12-way, variable cutoff, resonant peak, passive low-pass tone control (prototype).

[xxmanx1]

Hey!! If you can make one of these for guitar in a small box that can mount on my strap please email me!!

[rud3m3chanical]

@xxmanx1 - wouldn't be a bad idea; you could make it kind of like the old Orange Squeezer that plugged straight into the jack.

[DavidRavenMoon]

Keep in mind that the cutoff frequencies listed will change depending on the impedance of the pickup, and the value of the volume and tone control pots. Hotter pickups will have lower cut off frequencies. I've been using .022 caps in many of my basses for years. It rolls off the top end, but leaves he mids. There's nothing wrong with getting high end from a bass, and it allows you to be heard better in the mix. Even the old Motown recordings had more highs on the bass than people think!

[rud3m3chanical]

@DavidRavenMoon: Helmuth Lemme's original article is linked above.

The key thing with this tone control is that you are achieving the steepest possible attenuation (for a passive device, anyway) at a frequency of your choice.

As for basses and high end - I remove or fully attenuate the tweeters in my cabs, so most of them roll off around 2.5kHz at best. Still plenty of brightness from roundwound strings and active basses.

[Drblooter99]

Great pal -- thanks to this, I replaced my bass's factory 0.0223uF cap with a mylar 0.1uF cap, and THEN I added a .047 uF cap in parallel, for a total of .147uF. Now I got a very tight compressed sound. I hate treble, and so I should -- it's for guitarists!

[belmontmaster]

can you provide the wiring diagram? and the value of the caps and the resistors ? i have the switch, and a bunch of resistors and capacitors, but i need to know how is wired and the value of the caps and so...

[rud3m3chanical]

@belmontmaster

10M resistors. Capacitor values are displayed in the viedo itself. Do a Google Image search for 'varitone' and you'll turn up heaps of schematics :)

[ivandruping]

Mate... I use your vid for test the condensors of my preamp...

[musettavarada]

Hey, caps in parallel with pickup? And resitors in serial with pickup?

[musettavarada]

Can you send me a little diagram please? I don't know how to replace the standard pbass tone knob with this one. One wire goes to volume knob and other wire goes to output jack? Am I right? Please help me

[rud3m3chanical]

@musettavarada: this is a direct replacement for the Tone control, so the hot lug (the two joined lugs in the centre) goes to the usual place for the guitar or bass you are modding. On a P bass, that is typically the same Volume pot lug the pickup hot lead is wired to. Tie all the loose ends of the capacitors to ground and you're good to go.

The 10M resistors are there purely to reduce popping caused by capacitor discharge - they're not essential, but they do make a difference.

[musettavarada]

Ok, i'm starting to get it. I've read the Helmuth Lemme's article and it talk about caps in parallel with pickups. What about that? Which is the hot lug in the 12-position switch?

I think i'm gonna try wiring it like old tone control and let's see

[iamasmodai]

If you use a shorting switch (make before break) you can leave out the resistors. If you use a Lorin 12 pole switch, you can adjust the positions anywhere from 2-12. Good job on presenting the cutoff freqs.

[rud3m3chanical]

Even with the shorting switch (like the one in this clip), the first time you turn to a particular cap it discharges & causes the pop. Do a sweep across all 12 and it's like a bowl of rice bubbles *snap*crackle*pop* - the second time it's much quieter.

Good tip on the Lorin switches though. Alpha make a solid 12-way switch too, I got a nuch in for further work.

Next thing on the agenda is to install a proper varitone on 5 lugs & the 'best' 6 caps on the other six lugs.

[KumaruSworder]

aaarrrgggg i need your note on capacitor capacity vs cutoff freq so i can finish my project, but this vid is the only one showing an error tonight! lol, wtf...

[rud3m3chanical]

Heh - hope it resolved itself for you! If in doubt, just google "Helmuth Lemme" :)

[KumaruSworder]

haha, it did. i got myself a box of capacitors and played around until it started working right. only problem is that it's not as bright as I'd like it to be now :P (audio controlled LEDs)

[AsphyxGr]

I see... Which inductor type did you get ? I ordered some low-priced

RadioShack Audio Output Transformer Miniature in order to play with a project i 'm into, dunno though if thei fit that purpose. Heard that it 's difficult to find in general inductors for such works. Or what do you recommend ?

[rud3m3chanical]

Look up part number 42TL021 from Mouser Electronics. They're the one everybody suggests for passive mid-shaping circuits.

[PhuckHue2]

how would that 42TL021 inductor be wired in the varitone circuit? It has 6 legs. I'm a newb :p

[rud3m3chanical]

Find the Primary side (marked with a P) and use the two outer legs. You can use the centre tap if you want a smaller inductor (in this case, 750mH).

[PhuckHue2]

@rud3m3chanical I made a 12 pos varitone in a box and it sounds great. I hooked the inductor to a DPDT switch to turn it on/off. thanks

[AsphyxGr]

Nice mod, I was looking for info about that cause a tehnician put something similar in my guitar, i think it was an inductor and the tone pot gained some life. Is it something like the Stellartone Tonestyler product ? I 'm completely noob on stuff like that and thanks for the provided link ;)

[rud3m3chanical]

g'day - the main difference in the Stellartone is they're using custom 8 or 16 way switches and surface-mount components (which enable them to keep the size down). There is no inductor in the Stellartone.

An inductor can be used to make a notching filter (mid-scooping) or a band-pass filter (cutting highs and lows) depending on what else it's hooked up to. There's been heaps of guys making those in the past; I finally got myself some of the inductors to have a play around with :)

[F05H33]

hey, where did you find your inductors?? and what value are you getting?? Im trying to design a custom circuit board with about 12 different ranges of capacitors, sweet switches, mid range scoops, bypass.. and i am really having a hard time with this inductor thing!! Would you be able to help me??

Thanks, FO5H33

[rud3m3chanical]

Heh, guess it's a bit harder to type on the eeePC than I thought. Apologies for the typos :)