VIDEOS - 5E5A Orange drops to Jupiter Tone caps

[gtr777]

After gigging for two years with my 5E5A build, it wasn't warming up as time went on, like I thought it should have. The highs seamed grainy to me and I wasn't getting the bass response I'd expected from the 15" Alnico Weber speaker. I heard that Jupiter tone caps were designed from reverse engineering of Astron and blue molded Sprague’s, and decided to remove the Orange drops I had in there and try the Jupiter’s. I was not disappointed. I made a before / after cap job video with a strat
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=njw06rLLDgs

and another video with the same amp and a Les Paul.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zYkmuzdF1hc

I'm sure that Orange drops work well in some applications, they didn’t really work for me in my Fender circuit.

[Structo]

Paul from Specialty sent me that first video.
So it was you that did the video huh?
Nice chops!
He's been trying to sell me on those caps and I tried one in one of my strats.
So you used them in the amp for the coupling caps?

[gtr777]

Paul from Specialty sent me that first video.
So it was you that did the video huh?
Nice chops!
He's been trying to sell me on those caps and I tried one in one of my strats.
So you used them in the amp for the coupling caps?

Yes I replaced the coupling caps with the Jupiters.

[keithrick]

I am not doubting the value of a cap change but in the Strat clip I think you would notice a bigger change in tone just from the different placement of the amp, i.e. the floor as opposed to camera level. Plus it appears that the second clip (strat w/Jupitor caps) has more volume. Was the amp set exactly the same? It is hard to sell a nuance in tone with so many vaiables. At least through my computer speakers Nice playing.

If they are modeled after the blue mallory's and astrons are they polyester? I might have to look into them. FWIW- I have some mallory caps that would be dead ringers! Are they the manufacturer?

[gtr777]

I am not doubting the value of a cap change but in the Strat clip I think you would notice a bigger change in tone just from the different placement of the amp, i.e. the floor as opposed to camera level. Plus it appears that the second clip (strat w/Jupitor caps) has more volume. Was the amp set exactly the same? It is hard to sell a nuance in tone with so many vaiables. At least through my computer speakers Nice playing.

If they are modeled after the blue mallory's and astrons are they polyester? I might have to look into them. FWIW- I have some mallory caps that would be dead ringers! Are they the manufacturer?

Let me start with a "Thank You" for the comment on my playing.

It is hard to sell a nuance in tone with so many variables

I'm personally not trying to sell anything, as I have nothing to gain. I've known, and been a customer of Paul at Specialty Guitars for a couple of years now. He gave me some samples of the Jupiters to check out. I was pleased with the results and offered to help get the word out about them. My hope is that all you guys on this board will take a look at these and judge for yourselves. They will either move forward on their own merits or not.

I think you would notice a bigger change in tone just from the different placement of the amp, i.e. the floor as opposed to camera level

Yes the change in placement will change the sound, for what its worth my vid cam has an external stereo mic that sits on top of the camera. In both instances the microphone is directed to the center of the amp. I tried to be as fair as possible. The amp settings did not change at all. I can appreciate your concern with the variables, but honestly I'm a guitar player who has built a few amps, I'm not an engineer. The engineers that I do know would have their scopes and analyzers out and spend a lot of time "getting down to the math". I felt that the video supported what my ears were hearing, that these caps made my amp sound better, and I understand that is not going to be scientific enough for some. As to their construction and manufacture, you would have to ask Paul @ Specialty Guitars. My understanding is that Paul worked with Jupiter in developing the caps, and that they are made here in the good old USA.

Hope this helps, Peace!
Pete Mello

[nimhb]

Paul from Specialty sent me that first video.
So it was you that did the video huh?
Nice chops!
He's been trying to sell me on those caps and I tried one in one of my strats.
So you used them in the amp for the coupling caps?

Yes, I go it to....
I was thinking of trying the Jupiter's in my Champ clone.

[Andy Le Blanc]

Ive been liking jensen caps.... and am surprised that orange drops are so widely accepted.....
havent had a chance to hear jupiters yet thankyou
some older players Ive met described some of fenders parts tranisitions
"never figure out why they went with those turds for caps, they even look like turds"
ive heard more than once that
of all the parts in a tube amp.... the best place to invest is coupling caps

[nickt]

My ears are made of tin I can't hear much of a difference - not on my speakers anyway.

[Andy Le Blanc]

it is a tough thing to make arbitrary comments on a sound bit that been through the wringer...... the feel of the distortion is a bit smooter abit more musical...... as a community we should provide ourselves with a standard practice or guide line so that when we present a sound bite its been created in a consistant manner and maybe the same approach to the responding comments..... otherwise we drown in subjectivities...

[Tubetwang]

trickled-downed-from-he-man-hi-fi-d.i.y.-tube-audio-rigs...

when caps is the mood...

http://www.partsconnexion.com/catalog/C ... sFilm.html

clic on Jupiter (page bottom)

[gtr777]

trickled-downed-from-he-man-hi-fi-d.i.y.-tube-audio-rigs...

when caps is the mood...

http://www.partsconnexion.com/catalog/C ... sFilm.html

clic on Jupiter (page bottom)

The waxed caps on that page are not the ones I used.
These are the ones :
[img:130:130]http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m280 ... upiter.jpg[/img]

They are not even on Jupiter's website:
http://www.jupitercondenser.com

They are only available here:
http://www.specialtyguitars.com/amp-parts.html

PM

[Lonely Raven]

If they weren't $6.25 each I'd give them a try!

[Tubetwang]

trickled-downed-from-he-man-hi-fi-d.i.y.-tube-audio-rigs...

when caps is the mood...

http://www.partsconnexion.com/catalog/C ... sFilm.html

clic on Jupiter (page bottom)

The waxed caps on that page are not the ones I used.
These are the ones :
[img:130:130]http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m280 ... upiter.jpg[/img]

They are not even on Jupiter's website:
http://www.jupitercondenser.com

They are only available here:
http://www.specialtyguitars.com/amp-parts.html

PM[/quote


thanks for the update!

did'nt know about these...

[blue_dog]

trickled-downed-from-he-man-hi-fi-d.i.y.-tube-audio-rigs...

when caps is the mood...

http://www.partsconnexion.com/catalog/C ... sFilm.html

clic on Jupiter (page bottom)

The waxed caps on that page are not the ones I used.
These are the ones :

They are not even on Jupiter's website:
http://www.jupitercondenser.com

They are only available here:
http://www.specialtyguitars.com/amp-parts.html

PM[/quote


thanks for the update!

did'nt know about these...

Are these capacitors designed by/for specialtyguitars and are there any other dealers?

Out of curiosity, has anybody tried the yellow metallized polyester caps by bennic?

[gtr777]

Are these capacitors designed by/for specialtyguitars and are there any other dealers?

Out of curiosity, has anybody tried the yellow metallized polyester caps by bennic?

It's my understanding that Paul developed these caps with Jupiter.
You could ask him for yourself

According to Paul:

"they are designed specially for guitar amps and that they are made specifically for Specialty Guitars, and we are the sole distributer. They are made in the USA by a very small specialized company"

If you'd like to contact him personally:

http://www.specialtyguitars.com/contact.html


PM