Correct Cap?

Grissle · #1 03-10-2013, 05:23 PM

It's an OrangeDrop with
(2)715P600V
472J 0837 marked on it

This is for a P bass

line6man · #2 03-10-2013, 05:26 PM

0.047uF is traditional, but it's a personal preference.

Bongolation · #3 03-10-2013, 05:32 PM

Should be 473, I believe, for .047mfd.

If I'm wrong someone will correct me. After all these years, I can't keep component codes straight in my head to save my life.

Silver Blues · #4 03-10-2013, 05:36 PM

Bongo's right, a 0.047 should be 473. 472 is a 0.0047. You can still try it, though, there's really no "right" capacitor value and that cap is still within "tone control range". If you're looking for "original", then yes, a 473 would be correct.

--Silvie

Bongolation · #5 03-10-2013, 05:43 PM

For some mysterious reason -- tradition, I imagine -- Fender still uses .050mfd caps in this application, though the actual difference would be nil.

This has always struck me as pretty eccentric.

Silver Blues · #6 03-10-2013, 05:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bongolation

For some mysterious reason -- tradition, I imagine -- Fender still uses .050mfd caps in this application, though the actual difference would be nil.

This has always struck me as pretty eccentric.

Agreed, lol. These days, anyway, the -47 caps are a lot easier to source than the -5 caps.

--Silvie

EDIT: just for the OP's future reference, I will add that the other numbers listed are:

1. the voltage rating (600V, at the end of the first line), and
2. The tolerance (the J at the end of the 472, which is +/-5%)

line6man · #7 03-10-2013, 09:00 PM

0.047uF/47nF is indeed "473." The capacitor specified is an order of magnitude smaller. 0.0047uF/4.7nF is too small for a usable frequency cutoff point with any average pickup impedance. It would be useful, however, for a Rickenbacker-style HPF, by running it in series with the signal path. (*Depending on how useful you find HPFs to begin with.)

As I said before, capacitance is a personal preference, with 0.047uF being the traditional value, and 0.068uF and 0.1uF being common choices. Higher values will have lower frequency cutoffs, and lower values will have higher frequency cutoffs.

Voltage and composition do not matter in this application, so you can pick just about any non-polarized capacitor. A film cap (Polyester Mylar, Polypropylene, whatever.) would be preferable for its relatively tight tolerance, though.

Grissle · #8 03-11-2013, 01:43 AM

Big thanks all!