Yet Another Tone Cap Shootout
Back in July, I mentioned a tone cap shootout by Steve over at KernelOfWisdom, which included some more boutique caps that I hadn’t included in my tone cap comparison project.
Well, Steve is back with another meticulously prepared and more comprehensive comparison.
In the ring this time are a Russian T-1 Teflon, Russian K4Y-9 PIO, Cornell-Dubilier PIO, Goodall PIO, Luxe Repro Grey Tiger, Gibson Repro Bumblebee, Sprague Vitamin Q, Jensen PIO, Sprague Orange Drop as well as a generic brown polyester film and ceramic disc caps.
He also has a blind comparison page (don’t peek at the answer key til after you listen).
Great work Steve!
Update: Alas, the KernelOfWisdom website seems to be gone, but you can still see the discussion at the mylspaul forum.
August 21, 2012 @ 1:10 pm
I wish you had tested some real VINTAGE Grey Tigers and Bumblebee caps! I have been told that the LUXE REPROS are actually the Russian PIO caps inside a fancy retro casing – so would expect repros to sound like the Russian cap(“N”)
Did you open up any of the repro caps to see what as inside? Am curious to know if Luxe info is accurate… also curious what is inside the Gibson Bumblebee repro.
THANKS FOR DOING THE TEST & SHARING!
Mark in CO
August 26, 2012 @ 9:20 pm
Hey Mark,
I haven’t tested true vintage grey tigers and bumblebees. Too expensive for me!
I posted about a teardown of the reproduction luxe and bumblebee caps here:
https://www.planetz.com/?p=857
-John
December 25, 2014 @ 8:47 am
Hi John,
The webpage can’t be in.
Could you post the test mp3 to me please? I wanna get something to upgrade my guitar tone.
THANK YOU SOOOOOOO MUCH.
December 25, 2014 @ 9:57 pm
Too bad- it looks like his website is gone. You can still see it in the internet archives:
https://web.archive.org/web/20130908120531/http://kernelofwisdom.com/02-10/shootout2.html
but I’m not sure you can hear the audio examples. I’m sorry I don’t have a copy of his audio.
You could also take a look at my tone cap comparison project, which starts here:
https://www.planetz.com/guitar-tone-capacitors-material-types/
-John