Guitars are commonly used to create music, but electric guitars are complicated since there are multiple components installed in them.
One of the most important electronic components is the capacitor, which helps maintain the flow of current throughout the guitar.
Having said that, Fender has .477 and .022 capacitors available for the Stratocasters, but both of them have different features that you should know.
Comparing The .047 vs .022 Cap Strat
| Features | .022 Capacitor | .047 Capacitor |
|---|---|---|
| Length | 7.62-inches | 9.95-inch |
| Application | humbucker-based guitars | wide-neck guitars or guitars with single-coil guitar |
| Maximum Voltage | 200 VDC | 200 VDC |
| Tolerance | 5% to 20%, depending on the brand | 5% |
.047 Cap Strat
.047 capacitor is a suitable choice for people who are looking for low-frequency music applications as it’s a high-value capacitor. The capacitor has a high storage value and has a bigger footprint.
For this reason, you can only use it on the guitars with wide and thick necks to ensure there is enough installation space.
Keep in mind that a big capacitor generates more heat, which means it can raise the guitar’s temperature. It is better to keep the guitar’s neck area ventilated and keep the wires away.
It supports low-frequency music applications, which helps achieve higher pitch on the music tunes, even if you are using zero setting on the tone control.
It can help produce loud music, which is why these capacitors are suggested for guitars that are meant for blues, pop, and rock music.
These capacitors can be used with Gibson and Fender guitars because of their durable build and reliable power connectivity.
1. Applications
.047 capacitors are one of the most sought-after caps and are suitable for Telecaster and Stratocaster pickups, particularly when the pickup and guitar have a single-coil design.
The capacitors produce dark sound, which is why they can be used to tame the harshness and bite in the music.
For this reason, it’s used with treble-heavy amps and pickups. When you use a .047 capacitor and roll off the tone knob, the higher end details will be eliminated, making it suitable to produce dark sounds, such as jazz and blues players.
It is connected with the tone pot of the guitar, which makes it work like a switch dimmer, so you can choose which frequencies pass through and reach the guitar.
As a result, you will be able to adjust the music tone and customize the bass and treble. Moreover, these capacitors can be used with Fender guitars and bass.
The best thing about using .047 capacitors is that it has stable performance across different temperatures and frequencies, which means they won’t damage the sound quality.
The capacitors can be used with other types of pickup if you want to cut more highs or if you want to create darker and unique tones.
As far as the installation is concerned, it’s quite easy to connect this capacitor because you only need a soldering iron.
2. Additional Information
.047 capacitor is known as a tone capacitor and is made from top-notch polypropylene dielectric material, which makes it suitable to be used with audio equipment and leads to wah-type and smoother tones.
In addition, it’s extremely durable and can eliminate the sonic impurities from music tracks. It can be used with single-coil pickups, as already used because it has a tolerance level of 5% only.
In addition, it can achieve a voltage of 200 VDC. It has a 9.95-inch length, which is why it needs more installation space.
Once installed, it can improve the music tones and is suitable for setting the tone range on the guitar and amps. The best thing about these capacitors is that they can fix the treble bleed.
For the most part, Fender uses these capacitors for the bright Telecaster and Stratocaster pickup as it improves the sound quality in the mid-range.
If you want to achieve the “woman” tone – this tone means beefy, subtle, and warm sound and provides creamier distortion if it is overdriven. Last but not least, it can be used if you like to play country and folk music.
The .047 capacitor is a larger capacitor with a low cutoff frequency. Since the frequencies are reduced, the sound will become darker when it dials in.
Usually, these capacitors are made from polypropylene material, but you can also find them in ceramic build, and the ceramic ones are suitable for bright-sounding basses and guitars.
Also, when it’s connected to the potentiometer, it will help roll off the treble frequencies.
.022 Cap Strat
The .022 capacitor is widely used in Fender Stratocasters because it’s a standard capacitor used in the guitar necks to enjoy a low-value capacity.
The capacitor is pretty durable and works with the majority of guitars. This tone capacitor is widely used for bass and guitars.
Usually, these capacitors are manufactured from premium polypropylene dielectric material and have an audio-grade build, which makes them a stable and durable choice.
1. Application
The high-end material and reliable manufacturing of this capacitor make it suitable for an array of frequencies as well as temperature ranges. These capacitors are popular globally because they can create modern sounds.
However, these capacitors are not suitable if you intend to use the guitars for vintage and classical music. In addition to this, the capacitor is suitable for humbucker pickups as well.
This capacitor has a positive reputation since it can enhance the guitar’s sound by making it smoother and fatter. However, since it supports fatter tones, you will need to trim the posts on the guitar.
The best thing about these capacitors is that they can be connected with the cheaper guitars that don’t produce high-quality sound. This is because it can produce extra tones in the music.
.022 capacitors are widely used as default capacitors for electric guitars. In addition, they work well with single-coil and humbucking pickups.
Using these capacitors in the guitar and pickups usually leads to wooly and warm music and will add clarity to the music.
When used with the humbuckers, it yields strong and full tones but will lead to clean and scooped tones when used in the parallel mode.
If you are using a passive guitar circuit, it’s best to use 250K or 500K pots because these are the high-value pots that promise a bright sound.
On the other hand, if you connect it to the 250K pot, the music will be warmer. Ideally, you should use 500K pots for humbuckers and single-coil guitars because they need more highs.
2. Additional Information
The capacitor is designed with a 5% tolerance level, and the maximum voltage of this capacitor is 200 VDC.
.022 capacitor is usually designed with the vintage and pushback design and tends to be around 7.62-inches long, which is why you don’t need to be worried about the installation – it can be used with the thin and narrow-necked guitars.
In addition, it has 9.4mm in diameter, promising easier installation, irrespective of the guitar’s size. .022 capacitor has a high cutoff frequency and produces bright sound because it can cut down the frequencies.
There are some ceramic variants as well, but they are only used for vintage instruments. In particular, the ceramic capacitors are used with humbuckers that need less bleed on the higher end of the audio spectrum.
Some of them also have the mineral oil dielectric to deliver long-term performance, and the dynamos are chosen to promise creamy high end and clean articulation.
The Final Verdict
Both these capacitors are designed to regulate the flow of current in pickups and guitars but have a different impact on the sound.
.047 capacitors are suitable for wide-neck guitars or guitars with single-coil guitars. On the other hand, .022 capacitors are suitable for humbucker-based guitars.