I replaced the stock .1 uF capacitor on my EJ strat with a .022mfd 200V Sprague "Orange Drop" capacitor. The stock cap was way too bright sounding for my taste.
Now tthe tone is better, but when either Tone pot is turned all the way down the guitar signal to the amp is blocked just as if I turned the volume down all the way = NO SOUND AT ALL! VERY STRANGE!

I've triple-checked my capacitor install between the tone pots and it is 100% right on.

STOCK capacitor is rated .1uF according to Fender parts list, and is marked: "104" and "1KV".

REPLACEMENT capacitor is rated .022mfd and 200V.

ANY IDEAS HOW TO TROUBLESHOOT OR FIX THIS? I've noticed some Artist Signature strats have seperate .022mfd cap's on each pot and am wondering if this may be the solution I need.

HELP!

Thanks,

Mark

Interesting. You found the stock cap too bright yet you replaced it with one which is .078uf (microfarads) brighter and find it acceptable.

Notwithstanding, you probably have the capacitor itself soldered in between the two pots, terminal to terminal rather than having one leg of the capacitor soldered to the ground of the upper tone pot and the other leg to the terminal of the upper pot and then through to the terminal of the lower tone pot. As to the dual capacitors, this has absolutely nothing to do with your dilemma.

_________________
You dig?

I don't think I would take the .1uf cap off tone pot one on an EJ strat, you loose the purpose of the EJ sound you bought it for. .022 thats like the Amer Standards have with the noloads pots. If I am thinkinfg correct I am on like my tenth beer here thinking thinking thinking thinking ELO blastting in the back ground evil woman evil woman, the evil woman but fool and his money seperat e ways

_________________
The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.

Thomas Jefferson

Thanks for the replies, guys.

10 beers and ELO sound good to me!
I bought the guitar for the quartersawn maple neck, nitro finish and pickups... don't really care for EJ's sound or style so that wasn't even in the equation when deciding to buy this strat.

Re: Martian reply - I know nothing about capacitors obviously & expected the .022mfd to be less bright. Guess I'll re-install the stock one at next string change and hope the signal drop disappears. The signal drop must be causing the less bright tone perhaps? Or it's a bad cap?
Unfortunately I did not make the simple mistake you suggested (cap simply bridging the gap between the two tone pot terminals...) I have a nice long lead on one side of the cap that bridges the gap between the tone pots, while the other lead was clipped short and grounded to the back of the neck pick-up tone pot.

Thanks for taking time to reply Martian and for your help on my past wiring questions! YOO DA MAN!

MD

I have not worked on any EJ guitars for people other then setup. The pickups in that are EJ's design not a modded pickup model so to start tinkering with them would be a hit or miss test bed for the sound you want from them. Its the pickups you take that .022 cap and put there on the Tex mex you get the JV sound with 250k pots. What I am getting at is the same cap is going to do different things to different pickups. And the beer count has risen but its the shote erlier that have got me going along with the chick that was singing with us I was supposed to be putting togethre an amp tonight but I dont think so!!!!! The music has moved on to Wishbone Ash and the Wife is flashing the lights at me to get my attention.

_________________
The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.

Thomas Jefferson

To answer to your first question, that is possible. However, there's something that is bleeding those tone pots to ground which is why they completely turn off the circuit. So yes, the cap could very well be fried.

Glad to help and thank you!

_________________
You dig?

Since both you guys got me thinking the .022 cap wasn't gonna get me what I was looking for I didn't want to wait for my next string change.
Pulled it all apart last night and just like Martian said cap was grounded accidentally to the back of the neck tone pot. Was soldered in correctly but the bare wire of the cap had gotten bent & smooshed against the pot back.

Replaced it with the original .1uF cap and pots are working as they should.

Just wanted to post this reply in case anyone else ever has similar problem in future + to say THANX AGAIN, MARTIAN!

~stratfish

I could not tell you how repairs I have done were someone tried a mod and did it wrong. I am glad you got it and hope the sound with the other cap is more what you were looking for. I have seen people get ground loops and over heat things while soldering, put caps in wrong places you name it. Most times there easy enough to repair.

_________________
The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.

Thomas Jefferson

All's well that ends well; glad to help!

_________________
You dig?