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Who's Using The Bright Cap?

Excalibur

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Jun 12, 2003
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435
I thought of asking you guys who is using the bright cap on their Marshalls Bright channel,what value did you use or did you take it out all together..My marshall is a 1959HW RI and i took the 0.005mfd cap out and replaced it with a 100pf,I like it much better like that but thinking of taking it out all together as i dig the darker sound too but was wondering if it will hold and cut through the mix in a band playing live situation.will appreciate any input.thanks.
 

RickN

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Feb 12, 2002
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I disconnected it completely on my '76 Super Lead. I never play with the volume under 5 anyway, so it wasn't doing a whole hell of a lot anyway, but a Super Lead is bright anyway, so pulling that cap helps calm it down a little bit. Anyway.
 

Kap'n

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Jan 2, 2002
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Reducing the value of a bright cap doesn't make it less bright. In fact, it reduces the mids that come along with a larger cap.

My compromise is to crank it to 5 or so, jumpered, and use a PPIMV just enough to tame the volume a bit.
 

Boogieman2

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Feb 2, 2007
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On my JTM45 I disconnected Both the bright cap and the 500pf mixer cap. Much more woody sounding IMO.
 

RickN

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On my JTM45 I disconnected Both the bright cap and the 500pf mixer cap. Much more woody sounding IMO.

Interesting that you removed the mixer cap... to my ears, that one's useful - in fact, I ADDED a mixer cap to Channel II. On my amp now, BOTH channels are usable, and different enough to make it worthwhile to use an A/B/Y switcher... get the thing above about '5' on both channels and it's a thing of beauty.
 

Stumbler

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Jul 29, 2002
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On the advice of Ed A some time ago, I clipped a leg of the bright cap on my 71 Super Lead. I like it much better. Instead of an "on-off switch" for Vol I, it now has a smoother increase in volume and all that super-treble is out. I still jumper the two channels. Big improvement. I would like to try a Hotplate with it to push the power tubes some, since I play at lower volumes.
 

Outtahear

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Dec 23, 2002
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.............and here's where cab/speakers, tubes, guitar, what type of music you play, and how you play the amp makes all the difference when someone asks this question.

Right??
 

Stumbler

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Jul 29, 2002
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....i dig the darker sound too but was wondering if it will hold and cut through the mix in a band playing live situation.....

Increase the Presence control when playing live to help you hear yourself in the mix better. I find that's what it's for. And can be too much on your own, but with the band it's just right.
 

Johnny Q

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Mar 8, 2003
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I clipped the universally hated bright cap in my JCM800 50 watter - 2204 and now the amp is too dark, like there is a blanket over it.
 

Excalibur

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Jun 12, 2003
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Very interesting..thank you all for you're input.I think I'm gonna stay with the 100pf cap and jumper the channels.I can always tame the treble with the tone controls but when I'll need the extra bite it will be there for me.without the cap completely it's just too dark and less manageable with the 2 channels combined.thanks again.:salude
 

RickN

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Increase the Presence control when playing live to help you hear yourself in the mix better. I find that's what it's for. And can be too much on your own, but with the band it's just right.

That's a great point. When I'm playing around the house, the Presence control on my SL is off completely.
 

Stumbler

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That's a great point. When I'm playing around the house, the Presence control on my SL is off completely.

I found this out by stumbling upon it years ago (no pun intended) I had my 69 SL and one cab at a gig - in a terrible room - I could not hear myself and kept on turning up and up. Finally someone came from the audience and said that too mighty a wind from my amp was blowing people away. I turned down and then as a fluke turned the Presence way up - which I had never used - and voila! - I could hear myself just fine.

It's like the opposite of reverb almost. Instead of ambience and less directness or defintion, it crisps things up and in the pudding you can hear yourself. I like it for the same reason I like JBLs.

BTW ... Clapton in the Cream days turned everything up all the way - including the Presence. Granted you need a huge room for this (RAH), but that Presence adds to that incredible grittiness he got.
 

Boogieman2

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Feb 2, 2007
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Interesting that you removed the mixer cap... to my ears, that one's useful - in fact, I ADDED a mixer cap to Channel II. On my amp now, BOTH channels are usable, and different enough to make it worthwhile to use an A/B/Y switcher... get the thing above about '5' on both channels and it's a thing of beauty.

I got the idea from Udo Pipper's 1966 JTM45 PA that everyone was raving about on Metro and a couple other forums.

http://www1.gitarrebass.de/magazine/0607/marshall_jtm45.htm

I also run power scaling, so I'm always at 7-10 on the volume. Not claiming it is the way to go, but I'm enjoying it right now as part of my always evolving circuit topology:)
 
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