was wowed, and dismayed cause quality guitars like the vibe at their pricepoint makes him wonder how long he can survive building american part guitars in america.....but afterwards he dug through his personal "cool stash" drawer and gave me this



Said it was the holy grail of fender caps, and should make a positive difference. I know very very little about things like these so a little info would be appreciated.

Yeah I have a few of those Blue Alpha caps stashed back myself, .022. .033, .047. Some people call them Fender caps because they were used for a while. Pretty sure those are Paper In Oil, .047 is a great cap for single coils.

Most of those .047's read around .039 when they were new, if that one may have strayed did you put it on a meter?

As far as Tele caps go I prefer a Real 50's .047 over the blue caps. The Sprague Bees & Q's have a little more warmth and vocal Tone. Those Blue Caps can sound Sweet with some pu's, it's worth a try for sure. Fender ran the Large .05 ceramic disc caps for many years, those have a little more bite and can be harsh at times, so the Blue caps were preferred over those by some players.

[5F6-A]

what DAve said.... BTW I use a 0.010 uF PIO cap in my Strat with great results.

[Iceman0124]

He dug out a few and put em on a meter, frowned at a couple, then hooked this one up and smiled....said it should make me very happy! Thanks Jonesy! He did say they were paper in oil. its going in a classic vibe strat with alnico 3 single coils. Seems like they use full size alpha pots in the teles and cheap minis in the strats...dunno why, wonder if the earlier vibe strats had alphas?

[jonesy]

Well when you get it installed I'd let your ear be the judge, that's what I always do. And like H. said, I have also used .015's in Strats and Tele's with good results.
Keep us posted Ice and maybe toss up a sound clip if you can?

[Iceman0124]

I still need to figure out cuebase 4, I can record great, getting into a standard format playable file....I havent had any luck, just raw work files

[Iceman0124]

Instead of the strats (they have little green chicklets in my 60's and red in my 50's, dont think its era specific, just the batch they were run in) I used it in my MIM ash tele with a stock tiny cermaic disc cap.....big difference,it could be my imagination but even wide open it seems to have a little more sparkle, and instead of bright, inbetweenish, and dark, theres tons of tones in between, rolled back all the way isnt muddy either, and all the way up isnt piercing, wish I had some sound clips, I am glad I put it in there though,seemed like the best fit of my collection.

[jonesy]

Ceramic disc caps are better IMO for clarity and bite than a mylar chiclet cap, but still not as vocal and warm as a PIO

[Iceman0124]

It made a big dif in my tele, not sure what I'm gonna use in the strats, I've discovered with my back problems post recent surgery, I'm only good for a about 10-20 minutes worth of work at a time, then I gotta take an hour or 3 off, being stuck in an apartment with a shared bathroom, that also serves as my (safest proper) work area....well you get the picture, teles are quick and convient to work on. I actually replaced the cheapo mini tone pot I stripped on my 60's vibe lying on the floor )...a shaggy carpeted floor with two hormonal cats running around.....that was interesting to say the least....

[jonesy]

Hey Ice, I have some Fat .05 Z5U Yellowish Ceramic disc caps like Fender used in the 70's. Just email me at jonesyblues@yahoo.com and I will send you one to try out if you want? They have that Classic Fender Honk to them with plenty of top end bite.

[overdriver]

Originally Posted by Iceman0124

He dug out a few and put em on a meter, frowned at a couple, then hooked this one up and smiled....said it should make me very happy! Thanks Jonesy! He did say they were paper in oil. its going in a classic vibe strat with alnico 3 single coils. Seems like they use full size alpha pots in the teles and cheap minis in the strats...dunno why, wonder if the earlier vibe strats had alphas?

Dare good en's ! I got one in my Esquire

[5F6-A]

[overdriver]

I use .1 in my Strats

[jonesy]

Originally Posted by overdriver

I use .1 in my Strats

That's Cause your hard core old school Norm

[overdriver]

Originally Posted by jonesy

That's Cause your hard core old school Norm

What can i say a good friend gave them to me remember

[jonesy]

Originally Posted by overdriver

What can i say a good friend gave them to me remember

It's hard to keep track of all that stuff bro, but yeah I remember

[Bluesjam]

jonesy, your a good dude! Let'e hear it for MLP.