cclowend Posted May 23, 2014 Share Posted May 23, 2014 Who knows about capacitors then? I have installed some barts on my MIM Jazz and it sounds awful. The capacitor reads “503 100v” whatever that means, but Bartolini advise a 0.022 to 0.047 mfd capacitor……..whatever that means. I assume the tragic mid honky noise is due to this as the wiring is spot on the the pots are fully functional. Any help will be repaid with a “thankyou”. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beer of the Bass Posted May 23, 2014 Share Posted May 23, 2014 The code 503 would be a 0.05uF capacitor, so only a couple of percent different from the recommended 0.047uF. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Number6 Posted May 23, 2014 Share Posted May 23, 2014 503 may be the body type of the capacitor or the rating. If it is the rating it will be 0.050 uF (micro farads) which is outside of the suggested range and probably the reason for the naff sound. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cclowend Posted May 23, 2014 Author Share Posted May 23, 2014 I haven't a clue what they do. I guess the 0.022 would make it sound scooped and the 0.047 would give it that mid sound? I was going to get a 0.022 and a 0.033 and see what they sound like??!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beer of the Bass Posted May 23, 2014 Share Posted May 23, 2014 How does it sound with the tone control up full? The capacitor has very, very little effect when the tone control is at maximum, so if it still sounds bad, the problem is elsewhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cclowend Posted May 23, 2014 Author Share Posted May 23, 2014 It still sounds bad. The only thing I have done different is earth the bridge pickup directly to the bridge control pot whereas it used to be earthed under the bridge pickup to the body and then a link wire to the bridge control pot. I may have double earthed it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cclowend Posted May 23, 2014 Author Share Posted May 23, 2014 <a href="[url="http://s1259.photobucket.com/user/dinggremlin/media/photo_zps861dcdf7.jpg.html"]http://s1259.photobucket.com/user/dinggremlin/media/photo_zps861dcdf7.jpg.html[/url]" target="_blank"><img src="[url="http://i1259.photobucket.com/albums/ii560/dinggremlin/photo_zps861dcdf7.jpg"]http://i1259.photobucket.com/albums/ii560/dinggremlin/photo_zps861dcdf7.jpg[/url]" border="0" alt=" photo photo_zps861dcdf7.jpg"/></a> Heres the blighter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3below Posted May 23, 2014 Share Posted May 23, 2014 (edited) Desolder one leg of the capacitor. See how the bass sounds without capacitor. (This is taking Beer of the Bass advice a step further). If it sounds ok then capacitor is wrong value. If bad sound then problem elsewhere. Where are you based - you might find someone on BC who will take a look / get soldering iron out as a favour. Do you still have earth to bridge wire? essential unless running pickups such as EMGs. Edited May 24, 2014 by 3below Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HowieBass Posted May 23, 2014 Share Posted May 23, 2014 (edited) The value of the capacitor as noted only really has much effect as you turn down the tone control, lower value capacitors (such as the .022mfd) will cut the treble less when the tone control is fully closed, as you increase the value of a capacitor (up to .047mfd) then more treble gets cut when the tone control is fully closed. The tolerance of a .047mfd might bring it close to .05mfd and vice versa so there's probably little point in worrying about that. One thing you haven't mentioned is whether there are any metal earthing plates under the pickups (I assume there were from your description of how it was earthed). Apparently these can affect the tone from bass pickups (they're regularly found under split Precision pickups) and your new Barts might not need any (or be adversely affected by the presence of earthing plates - you might need to ask Bartolini for advice) so that might be your next move. If the plates are there still earth them and make sure all your earthing connections are sound (but as I say the plates might not be needed). Another thing, check what value pots are needed for the Barts... do they recommend 250K or 500K pots? Edited May 23, 2014 by HowieBass Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cclowend Posted May 24, 2014 Author Share Posted May 24, 2014 There is an earth (if that what you mean by earthing plate) which is under the bridge pup. This is the one that I have bypassed and directly earthed the bridge pup onto the bridge pot. This earth is still connected to the pot. I guess this is the problem. So, a capacitor doesn't boost any signal then? I am okay with soldering, I will keep it running as I await advice!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thisnameistaken Posted May 24, 2014 Share Posted May 24, 2014 I would put that earth wire back where you found it, this definitely isn't a problem with the capacitor, for reasons that others have already explained. Even if the capacitor was duff the bass would sound normal with the tone turned full up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KiOgon Posted May 24, 2014 Share Posted May 24, 2014 May I refer you to my reply in your previous thread; http://basschat.co.uk/topic/237463-jazz-bartolinis/page__fromsearch__1 Have you tried swapping the wires from one pick up? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoham Posted May 24, 2014 Share Posted May 24, 2014 (edited) Do both pickups sound rubbish on their own? How about when they are both on together? If you have a multimeter, try measuring the DC resistance - to make sure it's close to the specified value. This is much more applicable if only one sounds duff! Also - could you share a picture of all three pots? Edited May 24, 2014 by geoham Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cclowend Posted May 24, 2014 Author Share Posted May 24, 2014 <a href="http://s1259.photobucket.com/user/dinggremlin/media/photo_zps7ab40f1c.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1259.photobucket.com/albums/ii560/dinggremlin/photo_zps7ab40f1c.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo photo_zps7ab40f1c.jpg"/></a> This is the wiring now. As it came. Red is a body earth. Green is live neck pup on neck pot terminal 2 and earthed on bridge pot. Purple is bridge pup earth. Blue is bridge pup live on terminal 2. Yellow is bridge pup earth which comes from the pup to the body earth and then to the tone pot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cclowend Posted May 24, 2014 Author Share Posted May 24, 2014 It does now sound a bit more punchy now I am using the original bridge/body earth but it's output is about 2/3 of my ray which I know is active but these Bart's just sound a bit tame. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cclowend Posted May 24, 2014 Author Share Posted May 24, 2014 My mistake, yellow is an earth that comes from under the actual bridge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoham Posted May 24, 2014 Share Posted May 24, 2014 Is there anything connected to the middle lug of the neck volume pot? Doesn't look like it, but might just be the camera angle. How it should be.... Check this is how it is! Each pickup should have two wires, typically black and white. The whites go to the middle lug of each volume control. The blacks go to any earth point - typically the casing of the volume control. There is also a black wire that runs from the underside of your bridge to earth. Again, doesn't really matter where. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cclowend Posted May 24, 2014 Author Share Posted May 24, 2014 Yes, all present and correct! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoham Posted May 24, 2014 Share Posted May 24, 2014 May just be how they sound if you're sure all wiring is correct. You can wire a pickup directly to the jack socket to eliminate all other wiring issues if you are in doubt - just as a test. If they sound the same, then that's their tone! Perhaps post a sound clip here? My own experience - I have Fender Custom Shop 60's pickups in my Jazz. They are supposed to be overwound and high output, but compared to the stock pickups on my MIM Precision, they are pretty quiet. My active Ibanez is probably somewhere in the middle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cclowend Posted May 24, 2014 Author Share Posted May 24, 2014 You're probably right. I was expecting too much I reckon. I was hoping for this wide grunting jazz based sound. I reckon the stock pups are better by far. Lesson learned. It still plays beautifully though and is well handsome! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HowieBass Posted May 24, 2014 Share Posted May 24, 2014 About the only other thing to try is changing pickup height and see how this affects volume and tone. The Barts might have a sweet spot that differs from the original stock pups. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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