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Are These Caps Any Good??? (Pics)

LesterP

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May 13, 2003
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I just found these in an old parts box (along with some other junk as well :)). If memory serves me, these Capacitors were taken out of two different Les Pauls around 15 years ago?

Does anyone recognize these as being stock caps in Les Pauls (Early 70's maybe), and are they any good in the tone dept, as I might use them if they are.

Thanks for any help.

3151_p48500.jpg
 

RickN

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Feb 12, 2002
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The two lower ones are fairly recent issues of the same type caps used in the '50s. I doubt they were used in any Gibson as original equipment. I believe that when Gibson stopped using the original-style "Bees" they went exclusively to ceramic disc caps starting with the '61s. There may have been some "Bees" leftover that got into a few guitars after that time, but not as standard equipment. The ones in that picture would make nice tone caps if you like the .022uf value, which seems to pretty much be the 'standard'.

The upper ones? Never seen those before, and while they may have been in someone's guitar at some time, I would be surprised to learn that they were standard equipment... but I've been surprised before. ;)

That doesn't mean they wouldn't be good tone caps. The best way to tell is to try them out. If I were you, I'd use the time-honored method of using a couple of aligator clip leads so you can clip them in place and see what they sound like. If you like the way they sound in your guitar, solder them in and go play! :salude
 

turk

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Jan 20, 2004
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The top two are resistors. The bottom two should be fine sounding
caps; they are called "black beauties".
 

ashbass

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The bottom two are as close to "real" bees as you'll get. They are in fact, real bees, but with a different cover. Sprague made the orginal striped bumble bee caps and switched their markings to this red lettering.

There is a thread here somewhere where orignal striped bees, these black beauties, DMCs, and some other brand of caps were exrayed. These and the original bees were the same inside. Then they all were charted somehow. Again, these and the originals were the same.

Keep the black beauties. I have .022s in my two historics, my '72 ES335, and my Faded V. They sound just fine.
 

Zinc Alloy

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May 8, 2003
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mofinco said:
The two lower ones are fairly recent issues of the same type caps used in the '50s. I doubt they were used in any Gibson as original equipment. I believe that when Gibson stopped using the original-style "Bees" they went exclusively to ceramic disc caps starting with the '61s.


nope, Gibson used the Black Beautys in the 60ies. I've got some in my '69 Deluxe.
 

Mitchell

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Feb 20, 2002
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The two lower ones are fairly recent issues of the same type caps used in the '50s. I doubt they were used in any Gibson as original equipment. I believe that when Gibson stopped using the original-style "Bees" they went exclusively to ceramic disc caps starting with the '61s. There may have been some "Bees" leftover that got into a few guitars after that time, but not as standard equipment. The ones in that picture would make nice tone caps if you like the .022uf value, which seems to pretty much be the 'standard'.


The bottom two Spragues are the early 1960's upgraded "160P" version of the Bee. I have some from 1962 and so on, also issued in an early Deluxe, as noted by "Zinc Alloy". These are very "fine caps" and should be snatched up when found. The top two items are wire-resistors.
 
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LesterP

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Thanks for all the info. I'm thinking of putting these "Bee's" in my '71 Custom, or '01 R8 authentic. It's nice to discover these are good caps. My memory was jogged when someone mentioned that the top two are resistors... they came out of a mid 70's Sound City 120 that was being worked on around then. :)
 

TM1

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Jun 27, 2003
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The top two look like 1K @ 5 watt screen grid resistors which would be correct for running EL-34's in a Sound City head. the bottom two are `60's Sprauge .022 caps! Great caps!!
 

ashbass

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Jan 13, 2003
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LesterP said:
Thanks for all the info. I'm thinking of putting these "Bee's" in my '71 Custom, or '01 R8 authentic. It's nice to discover these are good caps.

abassR7cavity.jpg

 
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