Who else mods every guitar you own.

[PlinytheWelder]

 

How will it improve the tone? Capacitance is capacitance. Capacitance value affects tone - not the material. Orange drops are great for tube amps, since they are able to better handle the high voltages, and voltage spikes, and current levels that can occur in these amps. Ditto for film capacitors. For that application, they're great. They're also great in radio applications too. But, they're overkill for a guitar, with its low voltages and currents. Edit - I guess I don't understand. Are the orange drops (or film capacitors - orange drops are just a form of a film capacitor) of a different capacitance value than the caps presently in the guitar? They're still overkill from a voltage and currend standpoint for your guitar. But if the capacitance is a different value than the caps in your guitar, then yeah, it'll change your guitar's tone.

 

 

Orange drops are just one version of metalized polypropylene film caps made by Sprague. Also in addition to the caps value in Farads, there are other factors like Dielectric Absorbsion, Dissipation Factor and series inductance. Whether you can actually hear them is another matter.

[Brewski]

You mean there are people that Dont?

 

 

funny you should ask this - I got slammed on a thread for buying an Ash SX Strat/Tele and stating I was going to yank the pups and the bridges and some dickweed asked why not just buy a Fender?

 

I haven't modded all my guitars yet - I can't afford to do all the things I want to do with them

[dcindc]

Different capacitors often sound different.

Whether you can hear the change in a guitar's tone circuit is up to you.

I spend ridiculous amounts on crossover capacitors for my hifi speakers. It's worth it. It's getting so I can hear the cheap capacitors in speakers.

[PlectrumPete]

Different capacitors often sound different. Whether you can hear the change in a guitar's tone circuit is up to you. I spend ridiculous amounts on crossover capacitors for my hifi speakers. It's worth it. It's getting so I can hear the cheap capacitors in speakers.

 

 

Honestly, you cannot hear what you think you are hearing. I don't want to get into an argument, just save you money and time. It would pay you back in the long run to get someone to set up a double blind test for you so you can really check out your theory. I'm pretty sure you would be the first person ever to actually be able to hear the difference between different TYPES of capacitor (barring the use of caps which are off spec of course) in a well conducted test.

[benzem]

I only mod guitars nowadays, if the hardware & electronics are absolutly doggy. Some mods don't even make any sense to me. I've seen pics of some guitars that had the tone control ceramic caps replaced with clunky, waxed paper electrolytic caps. Why? Electrolytics dry out with time, and waxed paper ones dry out even faster. NOS, or old waxed paper electrolytics are oftentimes shot from being dried out, especially of they haven't been used in a long time,or stored on a shelf for decades. Yes, you can reform them, but it's a hassle, and they'll still conk out later on. I've been a ham radio operator since I was a teenager, and I also restore vintage ham radios. Like most ham radio operators that restore vintage radios, I typically ditch the old waxed paper electrolytic caps. Ceramics are fine for guitar tone controls. You don't need an electrolytic for that application. You are not running high current, or in need of a microfarad valued capacitor (typical volume caps are in the picofarad range). You also don't need a mega buck cap. 40 pico farads is 40 pico farads, whether it's from a 50 cent ceramic, or a 5 dollar ceramic. It's the capacitor value that affects tone, not how expensive it is, or what material it's made from. Some of these mods border on what is called in electronics circles - audiophoolery, on a par with "oxygen free" copper cable (touted as making your signal sound better).

 

 

Great info!

I don't change anything unless necessary, which is semi often.

I enjoy the different pups in my LP's and strats, changed a few in my old guitars that were microphonic.

It's fun though wish I knew more.

[dcindc]

Honestly, you cannot hear what you think you are hearing. I don't want to get into an argument, just save you money and time. It would pay you back in the long run to get someone to set up a double blind test for you so you can really check out your theory. I'm pretty sure you would be the first person ever to actually be able to hear the difference between different TYPES of capacitor (barring the use of caps which are off spec of course) in a well conducted test.

Telling me what I can hear is dumb.

I've done it. It's not a trivial change. It's dramatic. Friends and family can hear it too.

This is in speaker crossovers where the cap is asked to handle much more current and voltage, and can have interesting interactions with the tweeter's back EMF.

There are many such tests as you suggest. Do a little research on crossover caps. It's fascinating.

I'm not a corksniffer by any stretch of the imagination, but all the tweeter caps in my hifi speakers are replaced with better ones. It's very much worth the effort. Bypassing the NP electroltyic with a quality film cap of even 10% of the main caps value can have an audible improvement.

I used to think like you do, until I did it. Have you done it?



I put Orange Drops in my guitars when I'm inside them. I tell myself it is because of the better tolerances, and higher quality construction vs those tiny dipped caps in cheap guitars. At my purchase price it's about 50 cents to perform this upgrade. It can lend some cache at resale time too.

In a guitar, I doubt it can be heard.

Edit: in certain places in an amp, and in speaker crossovers it most certainly can be heard.

[poolshark]

Of the seven that I own, only my custom is unmodified. Don't think I haven't thought about it, though.

[Brewski]

Different capacitors often sound different. Whether you can hear the change in a guitar's tone circuit is up to you. I spend ridiculous amounts on crossover capacitors for my hifi speakers. It's worth it. It's getting so I can hear the cheap capacitors in speakers.

 

 

What caps should I use?

[PlectrumPete]

Telling me what I can hear is dumb. I've done it. It's not a trivial change. It's dramatic. Friends and family can hear it too. This is in speaker crossovers where the cap is asked to handle much more current and voltage, and can have interesting interactions with the tweeter's back EMF. There are many such tests as you suggest. Do a little research on crossover caps. It's fascinating. I'm not a corksniffer by any stretch of the imagination, but all the tweeter caps in my hifi speakers are replaced with better ones. It's very much worth the effort. Bypassing the NP electroltyic with a quality film cap of even 10% of the main caps value can have an audible improvement. I used to think like you do, until I did it. Have you done it? I put Orange Drops in my guitars when I'm inside them. I tell myself it is because of the better tolerances, and higher quality construction vs those tiny dipped caps in cheap guitars. At my purchase price it's about 50 cents to perform this upgrade. It can lend some cache at resale time too. In a guitar, I doubt it can be heard. Edit: in certain places in an amp, and in speaker crossovers it most certainly can be heard.

As I said I am not looking for an argument. It's your money to spend how you like.

I have designed and built guitars, amps and cabs. And built my own hifi amps and speakers. Probably spent thousands of hours on these projects and did not devote more than a few minutes thought to the type of capacitors used.

The internet is a great source if information, but also a great source of misinformation. For example, I'd be interested to know about this other mysterious quantity (apart from current and voltage) that a crossover capacitor might need to handle.

[A-20]

I have a running list for several guitars that havn't been modded yet. At first it was just for fun, but now I'm getting a little more discerning and it's really about performance. I'm about to install my first nut one of these days. Looks a little intimidating... but I understand it can really make a difference.

[dcindc]

What caps should I use?

 

 

Solen fast caps are well regarded and cheaper than many others that may not sound any better.

 

http://www.madisound.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=749

 

I originally found this out when I bought some "chatteroux" (sp) caps in the late 80s and put them in some small near field monitors I built. I spent days just listening to them after that. I can't find that brand now in a 20 second search and these Solens look an awful lot like them, and are also made in France. I paid about 25 bucks back then for those caps. That price still makes my butt pucker, but those little speakers are giant killers in the highs. And I've got plenty of time with, and ownership of NICE speakers.

 

Again, in a guitar I doubt you can hear it, but in a speaker system, it's obvious.

 

For guitars like I said, I use Orange drops from mouser. It's pretty hard to defend though. I just like them, and they are cheap.

[littlemilo]

I've modded every one except the Martin D-15. But I do have plans to install a K&K pure mini pickup in that one, so...

 

 

 

guilty.

[dcindc]

As I said I am not looking for an argument. It's your money to spend how you like. I have designed and built guitars, amps and cabs. And built my own hifi amps and speakers. Probably spent thousands of hours on these projects and did not devote more than a few minutes thought to the type of capacitors used. The internet is a great source if information, but also a great source of misinformation. For example, I'd be interested to know about this other mysterious quantity (apart from current and voltage) that a crossover capacitor might need to handle.

 

 

I'm 45. I've been tinkering with electronics since I was about 10. I was in the military and trained on electronics.

 

I know plenty about Ham radio, too. I could easily have my ticket but never bothered.

 

I understand that a lot of stuff on the internet is bull. I also understand that there is kool-aid out there. I also understand that some things are really splitting hairs. Alot of my hard won experience predates the internet.

 

Some mods I do to see if there is any difference at all.

Some mods I can hear the difference but it isn't worth the trouble even doing.

Some mods are worthwhile but for whatever reason they are not worth doing again on another piece of equipment.

 

So, some mods wind up not being done ever again. Others get added to my bag of tricks and are done every time. Crossover caps are in the last category.

 

I'm not arguing about guitars, or even guitar amps really. Most people could never tell in a guitar amp. They turn everything up to 12 and bash away. Subtleties of tone are lost on them. They're also almost impossible to hear in a performance setting.

 

In a hifi amp for critical listening, it can be heard.

 

In a speaker for any listening, it's obvious, if you've heard it before.

 

To answer your last question:

Dielectric composition. It's that simple. There's a reason no one uses tantalum caps in speaker crossovers. They're cheap, and small for the capacitance needed in a speaker crossover. They also sound like {censored}.

 

Did you spend any time on selecting the speaker crossover inductor's wire gauge, or whether it was iron or air core? Did you consider it all?

 

I'm well aware of caps' characteristics; esr, etc.

 

I'm probably the cheapest guy on this whole board. And I pony up for good speaker caps. It can be heard. Different construction materials of caps can be heard in certain applications.

 

Try it. If you don't hear it, I'll buy the caps from you.

[wagdog]

Don't some caps vary in capacitance depending on temperature (actually, don't ALL caps to some extent)? I know from my ham radio building days that VFO circuits (variable oscillator built to a reference frequency for tuning a radio) need to be made from poly caps as they don't drift as much due to heat.

 

So for a high current circuit (like a speaker) or the innards of a tube amp that can produce heat, a higher quality cap that drifts less WILL sound better. For the guts of a guitar, pretty much pointless.

[thecornman]

Me. I am hooked on modding my guitars. It seems that I buy new pickups I don't need every once and a while just to try them.

[Uncle_Milton]

Caps and PUs on every single one, at the very least.

 

Sometimes, pots and the saddle/bridge too

[SilverPlated]

not me, i just play the fookin' things

[Karma1]

I have about a half dozen guitars and I've modded all except one - a special edition goldtop Fender Tele that came stock with dual DiMarzio humbuckers w/coil splits. I haven't touched a thing on that one. My most extensive mods are on my PRS Santana SE:
- Sustainiac
- Duncan Custom Custom w/ 3-way switching
- Roland GK2A synth pickup
- GraphTech saddles
- Planet Waves locking tuners

I've spent more on mods than on the guitar itself, which I bought used. But well worth it.

[2deaconblues]

Nope, I don't own a guitar without some mod.

[sxyryan]

you decide:


Now to bigsby the LP or not...

[Sypher13]

i dont mod every guitar but i re-paint it. i just hate every factory finish. they are too bland.

[PlectrumPete]

I'm 45. I've been tinkering with electronics since I was about 10. I was in the military and trained on electronics. I know plenty about Ham radio, too. I could easily have my ticket but never bothered. I understand that a lot of stuff on the internet is bull. I also understand that there is kool-aid out there. I also understand that some things are really splitting hairs. Alot of my hard won experience predates the internet. Some mods I do to see if there is any difference at all. Some mods I can hear the difference but it isn't worth the trouble even doing. Some mods are worthwhile but for whatever reason they are not worth doing again on another piece of equipment. So, some mods wind up not being done ever again. Others get added to my bag of tricks and are done every time. Crossover caps are in the last category. I'm not arguing about guitars, or even guitar amps really. Most people could never tell in a guitar amp. They turn everything up to 12 and bash away. Subtleties of tone are lost on them. They're also almost impossible to hear in a performance setting. In a hifi amp for critical listening, it can be heard. In a speaker for any listening, it's obvious, if you've heard it before. To answer your last question: Dielectric composition. It's that simple. There's a reason no one uses tantalum caps in speaker crossovers. They're cheap, and small for the capacitance needed in a speaker crossover. They also sound like {censored}. Did you spend any time on selecting the speaker crossover inductor's wire gauge, or whether it was iron or air core? Did you consider it all? I'm well aware of caps' characteristics; esr, etc. I'm probably the cheapest guy on this whole board. And I pony up for good speaker caps. It can be heard. Different construction materials of caps can be heard in certain applications. Try it. If you don't hear it, I'll buy the caps from you.

 

 

Up to you what you do, but I am not going there. I don't use passive crossovers in my main hifi and this is certainly not the place I be looking to spend any money at all for the other systems I have.

[ej]

i do!

[dcindc]

Up to you what you do, but I am not going there. I don't use passive crossovers in my main hifi and this is certainly not the place I be looking to spend any money at all for the other systems I have.

Then you've never heard it.

And telling me I can't hear it is stupid.

And I'm not alone.

I tried to show you something that the knowledge of has brought me increased enjoyment. It ain't smoke and mirrors, it ain't kool-aid.

All you've done is poo-poo what I'm trying to tell you, and then divulged that your system will never show it, and you will never try it.

Cause you believe it doesn't work, but haven't experienced it.

Well poo-poo on you!

[almightycrunch]

Well, some people consider straplocks a "mod"

not me, but I get a kick out ofthe for sale ads where some kid says his guitar has been modded, and its straplocks and a captain marvel sticker.
oh, and he generally wants to get "what he has into it" back out of it, which means the 250 bucks he paid for it new, the 20 bucks for the straplocks, and toss in the sticker for free.