Varitone and a Gordon Smith GS1

frankus

Awesome!

I hadn't realised before how the tone control and volume affect the sound so much - the other guitars I've tried have had several pickups and I think that obscures

Downside is, I'll have to rout the cavity a little bit to fit the varitone (GS are routed for 12 mm pots!

Will also need to drill for a jack on the side OR sacrifice the tone pot.

Any of the makers/modders or players got any advice or insight? 

olafgarten

I'm sure there is space for another pot between the jack and the tone.

frankus

Someone else's image but this is what the back looks like:

Richardj

How about a dual concentric pot where the volume is to handle both volume and tone, freeing up the tone pot hole.

frankus

hmm interesting idea, I'd like to keep the speed knobs they seem so Gordon Smith and the GS1.5 has a side-jack so it's not a biggie..

my biggest concern is routing the cavity to fit the varitone - I might try to find a smaller 6 way switch  

p90fool

Bung the Varitone in a pedal so you can use it on all your guitars, that's what I did!

frankus

 That's a really good idea, but I like accessing the tones really quickly - also I built a fixed varitone in my 335 - BB only uses the varitone on one setting

But the GS-1 sounds lovely on all settings, and frankly I'd not use it on any of my Fenders.   

frankus

Moved to making and modding as I'd like some solutions

Roland

How about putting the jack socket on the side of the guitar, and re-using the current hole for the varitone?

frankus

Hi @Roland, that's what I'd like to do.

As I've looked at it I don't think there's enough space in the current routing to achieve that.

I've been looking at slimmer 6 way rotary switches too. But it looks like routing is the way forward :S

jd0272

p90fool;731123" said:

Bung the Varitone in a pedal so you can use it on all your guitars, that's what I did!

Dude. Wis'd

frankus

Well I got the sharpened spoons out, side mounted the jack, enlarged the cavity for the varitone and done.

Sounds great, looks good.

paulnb57

Where did you get your Varitone?

I built an ebay kit but it doesnt work.......

GuitarMonkey

Did your kit come without the inductor? Cheap ones don't supply this vital component!

paulnb57

Yea it has an inductor, It was small and fiddly to assemble/solder, I probably cocked it up!....

frankus

first question is if it doesn't work - is that no sound or no change?

paulnb57

No change in the tone....

Its in a single pickup tele, volume, tone and Varitone wired to the live and earth on the jack socket.......

frankus

Sounds like a there might be a break in the connection.
The obvious check is that the choke wiring both wires on the same coil?

http://music-electronics-forum.com/attachments/1071d1192318596-varitone.gif

Otherwise check the continuity with a meter if you have one well worth getting if not

Good luck Sir