UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Powered By Google Custom Search Vintage Radio and TV Service Data

Go Back   UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum > General Vintage Technology > Where To Get Sets and Parts

Notices

Where To Get Sets and Parts For discussions about swapmeets, rallies, NVCF and BVWS, car boot sales, antique and charity shops, dealers, newspaper adverts, the local tip and just about any other source of equipment (other than eBay).

Closed Thread
 
Thread Tools
Old 26th Aug 2021, 8:50 pm   #1
Stinkersdaddy
Diode
 
Join Date: Aug 2021
Location: Macclesfield Cheshire
Posts: 3
Default 1970s Centralab Ceramic Caps

Hello

I’m trying to find 6 x Centralab 0.47uf 10v ceramic caps in order to restore a vintage effect pedal.

I’ve searched every site worldwide I can find with no luck and could obviously use modern versions, but the pedal is very valuable and it would devalue it considerably to do so.
So I wondered if anybody out there could help me with a source for these or at least a set of something from the period very similar?

Last edited by Cobaltblue; 26th Aug 2021 at 9:37 pm. Reason: Please put image in post not link
Stinkersdaddy is offline  
Old 26th Aug 2021, 9:40 pm   #2
Cobaltblue
Moderator
 
Cobaltblue's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Exeter, Devon and Poole, Dorset UK.
Posts: 6,823
Default Re: 1970s Centralab Ceramic Caps

Hi and welcome to the forum.

We dont like new users posting external links due to the risk of spam.

Please attach a picture to a post

Cheers

Mike T
__________________
Invisible airwaves crackle with life or at least they used to
Mike T BVWS member.
www.cossor.co.uk
Cobaltblue is online now  
Old 26th Aug 2021, 10:30 pm   #3
Maarten
Dekatron
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Haarlem, Netherlands
Posts: 4,185
Default Re: 1970s Centralab Ceramic Caps

Are you sure they're ceramic? If they really are, they probably don't need replacing.

If you could post a picture to verify, that would be very helpful.

if they happen to be electroytic, which is more likely for a 470n 10V capacitor, you could try restuffing the old ones.
Maarten is offline  
Old 26th Aug 2021, 11:14 pm   #4
turretslug
Dekatron
 
turretslug's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Surrey, UK.
Posts: 4,385
Default Re: 1970s Centralab Ceramic Caps

There were some fairly awful low-voltage ceramic caps around in the past, they are one of the bugbears of Marconi test gear of the era- I was surprised to find this out but when I did, I checked the bag of several dozen NOS 100nF 30V ceramic discs that I had, every one was badly leaky on a low-voltage ohm-meter. I once found 6V rated disc ceramics in a French portable record player!
turretslug is offline  
Old 27th Aug 2021, 12:05 am   #5
joebog1
Banned
 
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Mareeba, North Queensland, Australia
Posts: 2,704
Default Re: 1970s Centralab Ceramic Caps

I will nearly bet they are those HORRIBLE dried out .47uF 10volt electrolytics that were so popular 30 or 40 years ago. Most japanese stuff had at least 20 of them in their circuitry. Especially bothersome in phono stages where they were used for coupling and feedback.

Joe
joebog1 is offline  
Old 27th Aug 2021, 8:04 am   #6
Cobaltblue
Moderator
 
Cobaltblue's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Exeter, Devon and Poole, Dorset UK.
Posts: 6,823
Default Re: 1970s Centralab Ceramic Caps

Unfortunately I had to remove the link but the caps on the link were as described not electrolytic but small round (green) ceramic caps. If you google the description you will find pictures.

Cheers

Mike T
__________________
Invisible airwaves crackle with life or at least they used to
Mike T BVWS member.
www.cossor.co.uk
Cobaltblue is online now  
Old 27th Aug 2021, 9:11 am   #7
Sideband
Dekatron
 
Sideband's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Croydon, Surrey, UK.
Posts: 7,549
Default Re: 1970s Centralab Ceramic Caps

Quote:
Originally Posted by turretslug View Post
There were some fairly awful low-voltage ceramic caps around in the past,
Yes I know those awful things. It's not surprising there are none about now. It's one of those situations where you have to make a decision as to how to replace them sympathetically with modern equivalents (if it really is that important). I very much doubt that replacing those old ceramic capacitors with much more reliable modern alternatives will make an ounce of difference to the effects produced by the pedal.

Even if original types could be found, they will be old stock and as leaky as the originals fitted so it would seem to be a pointless exercise.
__________________
There are lots of brilliant keyboard players and then there is Rick Wakeman.....
Sideband is online now  
Old 27th Aug 2021, 1:54 pm   #8
Stinkersdaddy
Diode
 
Join Date: Aug 2021
Location: Macclesfield Cheshire
Posts: 3
Default Re: 1970s Centralab Ceramic Caps

Thanks All

Sorry for the link mistake, I've now attached a photo to make amends (or t least I think I have!). This is an image of the correct caps for my specific pedal, it was a short run version and was nicknamed "The 47" as most of the caps and resistors were some variation on a 47 value. I know they are not great caps and these old pedals vary so much in sound from one to another that no two ever sound the same. The issue I've got with mine is someone has messed with the original early 70s board and replaced with modern film caps of the wrong value. Great for tolerance and stability, but bad for an OCD collector like me who wants an authentic version, not to mention heavily devaluing it. I'd really like to take it back to how it was when it came out of the factory with the bad period ceramics if possible.

Click image for larger version

Name:	BMP 47_V2_2.jpg
Views:	183
Size:	67.5 KB
ID:	240192
Stinkersdaddy is offline  
Old 27th Aug 2021, 2:37 pm   #9
factory
Octode
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Cheshire, UK.
Posts: 1,706
Default Re: 1970s Centralab Ceramic Caps

These are about the closest I can see for sale; https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/143234846286

They are marked .47M and M is a tolerance of 20%, the existing ones marked Z are worse at +80%/-20% tolerance. I found them searching for 470nF (same as 0.47uF) 10V disc capacitor.
I'm guessing low voltage disc caps are a thing of the past and new stuff uses MLCC surface mount stuff for low voltage.

David
factory is online now  
Old 27th Aug 2021, 3:48 pm   #10
Refugee
Dekatron
 
Refugee's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Worksop, Nottinghamshire, UK.
Posts: 5,549
Default Re: 1970s Centralab Ceramic Caps

I would make them up.
Find some plastic disks slightly smaller that the capacitors and cut a notch in the side of the disk slightly wider than the lead spacing you want.
Solder two wires to an SMD cap selected so that the target lead spacing is achieved.
Wedge the cap with leads into the notch in the disk with a tiny spot of hot melt glue.
Finally dip it in some green emulsion paint and allow to dry.
Refugee is offline  
Old 27th Aug 2021, 6:46 pm   #11
Stinkersdaddy
Diode
 
Join Date: Aug 2021
Location: Macclesfield Cheshire
Posts: 3
Default Re: 1970s Centralab Ceramic Caps

Thanks Factory, I found those on eBay too, but the seller only has 2 available unfortunately. I may just buy them anyway to stick in the parts box.

That is great idea Refugee, vintage look with modern tolerances…….now what can I fuse as discs!
Stinkersdaddy is offline  
Old 28th Aug 2021, 1:21 pm   #12
factory
Octode
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Cheshire, UK.
Posts: 1,706
Default Re: 1970s Centralab Ceramic Caps

Having another look for modern parts, it appears 0.47uF through-hole ceramic capacitors are still made, but only in 25V or higher ratings, some examples from Farnell;
https://uk.farnell.com/w/c/passive-c...=25v|25vdc|50v

David
factory is online now  
Old 6th Sep 2021, 8:04 pm   #13
kevinaston1
Hexode
 
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Featherstone, West Yorkshire, UK.
Posts: 386
Default Re: 1970s Centralab Ceramic Caps

Have a try on

https://www.facebook.com/groups/synthrepair/

One of the members may have a box of them.
kevinaston1 is offline  
Closed Thread

Thread Tools



All times are GMT +1. The time now is 11:07 pm.


All information and advice on this forum is subject to the WARNING AND DISCLAIMER located at https://www.vintage-radio.net/rules.html.
Failure to heed this warning may result in death or serious injury to yourself and/or others.


Powered by vBulletin®
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Copyright ©2002 - 2023, Paul Stenning.