What capacitor for a P-90 pickup

Len Amaral · From: Rehoboth,MA 02769

I am going to modify (not sawzall) a Peavey Power Slide with a P-90 pickup. What capacitor would you suggest?

Thanks,

Lenny

Craig Baker · From: Eatonton, Georgia, USA - R.I.P.

Hi Len, You know me. . . my suggestion is always none.

All the best
Craig
_________________
"Make America Great Again". . . The Only Country With Dream After Its Name.

Tom Gorr · From: Three Hills, Alberta

As a bright cap across the volume pot?

Len Amaral · From: Rehoboth,MA 02769

Some caps are .022 while others are .05 if I remember. I am looking for a darker sound. This is a FrankenSTEEL that I put new tuners on and cut the horn off so it is narrow.

Bill Hatcher · From: Atlanta Ga. USA

Len Amaral · From: Rehoboth,MA 02769

Thank you Bill:

The issue with the power slide is you have to remove the strings and then remove the plastic pickguard to get at the Volume and tone then solder in a cap and put the whole thing back together and restring to see how it sounds.

Thanks much,

Lenny

Bill A. Moore · From: Silver City, New Mexico, USA

I just replaced the pickups in my Tele clone with Texas Specials. I also upgraded the pots to CTS, the original cap was a .05 which made the tone control almost a switch. I installed a .036 cap, and have much more usuable range in the control. I plan (on advice of a friend) to try a .022, he claims almost a full rotation of adjustment in his Strat.
Hope you post the result of your Power Slide makeover, I've been thinking of modifying the one I have.

Darrell Birtcher · Posted 28 May 2014 7:51 am

Len,
When I'm dialing in a new pickup, I take a handful of tone caps of various values and jumper them in one at a time with alligator clip leads to see what sounds best. While you're at it, try different values of potentiometers for both volume and tone. Caps and pots are not expensive, so play around to see what works. In your case, you should be able to lift the pickguard enough to let the clip leads dangle outside of the guitar so you can jumper in these components. You may end up with a very unique tone that you wouldn't have gotten by sticking to the more common values. One size does not necessarily fit all.

Once you've decided on the values, then you can solder them in permanently.

Craig Baker · From: Eatonton, Georgia, USA - R.I.P.

Len,
As we discussed, just clip the capacitor sub box across the plug that goes into the guitar. Here's a photo with lines pointing to the connection points. This should save you a ton of time and trouble.

Hope this is helpful.

Best regards,
Craig Baker 706-485-8792

cmbakerelectronics@gmail.com

C.M. Baker Electronics
P.O. Box 3965
Eatonton, GA 31024
_________________
"Make America Great Again". . . The Only Country With Dream After Its Name.

Michael Brebes · From: Northridge CA

Because the P90 has much higher impedance than a Fender single coil, I would definitely recommend the .02 over a .05, which would be way too dark for an already dark pickup.
_________________
Michael Brebes
Instrument/amp/ pickup repair
MSA D10 Classic/Rickenbacher B6/
Dickerson MOTS/Dobro D32 Hawaiian/
Goldtone Paul Beard Reso

Mesa Boogie Studio Pre/Hafler 3000
RP1/MPX100

Len Amaral · From: Rehoboth,MA 02769

Hi Craig and Michael:

Thank you for the wonderful advise.

Craig, it was a pleasure talking to you today and will call you back tomorrow to finish our conversation.

I will post a picture of my Frankensteel later. Craig, your suggestion regarding trying different caps will save me much time and effort. I hope I get a chance to meet you at some point and dinner on me!

Regards,

Lenny

Craig Baker · From: Eatonton, Georgia, USA - R.I.P.

Thank you Len.
No doubt we can find an Awful House somewhere along the way.

Best regards,
Craig Baker 706-485-8792

cmbakerelectronics@gmail.com

C.M. Baker Electronics
P.O. Box 3965
Eatonton, GA 31024
_________________
"Make America Great Again". . . The Only Country With Dream After Its Name.

Jim Palenscar · From: Oceanside, Calif, USA

Len- while you're at it, I realize that it is a steel guitar however my experience w the Powerslide is that the fretboard and the inherent scale of the guitar don't match and are off by roughly 1/4" at the 12th fret(check by measuring the distance from the center of the nut to the center of the bridge, divide by 2 and see where the 12th fret lies) and so you might consider relocating the bridge or nut to fix that lil' problem. I admit that I've not checked this in a number of years but this, coupled with string buzz at the nut on all 3 that I had in stock, caused me to discontinue carrying them.

Bill A. Moore · From: Silver City, New Mexico, USA

Jim, the string buzz can be overcome by using the correct size strings for the selected tuning. I have used several, and proper tension will not buzz.
As for the intonation, I find I do have to move the bar above the fret position, the higher up the neck I play. Your observation of +or- 1/4" at the 12th is also correct with my guitar. I hear hear that, and adjust the bar to be in tune with the rest of the band.

Jim Palenscar · From: Oceanside, Calif, USA

Thanks Bill- I just had 3 at the same time with the same problem all with the strings that they supplied and the tuning that they came with.

Len Amaral · From: Rehoboth,MA 02769

Thanks Jim for your input. However, peavey at first on the Power Slide had a stamped bridge and nut and now they have a filed nut and bridge as the strings were popping out. If you have an older model you will improve the tone and sustain by filing the string slots. You can tell if it's not right as it has a "sitar" sound.

I will measure the scale and determine if the bridge is out of whack but I compensate with the bar without knowing it.

Here is a pic of the Frankensteel with Grover machine heads and the horn cut off.

Craig. If there is a cap in the guitar, will I have to remove it to make the wire you pictured?

Thanks,

Lenny

Craig Baker · From: Eatonton, Georgia, USA - R.I.P.

I would think so Lenny. Without seeing a schematic I can only guess regarding the circuit, but it seems to me that the internal cap would need to be disconnected or the numbers on your substitution box won't be valid. Interesting guitar. . . never heard of one until this week.

Best regards,
Craig Baker 706-485-8792

cmbakerelectronics@gmail.com

C.M. Baker Electronics
P.O. Box 3965
Eatonton, GA 31024
_________________
"Make America Great Again". . . The Only Country With Dream After Its Name.

Bill A. Moore · From: Silver City, New Mexico, USA

Len, I have never opened up my guitar, but I'm under the impression that tone is achieved by blending in or out the other coil in the pickup. I mostly use both, but some nice sounds can be had with the treble/single coil position.

Forum Index > Electronics		Next oldest topic :: Next newest topic