Great post by Jonesy on MLP on Capacitors. Definately worth the read!

Myths about Capacitors

There seems to be a lot of Myths about Capacitors from many of the posts I have read here at MLPF and on other forums. I am going to try and set the record straight from what I know and from what I have experienced over the years...please feel free to correct me if you think I am wrong.

Myth #1 Will Lower value capacitors make my guitar brighter?

No, capacitors only filter highs off when you turn your Tone control. They do not make your guitar brighter when wired up to a Tone pot in standard fashion. (may be some slight bleed if you do not have a no load pot) If a capacitor is wired in series or in a treble bleed circuit (RC circuit) it can act differently and let highs come across, but this is not the case when wired to your Tone controls. With new good quality caps you may here less mud and more clarity once installed, but they are used to filter high frequencies when they are wired up in a Tone circuit.

Even though .022 has been the standard for Gibson .015 and .010 are the choice by many players seeking good Tone and more useful room on their Tone dials.

Myth #2 Do paper in oil capacitors dry out and need to be replaced frequently?

No, when used in a guitar circuit paper in oil capacitors will last a lifetime. There are plenty of 50-60+ year Old Bumble Bees caps that still sound excellent. If they have been used in high voltage applications like amps etc. that may cause them to drift away from the original specs, but when used in a guitar this is not the case.

Myth #3 Do all capacitors sound the same and there is no way that one type can make your guitar Tone sound better?

Many electronic experts will tell you that there is no scientific explanation of why paper in oil capacitors will give you better Tone when used in a guitar circuit. But it is a well known fact in the guitar community that paper in oil will be warmer, smoother and have more "Sparkle" than ceramic disc, mylar or polypropylene capacitors. The original Bumble Bees and Black Beauties were paper in oil and thought of by many to be the "Holy Grail" of Tone as far as capacitors go.

Myth #4 Does it matter which end of my capacitor I wire up to what, is there a polarity?

No, for the most part 99% of the capacitors I have come across are not polarized and it makes no difference in which direction they are wired up in your guitar. There are some caps that do have a + - side and they will usually be marked accordingly or the manufacture will tell you that it matters.

Myth #5 R9's Come with Real Bumble Bee Capacitors so there is no need for me to replace them, so why should I?

No, your R9 came with "Fake" Bumble Bee caps that contain a cheap little poly film capacitor buried on the inside of the pretty little plastic black case with stripes. Gibson does not use Real Bumble Bee caps in their reissues, and they are not even paper in oil capacitors. Luxe Bees are actually Russian K40y-9 paper in oil caps and have a very similar Tone to the Original Bees.

Myth #6 Jonesy's Tonemojo capacitors have some secret "MOJO" in them that is rumored to have been extracted from Robert Johsons sweat and mixed up with some crossroads dirt that will make you sound like Clapton, Hendrix and Jimmy Page all rolled into one.

No, not true. The only thing special about my paper in oil capacitors is that they are good quality paper in oil capacitotrs with metal cases, and glass sealed ends and are either New Old Stock USA or Russian caps or the 50's Bees that are good quality pulls that have been measured on my bench meter.

I hope's this clears up a few things and if anyone has any other Myths or questions I would really like to hear them?

Keep the music flowing...
thanks, jonesy

Once again, great post! Thanks Jonesy!!!

Check out Jonesy's pre-wired kits, Jimmy-Page switching and more on TONEMOJO

Here's the clips for the Skatterbrane Waterbranes unaccompanied... Was having a bit of fun at the end. Don't take it seriously... The Branes are in the same guitar as what the Tom Holmes Japan set was in previously. I swapped the Holmes to the Slash (Swiss Cheese) and the branes are now in the Chambered Standard.

This combo of guitar/pickup seems to work the best in both cases. The Swiss Cheese is condensed, and tight, so the Holmes would be tightened up a bit, since they're so wide open. The chambered standard would add some "space" the to the Skatterbranes since they are tight and bright.

The Branes are so far the clearest set I've used, even though they are A2s. The Holmes were the thickest and most creamy (That bridge pup is really nice!)

http://soundclick.com/share?songid=8625160

Here's the Seymour Duncan SH55s and the Tom Holmes Japan sets unacompanied for comparison.

SH55s: http://soundclick.com/share?songid=8590971

Tom Holmes Japan: http://soundclick.com/share?songid=8590970

Here's the Waterbranes in a song mix. I think they came up from the mix very well.

http://soundclick.com/share?songid=8625161

The clips for the Holmes and the Branes are the best comparison so far. Same guitar, same electronics, same pedals, same settings. The BB Pros was also in the same guitar, but it was using stock electronics then. Parts are now RS Guitarworks parts. The SH55s were in a Swiss Cheesed Les Paul, also with RS parts.

Here's the Holmes, SH55s and the BB Pros in song mixes for comparison's sake.

Tom Holmes Japan: http://soundclick.com/share?songid=8591570

SH55s: http://soundclick.com/share?songid=8353152

BB Pros: http://soundclick.com/share?songid=8445167

Special thanks to Mats Nermark for the use of his backing tracks!

Check out http://www.skatterbrane.com/!!!

Skatterbranes have landed!!!

Heheheh... It's a Waterbranes set.

And I just managed to install them over the last 2 hours. (I'm getting faster at this! The last time, it took me half a day!) Hahahaha!!!

They went into this one:



Anyways, some quick impressions.

I remember how everyone who's tried the Skatterbranes say that the neck pup is amazing. THIS I now can testify to that.

It's clear, crisp, and transparent. It's really amazing how good the neck pup sounds. I'm very tempted to throw out my J450 and replace it with this.

Because the neck pickup is so clear, the inbetween has this almost strat-like clarity to it. Sweet old recording tones come to mind. Peter Green, Mike Bloomfield etc etc.

The bridge pickup is bright. I'm still trying to get the height settings right to the way I want them, but offhand, They are twangy. A lot of highs and upper mids. Nice tight bass too! It's not as boomy or as fat or as creamy as the Holmes, which I think I like more for this position, but I find it gives my gold top a very nice vintage touch in the tones. Hotel California tones come to mind.

The set is very balanced because of this. Both pickups are very clear. I think I just got to play with the heights enough to reach a nice pleasing tone.

One thing about the Branes is that they are extremely dynamic, and they have great picking response. They excell better than the Holmes when you play clean. With gain, the bridge screams, but the neck is BEAUTIFUL!!!! It's sweet, articulate and transparent. The clarity is really something.

Here's a review of these pickups by someone else: Skatterbrane Review

And a write up of Skatterbranes in Premier Guitar:
Premier Guitar

Here's what I managed to whip up in a song format. A way to hear the various pickups in a mix ans see what comes out and what gets buried.

Tom Holmes in a chambered standard: http://soundclick.com/share?songid=8591570

Same guitar, with BB Pros: http://soundclick.com/share?songid=8445167

SH55s in a swiss cheese LP: http://soundclick.com/share?songid=8353152

All these clips use the SAME pedals, and SAME amp cab simulator with the same settings. SC2 settings might vary slightly in terms of EQ, but drive level remains the same.

Tom Holmes Japan J450 & J455 pickups

Stumbled across these on a recent trip to Tokyo, and I really couldn't resist picking them up to try.

What the "official word" from their homesite says: (translated from Japanese to English using Babelfish, so apologies for the bad English)

J450: The number of turns of the coil to which the magnet uses alnico 2, has wound in one bobbin is 5000 turns. As for this J450, it is the model which reproduces the specification which arrives as the sound which becomes the result and the standard where Tom verifies the many old pickup. Because the frequencies of winding the coil while lining up are fewest, it is suitable for also the use with neck position. We prepare 4conductor which corresponds to 2conductor and the tap etc of the single core, there is impregnation and (there is no potted) or impregnation (unpotted) can select.

J455:The number of turns of the coil to which the magnet uses alnico 2, has wound in one bobbin is 5500 turns. About 500 turns the power impression is emphasized because it has wound mainly in comparison with J450 which becomes standard as the pickup of old type. Because the frequency of winding the coil while lining up is most, it is suitable for also the use with bridge position. We prepare 4conductor which corresponds to 2conductor and the tap etc of the single core, there is impregnation and (there is no potted) or impregnation (unpotted) can select.

Considering these weren't exactly cheap, I was VERY anxious to hear how they sound. I never realised it, but these things (a set of 2) cost as much as a Lollar set!

They had the USA wound versions in stock too, but at $500USD a pop, I really don't want to have to pay for a gamble. Since these are half the price of the USA ones, I thought it might be worth checking out first. If they are indeed that good, then one can only wonder what the USA ones are like.

The shop guy (actually, guys, cos more than one attested to this) that they were the perfect tonal replicas of the USA made ones. I can appreciate how anal the Japanese are, and knowing them, these would definately be no slackers on their own, but perfect replicas?

Right...

THC Japan says: Even in Tom Holmes Japan Pickups which was made in Japan, the answering of research to the pickup of the old type of course by Tom Holmes is stuffed. For example, those which completely are identical with the pickup which main person of Tom produces there is also a part which has been used in order to raise the degree of completion in the part group where it succeeds the individual technique of main person of Tom in regard to plating and reproduces equal quality, in addition uses. By all means please verify the result of production setup time 9600 hours, with the ear of everyone, and with the eye.

I do know that there are Tokai Love Rock guitars on sale at Ikebe in Shibuya that come with these stock fitted, and are quite pricey, but well received. I wrangled my way out of the store so I wouldn't end up buying another LP and lugging it home, so I didn't stop to try those. Wish I did in retrospect though.

So... (fast forward a couple of days)

Having fitted them finally, remembering that it's been more than 10 years since I touched a soldering iron, the handywork turned out ugly and I think I sorta busted an RS Superpot. (the leg that connects the pup is a bit iffy. A bit of pressure in the right direction, and it loses contact. I might have heated it a bit too much.) Sorted it out with a piece of cardboard to push the leg the opposite direction for contact until I get a replacement pot. Maybe the problem will go away once the parts cool down? I dunno...

Anyways, after a couple of hours work on what should have been a 30 minute job, they're finally in.

And they sound GREAT! There's so much more presence and clarity than before! They made my Slash GT fitted with SD SH55s sound like a stock Epiphone! (no offense to Epi owners, but judging from my experience with my Epi custom in the past, the disparity isn't far off).

They're A2s, but the have as much clarity and bite as my Burstbuckers, without the harshness. There's a lot more 3D tone, and the harmonics are more delicate and the overall tone is a lot more volatile sounding.

All in all, these were definately a worthwhile swap. I have no clue what a good vintage PAF sounds like in person, but I do know what a nice guitar and a good pickup sounds like. This 08 02 spec Standard is now a VERY nice sounding guitar...

Licensed or not, Tom Holmes Japan winds GOOD pickups.

The question is, how will these stand up to the Skatterbrane Waterbranes i've got coming next that're going into the Slash???

A Lesson on Pickup Winding Intepretation

This was a great post by Rod Kinkade of Skatterbrane pickups. I felt that this information is something that needs to be shared. Rod himself winds fantastic PAF replicas and is one of the best in the market.

Check out http://www.skatterbrane.com/ for more information on his pickups.

Most people insist on getting a hotter pickup for their needs, and feel that a higher DC resistance is needed to achive that. Rod's explanation debunks that myth. Read on:

Q: I want something "hotter", so why don't you make a 13k style pickup?

In some ways this is similar to choosing an amp that has dials that go to 12 vs 10, thinking you are going to be able to play louder. It is natural for people to gravitate to a single measurement to sort out what they are seeking. (it makes their search simplified AND perpetuates myths)

Did you know that a PAF type pickup may actually be LOUDER or offer more overdrive than a 13K pickup? Let me explain only a small part of what I am talking about.

PAFs use 42awg wire, which is THICKER than 43 or 44 awg wire. The thinner a wire, the MORE resistance it has, and you can get more winds on a bobbin with thinner wire.

The more resistance you have in a circuit (with everything else being the same) the more rolled off the high frequencies are AND the LESS power you have at the output.

A PAF, depending on the wind pattern, when the bobbins are full, will top out around 9-9.5K. You run out of room. If you want to get MORE winds, you have to go to thinner wire, 43awg or 44awg. Also as you make more winds, each layer becomes longer per wind, and further away from the pole screws and slugs, this has an effect on energy too.

But here is the crux of the matter, these exampes are arbitrary but reasonable and demonstrative;

PAF 42awg wire 10,000 winds = 8k ohms. Nearly full.

Modern hot pickup 44awg wire 10,000 winds = 12K ohms. But
you have still more room to wind more!

The PAF in THIS case (above) is actually going to have more output!! Why? LESS resistance! Same number of winds. To get the same output from the modern pickup you will have to wind more turns to make up for the higher resistance, while actually adding resistance in the process.

Resistance is NOT an indication of a pickups power in itself. It only gives you a clue as to how many winds you have IF you know the gauge of the wire. It is how many WINDS you have that gives you the power.

And I do not know about you, but I would rather have the same power BUT less of my highs taken away.

Let's say to get the same power from a 44awg coil, as the PAF coil, you have to wind it up another 15% to 11,500 winds and add even more resistance, and lose even more highs. This is why many modern "hot" pickups use magnets that tend to exaggerate highs. A5, ceramic etc.