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What Capacitors did they use in vintage SGs?

chasenblues

chasenblues

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From the images i just looked at looks like they used your basic .022 ceramic disk caps.




65sgst9.jpg

P1220451.jpg

64-SG-Special-Orig-Wiring.jpg
 
TM1

TM1

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I've seen some early `60 & `61 SG's with the Sprague 160P's but a smaller version that what we normally see. I have a harness out in the shop with them. Only difference is the voltage rating.
 
Kris Ford

Kris Ford

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TM1 said:
I've seen some early `60 & `61 SG's with the Sprague 160P's but a smaller version that what we normally see. I have a harness out in the shop with them. Only difference is the voltage rating.
Click to expand...

Please post pics!

I did an EXHAUSTIVE search for these..but seems it's 99.99999% the ceramic discs for SGs...
For ES series though, they were used more often than not it seems..probably due to the fact that the wrinig was semi exposed, and not a good environment for a ceramic cap:
g6eyca0y9soob1lzcwzb.jpg


In fact, the ONLY pic of a SG with Sprague 160P Black Beauties on the entire Internet was actually yours..and that was an '05 that you built that way...I'm having an extremely difficult time finding any original examples..:hmm
DSC04305.jpg
 
Kris Ford

Kris Ford

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Antoinerob said:
Gibson did use SPrague ceramic disc in the early 60s. Attached is a picture of one from my '62 standard along with a set of new old stock ones.

Click to expand...

Yep, they sure did! Welcome by the way!
I have a nice stash (6 left I think...) of those NOS ones as well.... .02Z 50V:
s-l1600.jpg


I had the yellow tubing from LUXE, so I built a harness for my '61 RI with 2 of those NOS .02Zs...I think it really looks the part!
20170306_173842.jpg

Compared to a '64:
64-SG-Special-Orig-Wiring.jpg
 
Last edited:
A

Antoinerob

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Thanks Kris for the welcome.
In addition, just to mention these NOS discs sound really great! I did install both in my ´62. Worth the job!
 
60pinstripe

60pinstripe

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Kris Ford said:
Yep, they sure did! Welcome by the way!
I have a nice stash (6 left I think...) of those NOS ones as well.... .02Z 50V:
s-l1600.jpg


I had the yellow tubing from LUXE, so I built a harness for my '61 RI with 2 of those NOS .02Zs...I think it really looks the part!
20170306_173842.jpg

Compared to a '64:
64-SG-Special-Orig-Wiring.jpg
Click to expand...

Any tone reports on how these sound?
 
Kris Ford

Kris Ford

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60pinstripe said:
Any tone reports on how these sound?
Click to expand...

I think the biggest benefit is the 50's wiring and 500K pots..the caps do their job of rolling off treble to ground.:peace2 These are the same caps that the early 60's SGs (and many other Gibsons) used..I think they get a bad rap because people must think they are cheap or something..they function as a cap should though, and many famous tones were achieved with these.

Plus they nail the look!:spabout
 
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