Small capacitors like film and disk types may not have room on the case to write the value out completely . Often a code which consists of 2 or 3 numbers and an optional tolerance letter code will be used.
A two number code is the value of the cap in picofarads (ie. 47 = 47 pF)
A three letter codes consist of two significant digits and a multiplier much like a resistor color code. The first two numbers are the digits and the third is the multiplier. Three digit codes are often accompanied by a tolerance letter code.
The cap pictured above has the code 473J which translates to:
47 * 1,000 = 47,000 pf or 0.047 uF
The J indicates a tolerance of +/- 5%
The chart below will help you decipher most capacitor codes
Capacitor values can sometimes be a bit confusing, because of different labeling conventions. Following is a table showing the relationships between the most commonly used capacitor suffixes.
pF = picofarads = 1*10-12 Farads
nF = nanofarads = 1*10-9 Farads
uF = microfarads = 1* 10-6 Farads
In order to convert from one to the other, the following multiplication factors apply:
1*103
Example - nF to uF:
If you have a 2.2nF capacitor (sometimes labeled "2n2") and want to know the value in uF, multiply by 1*10-3 as follows:
2.2nF *(1*10-3) = 0.0022uF
Note that multiplying by 10-3 is the same as moving the decimal point three places to the left.
Example - uF to nF: If you have a 0.01uF capacitor and want to know the value in nF, multiply by 1*103 , or 1000, as follows:
0.01uF *(1*103) = 10nF
Note that multiplying by 103 is the same as moving the decimal point three places to the right.
Example - uF to pF: If you have a 0.001uF capacitor and want to know the value in pF, multiply by 1*106 as follows:
0.001uF *(1*106) = 1000pF
Note that multiplying by 106 is the same as moving the decimal point six places to the right.
Example - pF to uF: If you have a 2200pF capacitor and want to know the value in uF, multiply by 1*10-6 as follows:
2200pF *(1*10-6) = 0.0022uF
Note that multiplying by 10-6 is the same as moving the decimal point six places to the left.
Example - pF to nF: If you have a 1000pF capacitor and want to know the value in nF, multiply by 1*10-3 as follows:
1000pF *(1*10-3) = 1nF
Note that multiplying by 10-3 is the same as moving the decimal point three places to the left.
Replacement Capacitors
(compiled from recent amp restorations)
Alamo Capri 2360
| Capacitance | Voltage | Qty. | Type |
| 80/40/20uF | 450V | 1 | Can |
| 50000pF | 600V | 1 | Ceramic |
| 5000pF | 600V | 3 | Ceramic |
| 680pF | 600V | 1 | Ceramic |
Crate Vintage Club 30
| Capacitance | Voltage | Qty. | Type |
| 100uF | 450V | 1 | Elec |
| 47uF | 450V | 4 | Elec |
| 10000µF | 16V | 1 | Elec |
| 1000uF | 35V | 2 | Elec |
| 220uF | 50V | 1 | Elec |
| 47uF | 35V | 2 | Elec |
| 10uF | 16V | 6 | Elec |
| 1uF | 50V | 1 | Elec |
| 1uF BP | 50V | 2 | Elec |
Fender Blues Deluxe
| Capacitance | Voltage | Qty. | Type |
| 47uF | 500V | 1 | Elec |
| 22uF | 500V | 3 | Elec |
| 1000uF | 35V | 2 | Elec |
| 100uF | 100V | 3 | Elec |
| 22uF | 35V | 6 | Elec |
| 0.47uF | 100V | 3 | Elec |
| 22uF | 63V | 1 | Elec |
| 2.2uF | 50V | 1 | Elec |
Fender Champ
| Capacitance | Voltage | Qty. | Type |
| 40/20/20uF | 500V | 1 | Can |
| 25uF | 25V | 4 | Elec |
Fender Champ 12
| Capacitance | Voltage | Qty. | Type |
| 47uF | 350V | 4 | Elec |
| 220uf | 35V | 2 | Elec |
| 22uf | 16V | 2 | Elec |
Fender Hot Rod DeVille
| Capacitance | Voltage | Qty. | Type |
| 100uF | 350V | 2 | Elec |
| 47uF | 500V | 2 | Elec |
| 22uF | 500V | 2 | Elec |
| 1000uF | 35V | 2 | Elec |
| 100uF | 100V | 4 | Elec |
| 22uF | 25V | 5 | Elec |
| 22uF | 63V | 2 | Elec |
| 0.47uF | 100V | 4 | Elec |
| 1uF | 100V | 1 | Elec |
| 47uF | 16V | 2 | Elec |
Fender Pro Reverb
| Capacitance | Voltage | Qty. | Type |
| 100uF | 350V | 2 | Elec |
| 20uF | 500V | 3 | Elec |
| 25uF | 25V | 7 | Elec |
| 100uF | 100V | 1 | Elec |
Fender Twin Reverb
| Capacitance | Voltage | Qty. | Type |
| 100uF | 350V | 2 | Elec |
| 20uF | 500V | 3 | Elec |
| 25µF | 25V | 7 | Elec |
| 100uF | 100V | 1 | Elec (SF) |
| 50uF | 50V | 1 | Elec (BF) |
Gallien Krueger 400RB
| Capacitance | Voltage | Qty. | Type |
| 470uF | 63V | 8 | Elec |
| 220uF | 50V | 1 | Elec |
| 10uF | 25V | 7 | Elec |
| 1uF | 50V | 1 | Elec |
Gibson GA-19 RVT
| Capacitance | Voltage | Qty. | Type |
| 20/20/20uF | 450V | 1 | Can |
| 20uF | 25V | 1 | Elec |
| 20uF | 6V | 3 | Elec |
Guild Thunder 1
| Capacitance | Voltage | Qty. | Type |
| 60/40/40uF | 450V | 1 | Can |
| 40/40/40/40uF | 450V | 1 | Can |
| 50uF | 450V | 1 | Elec |
Marshall JCM 800 Model 2210
| Capacitance | Voltage | Qty. | Type |
| 100/100uF | 500V | 1 | Can |
| 50/50uF | 500V | 2 | Can |
| 3300uF | 6.3V | 1 | Elec |
| 100uF | 25V | 1 | Elec |
| 22uF | 25V | 4 | Elec |
| 10uF | 100V | 2 | Elec |
| 10uF | 25V | 2 | Elec |
Marshall JCM 900 Model 4100
| Capacitance | Voltage | Qty. | Type |
| 50/50uF | 500V | 2 | Can |
| 1000uF | 16V | 2 | Elec |
| 470uF | 35V | 2 | Elec |
| 33uF | 450V | 1 | Elec |
| 100uF | 25V | 1 | Elec |
| 10uF | 100V | 2 | Elec |
| 10uF | 25V | 2 | Elec |
| 2.2uF | 63V | 3 | Elec |
| 0.047uF | 600V | 1 | Film |
Marshall Studio 15
| Capacitance | Voltage | Qty. | Type |
| 50/50uF | 500V | 1 | Can |
| 33uF | 450V | 1 | Elec |
| 10uF | 350V | 1 | Elec |
| 10uF | 100V | 2 | Elec |
| 470uF | 25V | 1 | Elec |
| 22uF | 25V | 3 | Elec |
Randall RGT 100 ES
| Capacitance | Voltage | Qty. | Type |
| 200uF | 250V | 2 | Elec |
| 22uF | 450V | 3 | Elec |
| 1000uF | 35V | 1 | Elec |
| 22uF | 100V | 1 | Elec |
| 470uF | 35V | 1 | Elec |
| 10uF | 50V | 3 | Elec |
| 3.3uF | 50V | 1 | Elec |
Rivera M100
| Capacitance | Voltage | Qty. | Type |
| 330uF | 250V | 4 | Radial |
| 100uF | 250V | 4 | Radial |
| 10µF | 450V | 7 | Radial |
| 1000uF | 35V | 2 | Radial |
| 100uF | 100V | 1 | Radial |
| 100uF | 35V | 2 | Radial |
| 47uF | 10V | 1 | Axial |
| 33uF | 16V | 3 | Axial |
| 10uF | 100V | 1 | Radial |
| 3.3uF BP | 50V | 6 | Radial |
| 1uF | 50V | 2 | Axial |
Capacitor - Mallory, 630V, 150s, Axial Lead
Tubular metalized polyester construction
- ±10% tolerance
- Axial leads
- Non-Inductive, Self Healing
| Capacitance | Diameter x Length |
| .001 μF | .20" x .58" |
| .0022 μF | .18" x .52" |
| .0047 μF | .23" x .52" |
| .01 μF | .24" x .65" |
| .022 μF | .28" x .65" |
| .047 μF | .32" x .81" |
| .1 μF | .34" x 1.10" |
| .22 μF | .45" x .1.10" |
| .47 μF | .59" x 1.30" |
