One of the most-load-bearing components in a Jose-modded amp is a small high-frequency cap to ground placed AFTER the new V0 gain stage. Friedman calls this "C7" and identifies it as the "secret sauce" position: *"It's a huge spot in this amp. I mean, this one component in the Jose is a big part of this."* (Headfirst Amps Panel #11, ~[59:08])
Value range observed across real Jose builds: 470pF to 0.022µF. Most common ~1nF (1000pF). Panel exchange [60:55]: *"anywhere from 470 puff through to like maybe … a thousand puff is a real common value."*
Function and audible effect: - Big upper-frequency roll-off post-V0 → kills the harshness that an extra gain stage adds in the top end. - Cuts perceived gain slightly (smaller signal in the audible band entering V1A). - Adds an audible compression character — the high-frequency clamp interacts with the downstream nonlinearities. - "Huge in the feel department." Players describe Jose amps without this cap as ice-picky and unpleasant.
Critical interaction with the diode + pre-tone-stack master: when an amp has both C7 and a pre-tone-stack master with diodes, the value of C7 becomes especially important because the diode shelf interacts with the HF content coming through. Friedman [59:45]: *"the value of this guy becomes really important to get it right because otherwise it'll be very ice-picky and just unpleasant."*
Why this matters: the famous online "Jose schematic" that has propagated through forums for 20+ years omits C7 entirely. Friedman [62:25]: *"this cap is not on that schematic, is it? No … that's a key, very key."* Only one amp in Friedman's experience matches the no-C7 schematic exactly (Andy Brower's, now Mixita's). The other ~60 Jose amps Friedman has serviced have C7 in some value. Builders who clone the famous schematic literally are getting an unrepresentative amp.
JMIL status: the lab does not yet model C7 as a separately-toggleable component — the V0-stage mod's audio character is voiced as if C7 is present (which is the typical case). Surfacing C7 as a value-selectable schematic detail is on the roadmap.