Swapping Capacitors on Blacktop Strat

Bluesbreaker1960 · **Posted:** Wed Nov 30, 2011 3:09 pm

I've decided to swap out the stock Caps on my Blacktop HH Strat. Any recommendations to Brands and values. I play mostly Blues. Thanks in advance.

Michael

bluesky636 · **Posted:** Wed Nov 30, 2011 11:00 pm

These are all I use:

http://www.acmeguitarworks.com/022%c2%b ... 9C205.aspx

shimmilou · **Posted:** Thu Dec 01, 2011 8:12 am

What brand and value of cap does your blacktop have in it now? Do you want a brighter sound? Why have you decided to change? :idea:

ny_byooboy · **Joined:** Mon Jan 17, 2011 6:42 pm **Posts:** 134

Shim, which value cap would change the tone of the Blacktop PU's to be brighter. At this moment the are using .047. They are to dark for my liking.

bluesky636 · **Posted:** Sun Dec 04, 2011 11:35 am

ny_byooboy wrote:

Shim, which value cap would change the tone of the Blacktop PU's to be brighter. At this moment the are using .047. They are to dark for my liking.

Go with a 0.022. Keep in mind that when the tone control is set on "10" the brightness is the same and the cap value is irrelevant as the cap is essentially out of the circuit. You will only really notice a difference as you roll the tone down from 10 to 1.

shimmilou · **Posted:** Sun Dec 04, 2011 12:35 pm

+1 bluesky636

Maybe even consider a different value for each pup tone control, a .022 for a brighter neck pup, and a .047 for a darker bridge (as it is now). You can even split the difference in tone with a .033. I agree that the bridge can be too dark, depending on amp and setting. For me, the amp set clean with the neck pup is great as-is, and the amp set for distortion with bridge pup is equally awesome as-is. I haven't opened mine up yet, but suspect a single cap used for both tone pots. Keep in mind that the sound of positions 2 (two inner coils) and 4 (neck single) will also be affected by tone cap changes. :idea:

ny_byooboy · **Joined:** Mon Jan 17, 2011 6:42 pm **Posts:** 134

bluesky636 wrote:

ny_byooboy wrote:

Shim, which value cap would change the tone of the Blacktop PU's to be brighter. At this moment the are using .047. They are to dark for my liking.

Go with a 0.022. Keep in mind that when the tone control is set on "10" the brightness is the same and the cap value is irrelevant as the cap is essentially out of the circuit. You will only really notice a difference as you roll the tone down from 10 to 1.

Thanks for the tip Bro, I'm gonna get the soldering gun out. Also Bro, just yesterday I dropped some Seymour Duncan SSL-4 Quarter Pounder's in my '83 Strat. They sound great except they have a little bit of the highs rolled off as if they were hummers. What can I do to get the single coil clarity I'm used to?

bluesky636 · **Posted:** Sun Dec 04, 2011 2:22 pm

ny_byooboy wrote:

... just yesterday I dropped some Seymour Duncan SSL-4 Quarter Pounder's in my '83 Strat. They sound great except they have a little bit of the highs rolled off as if they were hummers. What can I do to get the single coil clarity I'm used to?

Change pickups. :wink:

Did you read the write up and listen to the samples on the SD website before buying them? It leads me to believe that these are dark sounding pickups.

http://www.seymourduncan.com/products/e ... r_pound_f/

ny_byooboy · **Joined:** Mon Jan 17, 2011 6:42 pm **Posts:** 134

bluesky636 wrote:

ny_byooboy wrote:

... just yesterday I dropped some Seymour Duncan SSL-4 Quarter Pounder's in my '83 Strat. They sound great except they have a little bit of the highs rolled off as if they were hummers. What can I do to get the single coil clarity I'm used to?

Change pickups. :wink:

Did you read the write up and listen to the samples on the SD website before buying them? It leads me to believe that these are dark sounding pickups.

http://www.seymourduncan.com/products/e ... r_pound_f/

I did, and I did. My thing is the audio sample is cool, but it doesn't do you justice vs. actually dropping the PU's in your guitar. I thought my wood was good (Yeah, I know there's gonna be a joke to follow that one :lol:

).

bluesky636 · **Posted:** Mon Dec 05, 2011 7:31 am

ny_byooboy wrote:

I thought my wood was good (Yeah, I know there's gonna be a joke to follow that one :lol:

).

I wouldn't touch that with a 10 foot pole. :shock:

ny_byooboy · **Joined:** Mon Jan 17, 2011 6:42 pm **Posts:** 134

ny_byooboy · **Joined:** Mon Jan 17, 2011 6:42 pm **Posts:** 134

Well, I have some 500k tone, and volume pots coming in, along with some .022 caps. I'll see if those components can rectify my particular dilemma. :roll:

Deluxe Matt · **Posted:** Tue Dec 06, 2011 12:15 am

A change from 250 to 500 on the pots and a .022 cap will defiantly brighten it up. I used a .015 cap before as well, but did not like it as much. You could also bypass the tone controls with a push/pull pot or toggle for a no-load setup. I've herd good things about the pickups on blacktops. I've herd many say they are slightly weak (for humbuckers) but have nice highs and good articulation. I myself have not tried them. I assume your amp is good and you're not using a 50 ft. cable?

ny_byooboy · **Joined:** Mon Jan 17, 2011 6:42 pm **Posts:** 134

Deluxe Matt wrote:

A change from 250 to 500 on the pots and a .022 cap will defiantly brighten it up. I used a .015 cap before as well, but did not like it as much. You could also bypass the tone controls with a push/pull pot or toggle for a no-load setup. I've herd good things about the pickups on blacktops. I've herd many say they are slightly weak (for humbuckers) but have nice highs and good articulation. I myself have not tried them. I assume your amp is good and you're not using a 50 ft. cable?

I was wondering, "why not leave the cap off?" No resistance placed upon it means more bright. I only use a 10 ft cable (My garage is not that big

). I didn't like the stock Blacktop PU's. I liked the switching configuration, but not their sound. I'm putting Seymour Duncan Alnico II Pro's in mine.

KatyTXBluesMan · **Joined:** Sat Jun 13, 2009 5:30 pm **Posts:** 62

bluesky636 wrote:

These are all I use:

http://www.acmeguitarworks.com/022%c2%b ... 9C205.aspx

Hey man, I love your ultimate trio but I'd swap out BB King for Buddy Guy. Not that I don't love BB, but Buddy reaches my soul!

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