Boutique tone capacitors and pots....

[gingataff]

In my favourite guitar spares shop there are loads and loads of boutique capacitors for the tone pot, ceramic discs, oil film whatnot and everything from a small orange lentil to ones as big as the second joint on my forefinger.

Is there much difference? I don't mind paying extra if it's going to improve my tone but I don't want to throw my money away either!

Also I'm looking for some 500k push/pull pots. There're loads of kinds of regular pots but the push/pull all look like the same cheap cr@p. Any good ones out there?

[Deadstar]

If what I'm lead to believe is right is that the bigger the capacitor=the more bass/low mid response, but depending on the guitar this may overload the amount coming through (due to woods pickup type etc) and turn your tone to mush but if its a brighter might help improve the richness of tone. And obviously better quality components will be better built, last longer etc. but if I were you I'd PM Jon at Feline or one of the other tech guys even Tim maybe.

[3th3r]

As with everything sound related, tone is in the ear of the beholder. I could tell you all day about XYZ caps being the greatest thing on Earth, and yet, you might think they sound cr@p in your guitar. To some people's ears caps make a big difference, to others none at all. Some people prefer the 10 cent ceramics over the $20 hand-rolled foils, and vice-versa. Only you can determine what you like (in your style of playing) by trying different kinds and different values.

Pots are in a similar situation, although because they have mechanical properties, it is easier to determine how they "feel" and how they taper. The top brands, AFAIC, are, Clarostat, CTS, Alpha, and Panasonic. These tend to be better constructed than the cheapies that normally come installed in modern guitars.

[Twinfan]

I always use Sprague Orange Drop caps and CTS pots as they seem to be a good "standard".  They're cheap-ish too, but well respected.

[Philly Q]

Also I'm looking for some 500k push/pull pots. There're loads of kinds of regular pots but the push/pull all look like the same cheap cr@p. Any good ones out there?

I've never seen any really good-quality push-pulls.  Like you say, they all seem the same.  I hate the feel of them - there's always a bit of wobbly movement before the shaft actually starts to rotate.  

The Yamaha push-push pots are better, but they're hard to get hold of.

[hunter]

There is a DiMarzio but no idea whether it's any better.
http://www.thomann.de/de/dimarzio_potentiometer.html

Not related to Push-Pulls but in general: I read an interview with Steve Stevens recently and he praised the custom pots by  RS Guitarworks, e.g. http://www.rsguitarworks.net/rsstore/product_info.php?cPath=45&products_id=237

He also said that people should be more careful when soldering as too much heat destroys the signal clarity and integrity of Pots ...

If anyone knows good push pull pots, I'd also like to have them ...

[Tricalibur]

^ too bad they dont make those in push-pull. :[

[Fourth Feline]

I always use Sprague Orange Drop caps and CTS pots as they seem to be a good "standard".  They're cheap-ish too, but well respected.

I'm with Twinfan on this one, and yes I am sure I hear a difference.

To prove it was not just imagination, I first replaced the small  stock ceramic caps with Sprague (400 volt Polyester ) orange drops and the treble gained more sparkle, detail and the tone became more open.

Next I replaced the Gibson 300k pots with CTS 500K pots and the amount of clarity and 'headroom' was greatly improved as the pickups became less loaded by the pots.

I then fitted BKPs and was then better able to appreciate the quality of their tone having first opened up the guitar's soundstage with the cap and pot mods whilst the duller Gibson pickups had still been in there to prove a point. Had I replaced all parts together, I would not have had the re-assurance that each seperate mod had contributed to the overall tone/clarity.


 :D