I've decided on the pickup, but which capacitor?

Orange drop and CTS 250k pots. IMO

 

Try out values until you find your favorite. It's all personal preference.

 

This

 

or do a search for the multicapacitor mod like I did and have three to choose from on the fly.

 

Since its a Squier, if you want classic Fender style tones, 250k CTS pots are the Fender standard, but any good quality, full size 250k pots will do fine. Most Squiers seem to use cheaper 500k mini pots, and I don't care for them myself.

On the cap, from what I know or have heard(correct me if wrong), here's some things to consider:

.1 uf-Found in many vintage 50s and 60s P basses. Very dark when rolled completely off.

.05-This is the standard cap shown on most modern Fender diagrams I have seen, but no store I shop at stocks them. I use a .047, which is pretty close.

.03-This is the cap often found on the bridge pickup for 62 jazz basses. Won't roll off nearly as much treble, still keeping it somewhat brighter.

.022-Used in most 70's era jazz basses. It will keep a lot more treble in your tone, even when rolled completely off.

Those seem to be the ranges Fender bass tone caps fall into.

And, yes, you can look up how to do a multi-cap mod and get different choices at the flip of a switch. I haven't used it myself, but I know of it.

 

0.05uF and 0.047uF are the same thing when you account for tolerance.

 

I figured so, and that they were close enough to be indistinguishable anyway, so I never worried about it and just bought ones marked .047 for mine. It just happens to be that .05 is how Fender diagrams them.

 

.1 is what bill recommends for that pickup

 

I think 250k pots with a .1 cap would definitely give a very classic, vintage style P bass roll off. I have the .047 in mine right now, but have given some thought to trying .1 next time I feel like opening it up. Maybe I'll even go ahead and do a multi-cap mod myself.

Since we're talking caps here, I do have one quick question, and I have heard conflicting things.
Beyond knowing how to pick the values I want for what I am trying to achieve, I am no expert in
the ins and out of circuits.

Does the tone cap color tone at all, even when wide pen, or does it have no effect whatsoever until you start rolling off?

 

It depends on the value of the pot.

 

I'm using 250k CTS pots on all, and .047 caps on all, as opposed to the original 500k and, I believe, .033 caps.

 

You will hear a little bit of loading on the signal.

 

do a "treble bleed" if you're looking to use your vol pot for swells or "roll to clean up" etc

 

Don't make a specific choice, use 'em all. Use a Stellartone Tonestyler, and get your choice of all those caps at your fingertips! I have a telejazz set up with this and I love it. I also have a Squier DeluxeJazz V set up with a homemade varitone, but as soon as I have the cash I'm putting one of these in here too.

 

ive found the most tonefull caps to be by mullard/Philips, maybe a "tropical fish" for the tone and a "mustard" with a carbon-comp resistor treble bleed on the vol. this setup is for super creamy and woody/ brings out the natural tone of the wood sound

 

There is no tonal difference between different types of capacitors. Don't waste money on fancy caps when they all do the same thing.

Carbon composition resistors tend to be noisy, and have loose tolerances. I don't know if anyone even manufactures them anymore.

 

never mind the naysayers with possible hearing loss for tone throughout this thread. i'v done the mod i mentioned to all my guitars and you can hear the tone of each guitar's natural wood way better than the stock junk they sell at radio shack.

 

...says the guy who started a thread looking for 1.21 jigawatts of ss power for a wall of 810's, 15's and a folded 21.