Custom Guitar Varitone
This design can be used in any guitar as a replacement for a normal tone knob. However, it requires two mounting holes to install. For this reason, it is a great guitar mod for stratocasters because it can replace the two tone knobs and provide a much larger tonal variety. This modification is my own design however it is simply adding a switch that allows you to use different capacitors. I refer to it as a varitone because it is the same basic idea as a varitone however it does not use an inductor like the classic varitone which provides even more sounds (not worth the cost of the push/pull and inductor in my opinion). I like it because of its simplicity. After designing several different varitone mods, this is the one that has stayed in my stratocaster.
Forewarnings and General Info...
This design functions just the same as a normal tone pot is designed to. However, instead of using just one capacitor to limit which frequencies make it to the amp, this design uses a six position (two pole) rotary switch to allow up to six different capacitors to be used. My design also features the Fender No-Load Tone Pot as the tone control. I have done this because the No-Load Tone Pot, in the zero position (of the knob), removes itself from the circuit resulting in a brighter tone.
Parts List:
• Basic Soldering Skills
•
Soldering Tools
•
6 Position Rotary Switch
• Wire (I use Black 22 gauge)
• A 500k or 250k Potentiometer (I used a
Fender 250K No-Load Pot
• 6 (non-electrolytic) Capacitors (I used 6 Sprague "Black Beauty" Caps. The cap values are: .003mfd, .006mfd,
.01mfd, .02mfd, .033mfd, .047mfd.)
Audio Clips
The Neck Pickup Link To Mp3
1st phrase - with no capacitor
2nd phrase - .003mfd tone knob at ten
3rd phrase - .006mfd tone knob at ten
4th phrase - .01mfd tone knob at ten
5th phrase - .02mfd tone knob at ten
6th phrase - .033mfd tone knob at ten
7th phrase - .047mfd tone knob at ten
Continue To: Pictures and Instructions
