Variable capacitor

I am curious if anyone has put a variable capacitor in a guitar. I have no idea what it would do, but seems easier than soldering/desoldering just to try different sounds. Or maybe the component I am thinking of (i.e. the "tuner" on old transistor radios) doesn't fit the standard range in farads for a guitar circuit.

Hmm, I was gonna put that push/pull phase switch in mine first, gotta stop with all the crazy ideas...

There's a thing on the market called a Varitone Switch that might be just the ticket for you! It is a rotary switch with several different cap values. You get a different cap value at each switch position. BB King uses one on Lucille. Just run a google search for "varitone switch" and you will find many places to buy one. If you are good with soldering and following directions you could make your own.

I have been wanting to try one of those, maybe on an esquire.

Here is a link to a guy that sells the prewired switch with a plate. You might be able to find the components cheaper but he has it all figured out already and prewired.

http://www.bigdguitars.com/varitone.html

The Varitone is not just a rotary switch with different caps, there's also a 1.5mH choke involved, and a suite of 10Mohm resistors too. I used a simplified version on two of my guitars. The choke is important but quite bulky. A tone control is also required. It offers a more complex texture than just switching caps over (done that too).

Another option along the same line that might be of interest in the Stellartone Tone Styler. Definitely on my "must have" list.

www.stellartone.com

I use a Tonestyler on my partscaster. Pricey, but fun.

The cool configuration for the Tele is to run one with a single shaft stacked pot in the volume position. One pot increases/decreases volume while the other simultaneously increases/decreases mids. If you really use your ears, you can find all sorts of nice places on the dial(s).

This rig does make "traditional" volume swells and tone knob swells unavailable though. I have an EB Jr. on the floor!

A true variable capacitor, as used on older radio receivers, is far too low in value to make a viable tone control cap. RF circuits use capacitors of far lower value than AF circuits.

A true variable capacitor, as used on older radio receivers, is far too low in value to make a viable tone control cap. RF circuits use capacitors of far lower value than AF circuits.

+1

I don't know of any mechanical variable capacitor component with a capacitance value anywhere close to what is required for guitar tone circuits.