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Thoughts on these Sprague caps?

AtomEve

AtomEve

Les Paul Forum Member
Joined
Aug 5, 2002
Messages
4,666
I don't know much about caps. These look right except the shielding on the leads. Are these good for a 50's LP? Can I find that shielding elsewhere if they are? I did notice comparing these to ones in a 50s LP that the P and 2 are different size... I don't know when/how these varied by year. I guess they could be copies as well. Anyone know? Rick!?

Thanks, Cheers! :salude
Bryan


cap1.jpg


cap3.jpg
 
R

RickN

New member
Joined
Feb 12, 2002
Messages
7,143
Those are the (slightly) later Black Beauties. Meaning, they're not the paper-in-oil version that came in the late-'56 through approximately early-'60 guitars. They're mylar - still good caps; in fact, they held their tolerance better than the PIO models. The mylar caps did show up on some late-'59s. If you're looking for something that would be absolutely accurate in a guitar of the time period I mentioned above, you'd need to find some PIO versions. If 'absolute correctness' isn't as important, those will work just fine.
 
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guitarvoodoo

guitarvoodoo

Formerly fishnose, Les Paul Forum Member
Joined
Nov 19, 2006
Messages
2,000
Rick, Black Beauties were used for quite a long time I think, weren't they? The Mylar kind of course.
Is there any significant difference appearance-wise between the first Mylars from '59-'60 and later ones?

/GV
 
R

RickN

New member
Joined
Feb 12, 2002
Messages
7,143
guitarvoodoo said:
Rick, Black Beauties were used for quite a long time I think, weren't they? The Mylar kind of course.
Is there any significant difference appearance-wise between the first Mylars from '59-'60 and later ones?

/GV
Click to expand...

Black Beauties were around for a while longer, but Gibson's use of them tailed off in the early '60s. Speaking only from my experience, starting in the early '60s, you see more ceramic disk capacitors than the big mylar Spragues. I suspect that, like many things at Gibson, there was a period where both types were used until their supply of Spragues got used up.

Appearance-wise, the change was to move away from the color-coded banding to indicate value/tolerance and go to easier-to-decipher lettering. Same caps, different paint job.
 
Wilko

Wilko

All Access/Backstage Pass
Joined
Mar 11, 2002
Messages
20,872
just slide that insulation off and use the right color. No big whoop!
 
J

JIMI55LP

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 28, 2005
Messages
1,588
Find some cloth covered wire of correct color in 18 ga. and strip off the correct lengths to laquer coat, then slip them on.
 
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