Treble Bleed Cap Values?

[scott from _actual time_]

i've been tinkering with different values of treble bleed caps lately, and i'm wondering if other folks have gotten good results with particular cap values.

both these guitars are mahogany super-strats with locking trems, humbuckers, and 500k audio taper vol pots. i started with a 1000 pF, the standard value for Tele treble bleed caps, but that sounded way too sharp--it seemed like i was getting more treble with the vol turned lower than with it all the way up. i got pretty good results with 330 pF, nice treble remaining. i noticed that one of my guitars as stock had a 100 pF--i've never heard of a treble bleed cap that small. it sounds completely transparent--with the vol knob down, there is some high end, but it falls off smoothly.

has anyone tried those or other values less than 1000 pF, on humbucker guitars? how did it sound?

[mikhailgtrski]

I started with just a 1000pF - same thing, more treble as I rolled down the volume. Chambered mahogany w/ maple cap, H/S/H with a single 250K volume - no tone pot.

Added a 150K (I think that's the value I settled on) resistor in series with the cap, and now the tone stays pretty even all the way down.

FWIW - I used a Mojo Vitamin T cap... sounds good, but I can't say if it sounds any better than a regular ceramic - didn't do an A/B comparison.

[Big K]

100k > 150k resistor usually helps in most cases, I also like the series wiring more than parallel for this mod....

[scott from _actual time_]

I started with just a 1000pF - same thing, more treble as I rolled down the volume.

Added a 150K (I think that's the value I settled on) resistor in series with the cap, and now the tone stays pretty even all the way down.

i've read about Duncan and other folks' mods with the resistors in serries or parallel, but i'm trying to fine-tune it with just the cap--i'm happy with the taper on the pot, i only want to change the amount of high end that gets passed through. i bought a bulk pack at rat shack which included 221 and 561 pf, so i'll give them a shot.

Edited September 11, 2007 by scott from _actual time_

[Mike Sulzer]

I started with just a 1000pF - same thing, more treble as I rolled down the volume.

Added a 150K (I think that's the value I settled on) resistor in series with the cap, and now the tone stays pretty even all the way down.

i've read about Duncan and other folks' mods with the resistors in serries or parallel, but i'm trying to fine-tune it with just the cap--i'm happy with the taper on the pot, i only want to change the amount of high end that gets passed through. i bought a bulk pack at rat shack which included 221 and 561 pf, so i'll give them a shot.

The resistor in series with the treble bleed should limit the treble as stated above. It does not have a lot to do with pot taper. You might have to play around quite a bit to get the effect you want. Or you might never be completely happy even with the resistor.