DIY help

[arfy]

I've been experimenting with modding my own Tube Screamers and Blues Drivers. One mod that is often recommended is replacing electrolytics 10 uf signal caps with tantalum 10 uf caps. I found the tantalums at Digi-Key and they are marked with a + toward on side. Does this indicate polarity and do I need to orient them a certain way? There are several of these in a Boss Blues Driver.

[Lance]

You'd need to use the same polarity for the electrolytics. I'm not sure the tant caps will be an improvement...but noodling is always fun.

[arfy]

I've read and heard in a few places now that the tantalum are not necessarily better, makes me wonder if it's worth it so I'll try to compare somehow.
Another tweak I saw somewhere mentions to parallel a film or foil cap of maybe .22 uf or so with large value electrolytic signal caps to at least give a clearer path to the higher frequency components of the signal, maybe that's more likely worth the trouble if space allows.
Anyway, thanks for the advice.

[strat_and_tele_guitarist]

Originally Posted by arfy

I've read and heard in a few places now that the tantalum are not necessarily better, makes me wonder if it's worth it so I'll try to compare somehow.
Another tweak I saw somewhere mentions to parallel a film or foil cap of maybe .22 uf or so with large value electrolytic signal caps to at least give a clearer path to the higher frequency components of the signal, maybe that's more likely worth the trouble if space allows.
Anyway, thanks for the advice.

here are some more changes that I've done that sound good too.

caps
c28-.047
c36-.01
c35-.047
c34-.1
c27-.22 (.01 stock)
c14-.1 (.047 stock)
c10-.047
c17-.1 (.01 stock)
c19 .1 (.01 stock)
c8-.22 (.050 stock)
c16-.047
c10-removed
tone control-.03

notes
-----
c17= .1uf....adds high end around 3khz
c19= .1uf....effects mids


diodes
------
1n4001 and stock diodes (assymetric)
d3-1n4004