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Topic: Capacitors for Tone Control |
Sonny Jenkins
From:
Texas Masonic Retirement Center,,,Arlington Tx
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Posted 24 Jul 2018 10:21 am |
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| Sometime back I got the recommendation to use .047 capacitor on the tone pot,,,I think maybe from Stew Mac. Recently I started using Alumitone pickups and their diagrams show .022 capacitors. Comments please!!! |
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Georg Sørtun
From:
Mandal, Agder, Norway
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Posted 24 Jul 2018 12:00 pm
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The "ideal" value of that high-cut capacitor will vary with what PU you have. The definition of "ideal" vary from person to person, depending on personal taste.
So, if you are happy with the effect/sound when using that tone control as it is now, the capacitor's value is ideal regardless of what it is. If OTOH you want it to cut at a lower frequency – for a darker tone, use a larger capacitor value. If you want it to cut at a higher frequency – only dampen treble, use a smaller value capacitor. No damage done either way. |
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Bill A. Moore
From:
Silver City, New Mexico, USA
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Posted 24 Jul 2018 4:17 pm
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| I haven't experimented with my pedal steel. but I rewired my "Tele" when I replaced the pickups, (now Texas Specials). It had a .05 tone cap, and a friend, (who plays Strats), recommended a .022, I tried it, but ended up installing a .033. It seems to give the broadest range from the tone control! |
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Michael Brebes
From:
Northridge CA
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Posted 25 Jul 2018 6:23 am
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I recommend using clip leads to tag in values between .01 and .047mf and find which value sounds the best for you.
_________________
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 |
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Jim Sliff
From:
Lawndale California, USA
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Posted 25 Jul 2018 7:09 am
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In a passive tone control like that the capacitor simply "subtracts" treble when you turn it down. At full on it's letting all the treble through - at full off it's letting as little treble through as the value will allow.
So here's the deal:
A lower value cap - like .022uf (microfarad) removes less total treble than a .033...then a .047...,068... and a .1uf capacitor will roll off the most treble.
It really doesn't matter WHICH cap you use - they'll all work fine. And you won't notice any change if the pot is turned all the way up - they'll all sound the same. Electronically it's "passive" - no sound goes through it to the power amplifier and speaker. All it does is shunt treble to ground!
Fender used .1 caps in early steels, which could allow the pot to be used as a kind of "doo-wah" control.
If you use a wide range of tone pot settings currently then a larger value - like a .047, .068 or even .1 - might work best.
OTOH, if you use just a few settings a .022, .033 or .047 will be fine - you'd probably not even notice a difference between them except for the actual control position. The sound won't change.
Fender used to use .1, then changed to .047's, then again changed to .022 because few players use "mud" settings.
_________________
No chops, but great tone
1930's/40's Rickenbacher/Rickenbacker 6&8 string lap steels
1921 Weissenborn Style 2; Hilo&Schireson hollownecks
Appalachian, Regal & Dobro squarenecks
1959 Fender 400 9+2 B6;1960's Fender 800 3+3+2; 1948 Fender Dual-8 Professional |
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