tubescremer caps

[Brian Marshall]

i'm looking at some schematics for tubescreamers.  

All of them use a 1uF/NP cap after the input buffer, and on the ouput of the 2nd stage opamp.  I am asuming the NP means non polarized? or is this a reference to neg/pos/zero caps.... that doesnt make sense?

I want to build a clone, but i just want to make sure i can get this cap

[Ansil]

you are correct sir it is non polarized.  you can make a great clone out of an lm386  as soon as i can get my buddys computer online again i am gonig to upload a ton of stuff including that.

[Brian Marshall]

so I would imagine that it would be an electrolytic at that size.

isn't an lm386 an audio power amp??? your using that to drive a speaker, or the gain stage?

[Mike Nichting]

Hey Brian,
I replaced those electrolytics (NP) in my TS with Metal film caps and the difference is a good one.
Try both :-)

Mike

[Brian Marshall]

can you get 1uF film caps....  where?

I guess i could try mouser, but small bear doesnt have an NP electrolythic caps.
brian

[Ed G.]

Small Bear has some 1UF film box-type caps that have a relatively small footprint, their leads are spaced for about where an electrolytic cap would fit, also. I used them in the PT-80, but the layout for that project was meant for the larger film caps, and I almost ran out of leads in trying to bend them to go in the holes. By the time I got them soldered in, there was no lead left to snip, but they did fit. These caps would probably work just great in a tube screamer.

[phillip]

The Tonepad TS layout is drawn to use Small Bear's 1uF box caps.  I used them in the EA Tremolo and they're pretty small.

Phillip

[Brian Marshall]

Alright... I am building one of these next.  The compressor will have to wait!!!!!

[Ansil]

can you get 1uF film caps....  where?

I guess i could try mouser, but small bear doesnt have an NP electrolythic caps.
brian

uh.. radioshack. they are blue  and cost about 1.49$ us.

[Brian Marshall]

I thought all their electrolytic's were polarized.....  hmmm... ill check it out.  thanks.

[Peter Snowberg]

If I can use film caps in any circuit, I do. I don't know of any place so far where I would use an electrolytic over a film cap, but I'm still looking.

One place I was very surprised to find a good supply of 1uF film caps was from multi-line telephones. Many phones have one in them.

You can make your own NP electrolytics just by connecting two polarized caps in series with opposite polarity. Inside the NP cap can, you will find the same construction. This is why NP electrolytics are twice the size of polarized ones.

Best of luck on your build!

-Peter

[Ansil]

If I can use film caps in any circuit, I do. I don't know of any place so far where I would use an electrolytic over a film cap, but I'm still looking.

One place I was very surprised to find a good supply of 1uF film caps was from multi-line telephones. Many phones have one in them.

You can make your own NP electrolytics just by connecting two polarized caps in series with opposite polarity. Inside the NP cap can, you will find the same construction. This is why NP electrolytics are twice the size of polarized ones.

Best of luck on your build!

-Peter

i have some circuit boards peter, would you like them, i can check on shipping prices..  you can have them.. they have caps diodes resistors chips transistors jfets.   i have too many to use..  freebies.

[gtrmac]

For what it's worth, my original TS-808 has electrolytic non-polarized caps in it.

So I used the same in my clone but I'll have to try the film type and see if I can hear a difference.

[Paul Marossy]

The only thing about the 250V 1uF caps that RadioShack sells is that they are huge!