Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I'm planning to install a new set of scatterwound toaster pickups in my Rick 1997, and would like to do the .0047 cap mod as well. The only store locally that carries capacitors is Radio Shack, so I wanted to make sure that what they have is correct for this procedure, since I know almost nothing about electronic theory (although I can handle a soldering iron).

Here are the details according to the package:

Radio Shack #272-130
.0047µF Ceramic Disc Capacitor
500WVDC maximum
Operating temperature: -25 degrees C to +85 degrees C
Tolerance: +-10%
Temperature coefficient: Y5P
(Made in Taiwan)

Is this cool?

Yup, I put those in my 325V63 and my 360V64 and they sound great. That's the only one RS had right? I've seen John Hall post on here before specifically saying that a cap is a cap - as long as it's .0047, you'll get the sound you're looking for.
Good luck.

Thanks, Spencer! Yes, that's the only .0047 that RS sells.

That's the one I used too.

The Radio Shack I went to had additional caps and resisters in individual drawers in bins. If you look hard enough you'll find .0047 polymer caps. These caps(which look like torpedos) are the same type RIC has always used. Mr.Hall said that ceramic discs can be microphonic but that "they were worth a try". I ,of course, found the polymer caps after I had mine all done with ceramic caps which is what my guitar tech uses.

I think you might have meant polyester caps rather than polymer? I hooked up a .0047 cap in my bass with a small DPDT switch to switch it in and out. It works really good and sounds nice. I tried ceramic caps, and polyester caps, and I DID notice a sound difference and the polyester one sounded smoother so I went with that. The one I used I just got from Mouser. You don't need anything with a high voltage rating in a guitar or bass...you'd be ok with 25v or less, but bigger caps can have less noise, so its not a big deal. Those ones you mentioned will work fine.