LeftyBassist.com

The online home for southpaw bassists.
It is currently March 28th, 2024, 2:26 pm




Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 7 posts ] 
Author Message
 Post subject: Capacitors
PostPosted: March 9th, 2021, 8:28 am 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: March 14th, 2008, 1:45 pm
Posts: 3910
Location: Huntsville, AL
Wasn’t sure what forum to put this in. Have you guys ever noticed a huge difference when changing capacitors in your bass?

I just scored an American Professional II Jazz. I was expecting to end up swapping out the stock V-Mod pickups, but they sound really good. Overall, this particular bass is really bright sounding, even unplugged. Although the overall tone of the bass was really good, it could be uncontrollably bright when plugged in and any fret noise from digging in was rather piercing.

I don’t know what the value of the stock capacitor is because the printing on it was a little messed up, but I decided to try a .047 orange drop cap and it darkened the sound just enough to get rid of that piercing top end, but it also seemed to boost the overall fundamental, making the bass spring to life.

Am I experiencing a placebo effect here? I don’t really think so, but I really didn’t expect a noticeable difference.

_________________
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id= ... ef=profile

www.twitter.com/ReallyMattRoss

Penguins is practically chickens.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Capacitors
PostPosted: March 9th, 2021, 8:54 am 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: August 1st, 2015, 6:36 pm
Posts: 2936
Location: Cambridge, MA
Changing the value of the cap will DEFINITELY change your tone. Changing the brand will do nothing.

It's something worth experimenting with, although personally I never have :)


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Capacitors
PostPosted: March 9th, 2021, 9:14 am 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: January 9th, 2009, 1:34 am
Posts: 2153
Location: The Netherlands
tim wrote:
Changing the value of the cap will DEFINITELY change your tone.


Yep! This is what varitones are based on, like the Tonestyler 12-position (or something) rotary switches. Can be really useful!

_________________
My Facebook-profile


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Capacitors
PostPosted: March 9th, 2021, 9:30 am 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: March 14th, 2008, 1:45 pm
Posts: 3910
Location: Huntsville, AL
Cool, so maybe I’m not losing my mind. :lol:
I’ve never really A/B’d capacitors and I’ve always read that the differences are minimal, so like I said above, I wasn’t really expecting to be so pleasantly surprised.

_________________
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id= ... ef=profile

www.twitter.com/ReallyMattRoss

Penguins is practically chickens.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Capacitors
PostPosted: April 14th, 2021, 3:09 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: March 14th, 2008, 10:57 am
Posts: 2865
Matt,
you're as sane as can be. Different types of caps will have different effects on tone. It's worth experimenting with. Many guitards swear by paper-in-oil caps, though I've not noticed a remarkable difference when using that type in a bass, they do make a diff in my Gibson and Gibson clone electrics. Different cap values do have a relationship to how much treble they roll off, but the math escapes me at the moment.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Capacitors
PostPosted: April 16th, 2021, 1:50 pm 
Offline

Joined: November 20th, 2008, 7:01 am
Posts: 314
For passive basses, I generally use a .047, or .05- whatever I have in stock, and the results are very much like your typical P-bass, J-bass roll off. I have put higher, and lower values in instruments to compare.. and as you might imagine, the larger values produce a quicker, sharper roll off. The lower ones, a lesser roll off. But pickups, pots vary quite a bit. I've heard those Stellartone stylers. If you're not sure what caps to use- or how you want your tone affected by the tone control, those are excellent replacements for the stock tone pot.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Capacitors
PostPosted: May 14th, 2021, 6:39 am 
Offline

Joined: October 6th, 2010, 8:48 am
Posts: 65
Maybe this is assumed in this discussion, but I don't think a cap change affects the tone when the pot is wide open. As soon as you turn it, absolutely.

What finish did you get? I picked up a maple neck P in Mystic Surf Green, myself. So stoked to get a USA made maple fingerboard without ordering custom.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 7 posts ] 


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 13 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Search for:
Jump to:  
Powered by phpBB © 2000, 2002, 2005, 2007 phpBB Group  
Design By Poker Bandits