Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Can anyone provide a good explanation of what the .0047 cap does? Think its wired between the treble pickup and the volume pot? What kid of sound, and is it worth installing. Gary

bowser2533 wrote:Can anyone provide a good explanation of what the .0047 cap does? Think its wired between the treble pickup and the volume pot? What kid of sound, and is it worth installing. Gary

It filters out bass frequencies, making for a treblier/harsher sound. Some love it, some don't. Try it!

Is this for a bass or a guitar?

Gary,

There's a good explanation of what the cap does here:
http://www.rickresource.com/rrp/ricelectronics.html

Also, a good video here:


In addition to cutting some of the mid/low frequencies, it also introduces a 90 degree phase shift to the electrical signal. This introduces a slight 'shimmer' or 'chorus' effect to the signal. If you put the cap on the bridge pickup, it blends very nicely with the neck pickup since the signal will be 90 degrees out of phase above the cutoff frequency.

Hope that helps.

-Simon

Its a rickenbacker 360/12

Anyone out there have the 0047 capacitor in a ric 360 12 string? Do you like the sound? Is it worth putting in? Gary

bowser2533 wrote:Anyone out there have the 0047 capacitor in a ric 360 12 string? Do you like the sound? Is it worth putting in? Gary

I do. I love it, but I installed with a pull-push switch so that I can bypass the cap if the mood takes me.

Simon, What type of sound does it give when engaged? Does it add more highs to the bridge pickup? And also does it work when the toggle switch is in the center position? Gary

bowser2533 wrote:Simon, What type of sound does it give when engaged? Does it add more highs to the bridge pickup? And also does it work when the toggle switch is in the center position? Gary

Gary, the cap technically doesn't add anything. It reduces the mid and low frequencies which makes the overall signal sound brighter. It reduces the overall volume level of the bridge pickup signal. Yes, in the center position (with both pickups active) it does make a difference. Without the cap, the center position sounds quite different from either the neck or the bridge pickup on its own. The best I can describe it is a little bit 'bubblegum' or 'quacky' (sorry it's hard to describe in words). With the cap, the center position sounds more like a blend of the two pickups rather than a different sound. In the center position I like to use the infamous fifth knob to control how much neck pickup is mixed into the sound. Without the cap, the blend sounds completely different. Older (pre 1984?) and some of the newer reissue guitars (360/12c36) have the cap installed from the factory. The YouTube vid I posted also has a Ric with the cap installed. If you are handy with a soldering iron and you don't mind messing with your Ric, it's a pretty easy mod.

Also, some people really hate the sound of the cap. Specifically, they are bothered by the drop in volume level and the loss of the mid/bass frequencies. The cap gives a very early 60s vintage type sound, but it's not to everyone's tastes (even some people who bought a c63 guitar ). It's also a pain if you swap guitars during a show and use the same amp, as you will have to readjust the amp settings to compensate.

Thanks simon for your input. I know sound is hard to describe in words. My 360 sounds great and im not sure if its worth the bother. If i decide to do it is there any special 0047 cap i should try to get, brand name ect? Would radio shack have it? Thanks Gary

bowser2533 wrote:Thanks simon for your input. I know sound is hard to describe in words. My 360 sounds great and im not sure if its worth the bother. If i decide to do it is there any special 0047 cap i should try to get, brand name ect? Would radio shack have it? Thanks Gary

If you're happy with the sound of your Ric, don't bother messing with it. I find the difference the cap makes to be subtle when you play the bridge pickup on its own. It's more noticeable with the toggle in the center position. Sure - you can use the Radioshack cap - they stock a flat round ceramic cap that is the right value (0.0047uF). I started off using that one. It sounds pretty good but I eventually switched to a slightly more expensive one I got from Pick of the Ricks that has tighter tolerances and is tubular in shape (I think it's made from polyester):
http://www.pickofthericks.com/products/ ... 7mfd-.html
The difference between these two caps is also subtle, but I think (imagine?) I get a smoother and richer sound from the Pick of the Ricks cap with more harmonics. I also noticed that the cap that Pick of the Ricks has in stock is the same one that Rickenbacker installed inside my c63, so it must be alright.

bowser2533 wrote:Anyone out there have the 0047 capacitor in a ric 360 12 string? Do you like the sound? Is it worth putting in? Gary

N-o-o-o-o-o!

The first time I plugged in my .0047 cap-equipped 360/12C63 and switched to the bridge pickup, I thought the pickup was broken; the 7.4 K bridge p/up sounded brittle, harsh, tinny, and had low output compared to the lower output 3 ohm neck pickup. I removed the cap from the circuit and the p/up has a lot more volume and tone, and is still plenty bright.

paologregorio wrote:

bowser2533 wrote:Anyone out there have the 0047 capacitor in a ric 360 12 string? Do you like the sound? Is it worth putting in? Gary

N-o-o-o-o-o!

The first time I plugged in my .0047 cap-equipped 360/12C63 and switched to the bridge pickup, I thought the pickup was broken; the 7.4 K bridge p/up sounded brittle, harsh, tinny, and had low output compared to the lower output 3 ohm neck pickup. I removed the cap from the circuit and the p/up has a lot more volume and tone, and is still plenty bright.

Heh - I was thinking of you when I wrote my earlier post.

I had one in my 6-string Rick. When I got it and for several months after that I thought I liked the way it sounded, but in reality I was over-compensating for the guitar with my amp. The cap gives the bridge pickup a thin, nasally, tinny whining sound that conjures up several more negative words I wont write here and there's a reason they struck it from the design in later models. Removing the cap makes it sound warm, smooth, and full because the mid and bass frequencies no longer being cut. (This is in relation to a guitar equipped with Hi-Gain pickups)

A push-pull pot for the cap is the best of both worlds but after removing it I honestly can't see why anyone would like it.

Cut that cap out. Once you try it you won't go back.

It literally opens up the sound.