Bumble Bee Style 0.022µF Vintage Guitar Tone Capacitor Pair
Full Description & History
Pair of Bumble Bee style 0.022µF axial tone capacitors suitable for Gibson-style 1950s wiring, 1959 Les Paul style wiring, humbucker guitar tone circuits, vintage-style guitar harness builds, guitar restoration projects, and tone capacitor replacement work. These capacitors have the classic black-body striped “bumble bee” appearance often associated with vintage Gibson-style wiring layouts.
Measured values are 22.2nF and 23.3nF, which convert to 0.0222µF and 0.0233µF. These are the correct value range for common 0.022µF guitar tone capacitor use.
These are sold as tested vintage-style tone capacitors. Manufacturer is not confirmed from visible markings, so they are not being represented as original 1950s Sprague Bumble Bee capacitors.
Historical Note:
Bumble Bee style capacitors are strongly associated with vintage Gibson Les Paul, ES-series, SG, and other classic humbucker guitar tone circuits. The common 0.022µF value is widely used in guitar tone control wiring to shape treble roll-off and produce the darker, smoother response associated with vintage-style 1950s wiring.
Origin Tracker
Obsolete Stock
Legacy or discontinued stock no longer in normal production flow. Future supply may be limited.
Pipeline quantities are informational and may change after arrival, inspection, sorting, testing, or donor teardown.
Compatible Radios / Boards
Compatible Radios / Boards
Suitable for Gibson-style 1950s wiring, 1959 Les Paul style wiring, Les Paul Standard / Custom style builds, SG, ES-335, ES-345, ES-355, Epiphone humbucker guitars, PAF-style pickup harnesses, vintage guitar tone circuit restoration, custom guitar wiring harnesses, and general guitar tone capacitor replacement where a 0.022µF non-polarized tone capacitor is required.
Also suitable for builders seeking vintage-style tone response in humbucker guitars, boutique wiring harnesses, guitar repair bench stock, and period-style restoration projects. Buyer should confirm circuit value, physical size, lead length, and desired tone response before installation.
RF Boneyard Bench Notes
RF Boneyard Bench Notes
Tester / Method:
DER EE DE-5000 LCR meter
Bench Measurements:
Capacitor #1 Measured Capacitance: 22.2nF / 0.0222µF
Capacitor #2 Measured Capacitance: 23.3nF / 0.0233µF
Nominal Guitar Tone Cap Value: 0.022µF
ESR: Not recorded
Leakage: Not tested
Voltage Rating: Not confirmed from visible markings
Bench Evaluation:
PASS - Both capacitors measured close to the common 0.022µF guitar tone capacitor value.
PASS - Capacitor #1 measured 22.2nF / 0.0222µF.
PASS - Capacitor #2 measured 23.3nF / 0.0233µF.
PASS - Matched pair suitable for Gibson-style 1950s wiring, 1959 Les Paul style wiring, vintage-style guitar harness builds, tone circuit restoration, and guitar bench stock.
PASS - Not represented as original 1950s Sprague Bumble Bee capacitors because manufacturer and date code are not confirmed.
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