Reccommended Cap Values for Keystones?

timmer · June 21st, 2008, 11:10 AM

I put a set of Keystones in the Mongrel and wired it like my MIA with a .022uf cap. It seems really average now with little or no twang.

I know this is subjective but what are the most common ways to wire these up for max twang?

Here is a shot of the wiring:

EDITED TO ADD: What values of caps should I have in my kit to do all of the various mods?

Thanks!

hopdybob · June 23rd, 2008, 03:37 AM

strange way (i am no tele player (yet)) to take the cap to the two pots.
will this be that you have two tone controles and no volume?

for my idea you could be closer with the pups to the strings.
and if you are not sure about cap, mail bruce

RotelliCaster · June 23rd, 2008, 03:40 PM

The first time I Installed Keystones I didn't care for them, I sent them Back to see if there was a defect. They tested "Fine". They sent them back to me and Bill followed up with a phone call to me (Great service). He recommended 250k ohm audio taper pots and a .022 cap on the tone circuit. I wired it with the all new pots and used a .001 as a treble bypass on the volume pot. I spent a good bit of time working with the pickup height, they are very touchy in this area. I ended up with the neck pup very low (about 1/4 inch above the pickguard) and the bridge lower than on other Tele's. The end result is was pretty close to "true love". another important factor is to not use an lower grade or high captaincy cable. No matter what capacitor you use on the tone circuit, the cable will be adding to to the tone, usually for the worse, but not always. I used as short of a cable as I could until I ordered some good stuff to make my own. While working with these pickups try using a short cable and a long Cable and notice the night and day difference. You may know this already???

I also used the standard Tele, wiring diagram from the resources section of this site.

IMO
250K pots
.022 tone cap
good cable
low pickup height (Away from the Strings, but work with it)
Don't give up because they are incredible pickups!

I hope that helps!

RotelliCaster · June 23rd, 2008, 03:46 PM

I noticed after a second look that you are using an orange drop cap. I have tried these in my Tele's and they seem too dark/bassy the 225 line seem darker than the 715 line but so far I'm not a fan of them in my Tele's.

I like the .022 ceramic disk caps or the Radio Shack, film caps (cheap dark green ones)

You might look at this factor also.

Ciao

spankdplank · June 23rd, 2008, 03:54 PM

I use 500K pots and an .047 cap in my Tele with Keystones and it has lots of snap, sparkle and twang. As many have noted, they are very height sensitive and take a while to get dialed in. I A/B'd my Keystoned tele with a tele with a set of 5% overwound Fralins and 250K pots, through a 5E3 clone, and was amazed at how similar the guitars were in tone and output. I too am a fan of the cheap dark green Radio shack caps.

June 21st, 2008, 11:10 AM	#1 (permalink)
timmer Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: On the banks of the Pontchartrain Age: 48 Posts: 1,228 26 Photos	Reccommended Cap Values for Keystones? I put a set of Keystones in the Mongrel and wired it like my MIA with a .022uf cap. It seems really average now with little or no twang. I know this is subjective but what are the most common ways to wire these up for max twang? Here is a shot of the wiring: EDITED TO ADD: What values of caps should I have in my kit to do all of the various mods? Thanks! __________________ "Choose silence of all virtues, for by it you hear other men's imperfections, and conceal your own." George Bernard Shaw Last edited by timmer; June 21st, 2008 at 01:46 PM.

June 23rd, 2008, 03:37 AM	#2 (permalink)
hopdybob Tele-Meister Join Date: May 2008 Location: netherlands Posts: 198	strange way (i am no tele player (yet)) to take the cap to the two pots. will this be that you have two tone controles and no volume? for my idea you could be closer with the pups to the strings. and if you are not sure about cap, mail bruce __________________ Please excuse my poor english

June 23rd, 2008, 03:40 PM	#3 (permalink)
RotelliCaster Tele-Meister Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Bethany, OK Age: 41 Posts: 416 13 Photos	The first time I Installed Keystones I didn't care for them, I sent them Back to see if there was a defect. They tested "Fine". They sent them back to me and Bill followed up with a phone call to me (Great service). He recommended 250k ohm audio taper pots and a .022 cap on the tone circuit. I wired it with the all new pots and used a .001 as a treble bypass on the volume pot. I spent a good bit of time working with the pickup height, they are very touchy in this area. I ended up with the neck pup very low (about 1/4 inch above the pickguard) and the bridge lower than on other Tele's. The end result is was pretty close to "true love". another important factor is to not use an lower grade or high captaincy cable. No matter what capacitor you use on the tone circuit, the cable will be adding to to the tone, usually for the worse, but not always. I used as short of a cable as I could until I ordered some good stuff to make my own. While working with these pickups try using a short cable and a long Cable and notice the night and day difference. You may know this already??? I also used the standard Tele, wiring diagram from the resources section of this site. IMO 250K pots .022 tone cap good cable low pickup height (Away from the Strings, but work with it) Don't give up because they are incredible pickups! I hope that helps! __________________ " Trust me, I saw this in a cartoon and I'm pretty sure I can do it! " http://www.myspace.com/bmwsteve Guitar Photos

June 23rd, 2008, 03:46 PM	#4 (permalink)
RotelliCaster Tele-Meister Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Bethany, OK Age: 41 Posts: 416 13 Photos	I noticed after a second look that you are using an orange drop cap. I have tried these in my Tele's and they seem too dark/bassy the 225 line seem darker than the 715 line but so far I'm not a fan of them in my Tele's. I like the .022 ceramic disk caps or the Radio Shack, film caps (cheap dark green ones) You might look at this factor also. Ciao __________________ " Trust me, I saw this in a cartoon and I'm pretty sure I can do it! " http://www.myspace.com/bmwsteve Guitar Photos

June 23rd, 2008, 03:54 PM	#5 (permalink)
spankdplank Tele-Holic Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Houston, Tx. Posts: 589 22 Photos	I use 500K pots and an .047 cap in my Tele with Keystones and it has lots of snap, sparkle and twang. As many have noted, they are very height sensitive and take a while to get dialed in. I A/B'd my Keystoned tele with a tele with a set of 5% overwound Fralins and 250K pots, through a 5E3 clone, and was amazed at how similar the guitars were in tone and output. I too am a fan of the cheap dark green Radio shack caps.