Thoughts on the Varitone

[tweed2]

Considering one on a Zephyr Blues Deluxe. I like that it'll mount in the same place as the existing tone pot and would easily be reversible. Anybody have opinions, postive or negative?

[Whitmore Willy]

Anybody have opinions, postive or negative?

Tweed,

I don't have a guitar with a Varitone on it but I do have an opinion..

 

I wish I had time to put one together and try it in a few guitars.

I did a search typing in "Veritone" on youtube and got 262 results. Listened to several and they seem to add a lot of versatility to the sound of a guitar.

 

Although it's your call, I'd say Go For It!!!

Of course, you'll have to put up a review afterwards.

 

Willy

[Gunner]

I have one on a Gibson 355 (in avatar). I don't care for it. The additional tones are thin and have a reduced output. I know some others on the forum like them though.

 

The Gibson version has a big choke or something that is mounted in a routed-out spot in the center block between the pickups. Maybe there are other versions that don't have this, but my point is that it may not be as simple as installing in place of a tone pot.

 

Just my opinion and not meant in any way to discourage you from trying it.

 

Tom

[tweed2]

The original style one, with the choke, is out, too big and clumsy. I want something reversible, like the Big D version, which seems to have the most hits on youtube. It would fit the same hole, use the same wires and looks retro enough to fit the guitar. It would be along the lines of the old Switchmaster, just a little simpler.

 

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

 

The biggest problem I find with the youtube sound examples is that they are all distorted and over-driven, nothing in the "clean" veign. What gives? Doesn't anybody play clean anymore? That's where these thing would shine, I think.

[Pin]

I used to have a Gibson 345 with a varitone and I loved it. I now have an Epiphone 345 with a varitone and I still love it.

 

I have heard many times the statements that the varitone makes the sound "muddy" but I'm blowed if my guitar sounds muddy. The Gibson didn't and nor does my Epiphone (and that is with the Epi pickups). I must say I too have looked and heard some of those Youtube varitone videos and yes, some at least do sound muddy. God knows what they do to make it sound like that.

[Gashole]

I have a 1980 Gibson L6S Silverburst with varitone. I find the extra tonal options very useful.

[jfine]

Gashole--the switch on the L6S isn't really a Varitone. It is the same switch, but it's a pickup (and coil) selector rather than a selector for various caps and chokes like an actual Varitone.

I had a '67 Gibson ES-345 back in the early '70's, and I used the Varitone primarily as a master volume preset. Position #1 was full output (Varitone bypassed), #2 was a little lower in output, and the rest were so thin and nasal as to be pretty unusable. One of them--#4, if I remember correctly--sounded almost out of phase with both pickups on. #1 and #2 were the only ones I used with any regularity. In a high-gain situation, I suppose some of the thinner tones could be interesting, but I was playing mostly clean R&B and country back then--when I needed overdrive, I'd use the #1 position and kick in my Big Muff pedal.

[Gashole]

For sure? It was my understanding the ones they are putting out now arent, but that the old ones were? I thought I could even recall some of the old guitar mags advertising the L6s with varitone? The tech I just had repair the mid roll off for me used a varitone schematic to work from too? Or might this be something that was "close enough" so he could use it?

 

My questions are honest- not defensive. I'm a player, not much of a tech!

 

That said- I still find the old L6S to be a fine axe with lots of useful tonal options.

[antwhi2001]

I had a Gibson Blueshawk with varitone, but was disappointed. (1) Most of the variations were relatively weak sounds and not much use to me without changing amp / pedal settings as well, (2) I found it hard to keep track of where I was with a 6-way switch plus pickup selector when playing live.

 

It would have been more useful to a studio or home player with time to tinker with settings; it certainly offers a wide range of options. Remember, like a Fender TBX pot, it doesn't boost anything, because it's passive; it only filters frequencies, so any permutation other than both pickups full on tends to sound weaker.

 

The Blueshawk was also handicapped by special low-output P90s intended to give more of a vintage clean blues tone. That reduced the versatility for me. With hindsight, I wish I'd kept it and fitted standard P90s.

[Jayyj]

If you have a dig through http://www.es-335.org/ you'll find some useful stuff on the different '60s incarnations of the varitone, seems there were a few variants with varying degrees of usability. It's years since I've played something with one but I remember thinking it was a cool feature.

[Parabar]

I have a 1980 Gibson L6S Silverburst with varitone. I find the extra tonal options very useful.

 

The rotary switch on the late 70's and early 80's L6S models was NOT a Varitone. Although the knob and base plate looked the same, instead of acting as a notch filter (like the Varitone), the L6S switch was to change the pickup configuration to in or out of phase and series or parallel wiring.

[Gashole]

Well that is definitely good to know guys, regarding the L6S! Thanks!