Seriously though. . . What's not to like about a varitone switch?

[solspirit]

I really like them and they also delineate any other mod work such as single caps that lock you into one tone.

 

[Mincer]

Ergonomically, it just doesn't work for me. It is hard to grab and twist. I might use one to figure out which sound I like, and then I am sure I would keep it in one place and not ever use it.

 

[solspirit]

Ah. . . Where's your sense of adventure? lol. lol.
. You would have no idea what position you would leave the switch in before you heard it, would you? Even if it were marked with the values.

 

[Clint 55]

I like my varitone. I like the cap values between 6.8nf and 22nf and 6.8 might be my favorite. Below 6.8 weren't really useful to me because they only cut highs and just sound similar to turning the volume down. 6.8 is super creamy. 22 is mid bassy, and above that it gets swampy bassy and I don't really have a use for except for on bass.

 

[solspirit]

I like my varitone. I like the cap values between 6.8nf and 22nf and 6.8 might be my favorite. Below 6.8 weren't really useful to me because they only cut highs and just sound similar to turning the volume down. 6.8 is super creamy. 22 is mid bassy, and above that it gets swampy bassy and I don't really have a use for except for on bass.

So. . . You know what cap value goes into a guitar like that with the same setup, correct? Therefore no guess work orevermore.
. I think that's pretty awesome.

 

[JamesPaul]

There is a "VariTone" control on my Jack Casady bass. Electrically it operates differently than the VariTone on guitars, but the end results are comparable. Since my JCB has only 1 pickup, I tend to think of it as a pickup selector switch, but basically it is just another knob I can use to change the tone. I would think the same of a VariTone control on a guitar. I can't think of anything "not to like" about the VariTone.

Ergonomically, it just doesn't work for me. It is hard to grab and twist. I might use one to figure out which sound I like, and then I am sure I would keep it in one place and not ever use it.

That "one place" can always be Position 1 wich is Bypass.

 

[Mincer]

I'd be interested to try a guitar with it (or temporarily wiring one without actually putting holes in the guitar) to find out the setting that I like the most.

 

[solspirit]

I'd be interested to try a guitar with it (or temporarily wiring one without actually putting holes in the guitar) to find out the setting that I like the most.

That right there is the idea. I want to make a testbed Strat.

 

[JamesPaul]

Since it is basically a notch filter, I want to be able to move the notch frequency around and bypass it all together. I don't see myself settling in on any one tone.

 

[solspirit]

Since it is basically a notch filter, I want to be able to move the notch frequency around and bypass it all together. I don't see myself settling in on any one tone.

Like a pot or a dial?

 

[AlexR]

Nothing wrong with a varitone that has not been fitted at all.

Can't stand notch filters on a guitar.....my 2c

 

[Clint 55]

So. . . You know what cap value goes into a guitar like that with the same setup, correct? Therefore no guess work orevermore.
. I think that's pretty awesome.

Yep, I know intuitively what the different ranges of caps sound like and can ballpark which one I'd like to use for a guitar. Just spend time faffing with them and you'll remember.

 

[Clint 55]

I'd be interested to try a guitar with it (or temporarily wiring one without actually putting holes in the guitar) to find out the setting that I like the most.

I used a 4 way switch as the varitone and then just stuck a toggle in the tone 2 spot as the pickup selector.

 

[JamesPaul]

Like a pot or a dial?

What I meant was I wouldn't want to settle in on one notched frequency and always have just that one. For example, always have 900 Hz - 1000 Hz cut out of the signal.

The VariTone already functions similar to a pot or a dial. The VariTone circuit just isn't linear like a pot. A 250k pot can be set for any value between 0 and 250k. But the VariTone can only select 5 specific notch frequencies based on the values of the 5 caps attached to it.

 

[JamesPaul]

Nothing wrong with a varitone that has not been fitted at all.

Can't stand notch filters on a guitar.....my 2c

I think it's just another tool that can be in the box if I want. However, I haven't yet owned a guitar that has a VariTone.

 

[solspirit]

Yep, I know intuitively what the different ranges of caps sound like and can ballpark which one I'd like to use for a guitar. Just spend time faffing with them and you'll remember.

I don't have the time, money or interest interest in fooling around with enough guitars and different pickup and cap combinations.

 

[Artie]

It was fun to play with that cap box. The thing that surprised me the most, was the difference in tone even when the tone pot was on "10." I can see a home made varitone in my future.

 

[JamesPaul]

Reviewing this topic, we may be discussing different circuits. I think Clint 55 is referencing an implementation which changes the tone cap value. I was referring to the Gibson implementation which has the tone cap fixed but adds a notch filter where the notch frequencies can be changed.

 

[jeremy]

It was fun to play with that cap box. The thing that surprised me the most, was the difference in tone even when the tone pot was on "10." I can see a home made varitone in my future.

that surprises me too. ive done a little playing around with a switch and didnt really hear much difference between .047 and .022 when the control was full up. what differences did you hear?

 

[Artie]

that surprises me too. ive done a little playing around with a switch and didnt really hear much difference between .047 and .022 when the control was full up. what differences did you hear?

I mainly heard it between .022 and .068. There was a definite resonant peak shift. Subtle, but there. I think you'd only notice it in a situation where you instantly switch from one to another. You wouldn't notice it if you set one guitar down, and picked up another.