Cap material for guitar tone

[flanagan0718]

I used 100n Mallory film caps in my LP. I have a couple spares if you need um.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Leevibe]

Bumblebee caps. I mean caps made from actual bumblebees. Kind of buzzy, but oh so toneful. 

[PhiloB]

Just met with a friend of mine who is an established blues guitarist in this area.  I was picking his brain over caps.  Obviously the wrong guy to talk to because he paid $100 for a paper in oil cap out of a '64 Les Paul for his Gold Top...said he felt it 'warmed up' his tone. 
Funny thing, I offered to give him one of my paper in oil .05uf caps for his strat and he declined.  Free 'vintage' cap = crap and $100 'vintage' cap = warm tone?
May do a blind test and share it with him. 
I appreciate all the feedback.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Leevibe]

The only place I've found in a guitar circuit where you definitely need to use a specific type of cap is for RF filtering. Tiny ceramics are the best choice for that.
I think the suggestions to just audition different caps in your guitar is a great idea/project. Set up a breadboard and switching system, so you can quickly change from cap to cap. Sometimes if we can't immediately A/B/C things for comparison, our ears can play tricks on us.

Lars is right. A/B switch will give you the best chance at hearing a difference.

[midwayfair]

Funny thing, I offered to give him one of my paper in oil .05uf caps for his strat and he declined.  Free 'vintage' cap = crap and $100 'vintage' cap = warm tone?

If he didn't explain it, it's probably because the PIO is the original part in some old Gibsons, but the Fender would have used a film cap (something grabbed off the amp production line).

[pickdropper]

Funny thing, I offered to give him one of my paper in oil .05uf caps for his strat and he declined.  Free 'vintage' cap = crap and $100 'vintage' cap = warm tone?

If he didn't explain it, it's probably because the PIO is the original part in some old Gibsons, but the Fender would have used a film cap (something grabbed off the amp production line).

The other option is to buy the new Gibson Bumblebee caps, which aren't even PIO, but have authentic painted stripes on them.  :-)

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/accessories/gibson-historic-bumblebee-capacitors-2-pack

[davent]

And if it has to be PIO AND if it has to be affordable, maybe here... http://www.tubes-store.com/index.php?cPath=35_41

[lars]

And if it has to be PIO AND if it has to be affordable, maybe here... http://www.tubes-store.com/index.php?cPath=35_41

Great site post!
I'd say a .1uf PIO for only .25 is worth testing out as to wether these really give you amazing tone. Even if sounds exactly the same, it's kind of cool to know you have oil in your guitar circuit.

[jball85]

I can't explain why, but I've found a difference with tone caps in Les Paul harnesses. Orange drops seem to have a little more gain and sustain with the tone rolled all the way back, as opposed to PIO which seem to have a more vintage BB like tone. However, it's possible that it's all in my head.