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How to install an orange drop capacitor?

Profile picture for user Guitarfreak
Submitted by Guitarfreak on Tue, 07/14/2009 - 09:58

I am going to install an orange drop capacitor into my guitar tomorrow and I need to know a few things before starting. How much of the legs do I cut off? The legs are around 2" so I can't imagine not cutting at least something. Should I shrink wrap the legs?

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Profile picture for user jg49
jg49

You can cut off as much as you need and still have enouigh to solder easily. I assume this is for the tone pot? What cap did you choose? Did you you clip it up with micro alligator clips to try it out? Saves time soldering and desoldering if'n you don't like it.

pic

http://media.photob…

You only need to shrinkwrap their legs if you are afraid they will get cold.

Tue, 07/14/2009 - 12:30 Permalink
Profile picture for user Guitarfreak
Guitarfreak

I got the alligator clips like you said and I got some wire too. What kind of wire do I need? I bought 16 guage and 20 guage. I thought 18 guage would be perfect but they said they didn't sell 18 guage solid wire. Which wires should I use? Is it bad to use a wire that wasn't meant for guitar electronics?

I got a bunch of caps. Few polyester film, few ceramic, one monolithic .1 mf and a handful of orange drops.

Tue, 07/14/2009 - 12:41 Permalink
Profile picture for user jg49
jg49

Whichever wire is closest to the original wiring is what I would use. A little larger is usually better than a little smaller if it is flexible enough for the application.

"Is it bad to use a wire that wasn't meant for guitar electronics? " GF

What do you mean, where did you get the wire? Is it solid or multistrand? You can get the wire you need at a Radio Shaft.

Tue, 07/14/2009 - 12:59 Permalink
Profile picture for user Guitarfreak
Guitarfreak

jg49 wrote: What do you mean, where did you get the wire? Is it solid or multistrand? You can get the wire you need at a Radio Shaft.

I just mean like since sound is the major objective of this particular A/B, will using a different guage wire sound different? I also just realized that after running around today I should have gotten stranded wire instead of solid :

Link555 wrote: What type of cap is it ceramic? or Poly?

Here is the detailed list:

1 X Monolithic .1

2 X Ceramic Disc .022
2 X Ceramic Disc .047

2 X Poly Film .02
2 X Poly Film .047

2 X V/S Orange Drop .022 (100v)
2 X V/S Orange Drop .047 (100v)

2 X V/S Orange Drop - Polyester .022 (400v)
2 X V/S Orange Drop - Polyester .047 (400v)

2 X V/S Orange Drop - Polypropylene .022 (400v)
2 X V/S Orange Drop - Polypropylene .047 (400v)

Tue, 07/14/2009 - 17:15 Permalink
Profile picture for user Guitarfreak
Guitarfreak

Very cool thanks. Hey I have a problem. I cracked my guitar open and saw that there is an unsoldered connection. A black wire that extends from the bottom of the tone pot in the same location that the capacitor is soldered to. Where should this be soldered to? It is a relatively short wire so I can't imagine it going to ground or something, but maybe the nearest volume pot or maybe the switch. I have a 2 volume 1 tone setup if that helps.

Wed, 07/15/2009 - 12:22 Permalink
Circuit Audio
Link555

Well just a guess its a common (some people mistakenly call the ground) connection.

I am guessing this because the metal pot covers are often used for the common path in guitar wiring.

Now where was it going?
Physically the wire would have to be cut to fit the location and likely is still bent close the place it broke off unless you pulled all the wires out of the way. Look in that area and find a solder joint missing a wire.

A word to the wise, before taking anything apart take notes on where everything was conected and what colours the wire are. I alway draw a schematic of the circuit first. I label the wires if I have to cut them.
Take your time and make carefull notes.

Wed, 07/15/2009 - 13:12 Permalink
Profile picture for user Guitarfreak
Guitarfreak

Actually I dug up a schematic that I made a week or so ago before I started messing around with my guitar electronics. It was the common path wired directly to the next-in-line volume pot. It turned out to be too short this time so I replaced it.

Word to the wise? Or word from the wise? I know 'to' is the idiom, but if you think about it it doesn't make too much sense.

...lol

On topic. I really liked the 400v Orange Drop .022 made of Polypropylene. It is between that one and the Monolithic .1 Haven't installed either yet, further testing will commence in the near future :D

Wed, 07/15/2009 - 14:17 Permalink
Profile picture for user Guitarfreak
Guitarfreak

Oh I get it. Like word to the wiser, follow the word and gain wisdom or something like that.

Anyway, this was a fun experiment and yes I could actually hear the difference between them. I was worried that I wasn't going to be able to. The 100v Orange drops sounded kind of crackly and didn't respond well to gain. The poly film and ceramic disc ones were pretty vanilla, didn't have much flavor good or bad. Even the 400v Polyester Orange drops sounded pretty plain, it wasn't until I put in the Polypropylene ones that I heard it and said hey, that's nice lol.

The monolithic I half expected to put on and have a good laugh, but it just might be the best sounding one of them all. It's got a really (I know you hate this word) warm tone, and it's really responsive to knob tweaking...like really responsive. You can chop off almost the entire signal. The highs come through but aren't crackly or harsh at all. Very smooth sounding all around. I'll link to it so you can see what I am talking about.

http://www.guitarelectronics.com/product/TC1M/Monolithic_1_Microfarad_Tone_Capacitors_for_Guitar_Bass.html

Wed, 07/15/2009 - 14:43 Permalink
Profile picture for user jg49
jg49

I did not want to interject when you were posting equations which I am certain work for determining the exact hertz that are altered however no formula will replace in line testing as there are so many other variables, pick up, strings, wiring, etc. IMHO no amount of math will easily determine the the tone any particular guitarist is trying to achieve, as easily as giving it a listen.
And it may very well be a low pass filter in electronics I never have had anyone ask me to adjust the low pass filter on my guitar. Just told to roll off some treble or adjust the tone.

Wed, 07/15/2009 - 16:16 Permalink