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5e3 coupling caps to reduce bass, question.

Discussion in 'Shock Brother's DIY Amps' started by tube.tone, Sep 15, 2010.

  1. Sep 15, 2010 #1
    tube.tone

    tube.tone Tele-Meister

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    Hi all,

    I have been away for a long time, I hope that everything is well.

    This is a very basic question. I want to replace coupling cap in one channel of on my home made 5e3 to a lower value (.047uF) and put it on a switch.

    Can you point out what cap should I replace?

    Thanks a lot!

    ;)
     

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  2. Sep 15, 2010 #2
    tubeswell

    tubeswell Friend of Leo's

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    In that amp it'll be one of the V1 tube's 0.1uF (100nF) orange caps with '104' written on it. These are the larger orange caps that come off the plates of V1 (socket pins 1 and 6 respectively) and go to the (respective channel) vol pot inputs. Take a look at a 5E3 schematic and layout, and you will see these 0.1uF caps labelled.

    IMHO, these sound a lot less muddy if replaced with 22nf (0.022uF), but by all means try 47nF and see.

    As you are obviously a noob, take care to ensure the filter caps are drained (and the amp is unplugged from the wall) before putting your fingers inside.
     
  3. Sep 15, 2010 #3
    tube.tone

    tube.tone Tele-Meister

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    Thanks for the advise! I always make sure to take all safety safety procedures.

    This was my first build, although is sounding very nice but a almost too bassy.

    I am considering in installing a switch to give both possibilities. What is best? should the switch go between coupling cap and volume pot or tube plate and coupling cap?
     
  4. Sep 15, 2010 #4
    Stan Martin

    Stan Martin Tele-Afflicted Silver Supporter

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    you could try

    a .047 in place of the .1 and a .022 in place of the .047
     
  5. Sep 15, 2010 #5
    JohnnyCrash

    JohnnyCrash Doctor of Teleocity

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    I put a 0.022uF on one of my 5E3 channels as well. For single coils stock caps helped fatten up the tone, for P-90s or humbuckers it got woofy and muddy.

    As far as a switch, you might have to solder a 1M or larger resistor at the switch (or the caps) to ground to reduce loud popping when flipping the switch - it'll need a reference to ground at a spot like a plate coupling cap.
     
  6. Sep 15, 2010 #6
    teleamp

    teleamp Poster Extraordinaire

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    Looking at the eyelet board: (L to R) .047, .047, .022, .022, .022. It sounds great with sc's
     
  7. Sep 16, 2010 #7
    Platefire

    Platefire Friend of Leo's

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    This is a updated 5E3 I built. It sounded awsome but it was built for someone else so I had to let it go. This arrangment complely isolates the channels from each other where the tone control only effects channel one and channel two tonal/response options are controled by the Tweed + switch on the back. Platefire
     

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    Last edited: Sep 16, 2010
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