Whopping $28 SE 245 upgrades

[Prina]

One of the best parts about getting SEs is the low downside (it's only an SE) of mods combined with the possibility of significant improvements. This 2017 245 is going to my brother who wanted pickup covers over the zebras. While I had the mod equipment out I also switched out the stock caps for Orange Drops.

The pup covers didn't make much tone difference but I was amazed with the clarity of the stock 245 pickups at almost all tone settings with the new caps. It sounds awesome to me. Total cost: $21 for the covers and $7 for the caps.

 

[Black Plaid]

I think the bridge change also makes a big diff and makes the pickup covers work.

 

[Senor Verde]

I don't care what anybody says, I hear a difference in types of caps Polypropylene caps, like your Orange Drop 715P are pretty bright and clear. Anyone who doesn't believe me can stop by and we'll compare different caps in the same guitar, with the same pots and pickups.

 

[rickcard71]

Originally I wanted to do the covers on my SE 245 but, now I think I want to do double creams like MAPete did on his SC.

 

[Prina]

I don't care what anybody says, I hear a difference in types of caps Polypropylene caps, like your Orange Drop 715P are pretty bright and clear. Anyone who doesn't believe me can stop by and we'll compare different caps in the same guitar, with the same pots and pickups.

I wasn't expecting any difference but was surprised. Before the switch the with the tone at 0 on the neck there was a wet blanket over the sound and there's just so much more clarity now.

It would be interesting to compare the capacitance of the stock ones with the Orange Drops. From a theoretical viewpoint there really shouldn't be a difference in sound as long as have similar capacitance and they're both acting in a linear dV = i / C fashion.

I have another 245 and when I switch the caps I want to get before & after DI tracks.

 

[garrett]

When I read $28 dollars, I fully expected to see a set of lampshade knobs. I am sad.

 

[JasonE]

Those covers on the pickups really change the look of the guitar. I like it with them on.

I have always wondered about the caps and whether they make that much difference. I have some orange drops that I bought to put in the parts drawer. I haven't used any of them because I keep reading that the cheap ones works exactly the same and there is no difference in sound. I would like to see some videos on this but haven't looked for any.

 

[garrett]

I wasn't expecting any difference but was surprised. Before the switch the with the tone at 0 on the neck there was a wet blanket over the sound and there's just so much more clarity now.

It would be interesting to compare the capacitance of the stock ones with the Orange Drops. From a theoretical viewpoint there really shouldn't be a difference in sound as long as have similar capacitance and they're both acting in a linear dV = i / C fashion.

I have another 245 and when I switch the caps I want to get before & after DI tracks.

The caps you put in are 0.047uF (at least one is, anyway). The stock ones were most likely 0.022uF (or maybe 0.033uF, which they've used a bit in Core at least). I suspect the change in value is the difference you hear. Changing cap values is a great way to tune the tone controls to taste. I have found that different cap values sound better to me depending on the guitar/pickups.

 

[JasonE]

The caps you put in are 0.047uF (at least one is, anyway). The stock ones were most likely 0.022uF (or maybe 0.033uF, which they've used a bit in Core at least). I suspect the change in value is the difference you hear. Changing cap values is a great way to tune the tone controls to taste. I have found that different cap values sound better to me depending on the guitar/pickups.

This has been my experience as well. Where I really find this to be true is that I am not a fan of the values that Fender uses. They take away too much top end for my taste. I find changing them for a lower value puts them where I want them to be.

 

[Prina]

The caps you put in are 0.047uF (at least one is, anyway). The stock ones were most likely 0.022uF

I find changing them for a lower value puts them where I want them to be.

They're both 0.047uF and (edit) the stock were .022uF. I'd been thinking that increasing the capacitance would act more like a stronger low pass filter like in a simple RC network and take out more high end, like with @JasonE and his Fenders, but with the inductance of the pickups it's clearly a more complex LRC (inductance, resistance, capacitance) network which I assume is the whole point of the PRS TCI pups.

Regardless, sounds much better to me.

 

[garrett]

They're both 0.047. I'd been thinking that increasing the capacitance would act more like a stronger low pass filter like in a simple RC network and take out more high end, like with @JasonE and his Fenders, but with the inductance of the pickups it's clearly a more complex LRC (inductance, resistance, capacitance) network which I assume is the whole point of the PRS TCI pups.

Regardless, sounds much better to me.

I'd think the higher value would be mud city, but there's definitely interaction between the different parts of the system. I guess it's all about matching up the resonance in a nice way.

Regardless, sounds much better to me.

That's all that really matters. But yeah, I'd take nickel covers over zebra every day.

 

[rickcard71]

This is what I want to do.