String Breakage On Stratocaster?
Don't forget that a test meter has a resistance, usually 1M - 10MIf your capacitance is 1nF and your meter's resistance is 1M, your capacitor will discharge down to almost zero within a few milliseconds of connecting the meter.
I agree, the problem could be lots of things, such as your test techniques, your method of applying the voltage, your method of measuring voltage, or your construction techniquesYou may try finding a small 100 pF ceramic or mica capacitor and see how that responds to your processThat would narrow your problems down to either construction problems or test problemsI suspect you are testing incorrectlyBut you are keeping the details hidden, so I can't comment furtherNeed to know type and impedance of meter, and how you are charging the cap, and how you are measuring it, at a minimum.
You need to measure the capacitance somehowThere are many ways to do this, here is where it starts getting interestingIt is possible these have quite a low capacitanceFor example, Leyden jars are only 80pF (pico farads)Some multimeters measure capacitanceCapacitors don't hold some voltageThey are charged to some voltage (by a current flowing into them for a period of time)You could try charging it with a 9V batteryIt will then have a small charge stored with a voltage of 9VThis will be discharged (reducing the voltage) by any current drawn from it in an attempt to measure the voltageIf the capacitor is a small value, just the fingers or the multimeter will easily discharge it in a very short time, so it is difficult to measure using basic test equipmentI suggest a 555 timer circuit is a very low cost way of determining capacitance, not very accurate, and a little tedious but good enough for this purposeIt needs no special equipment other than the correct components and a multimeter.The output of an astable multivibrator triggers a second monostable multivibrator with a narrow pulse widthAdjust this pulse width to about 50-80% of the highest expected astable frequencyThis generates a train of narrow constant width pulses, which can be averaged (by a series resistor and a shunt capacitor) and read on a DC meter across the capacitorThe frequency of the astable is proportional to the capacitor used in it (capacitor under test)The DC voltage is proportional to frequency of the astable multivibratorIt can be calibrated with known good capacitors, as well as by calculations.
You may have a couple of bridge saddles that are not formed or machined correctlyTake a close look at the string exit point at the front of the saddle, specifically to see it there is a burr or rough edgeIf so, use a small piece of 400-grit emery paper to smooth the surfaceIt is also possible that because of the saddle position dictated by intonation, the string is contacting the front or rear edge of the open slot that permits passage to the tremolo blockIn that case, you will need to remove the saddle and further elongate the opening with a metal fileEither solution is a simple fixBest regards, Dana
