Two-Tone Mod. . . Capacitor question.

[thearabianmage]

I found a diagram a while back detailing how one could wire a tone knob with two capacitors using an SPDT switch. This really appeals to me because I love versatility and what-not, but there was one thing I was curious about. . .

A capacitor will always affect the tone of the guitar whether the tone knob is all the way up or not. . . But what of two capacitors - one of which will be out of the circuit all-together (save the ground on the tone knob)?

Will they both always affect the tone, or only the one that is selected?

Reason I ask is because I have a NOS Soviet PIO cap and a NOS Mallory polyester cap - both of which should be very good, and both of which should also have diametrically opposite qualities - and I'd love to switch between them, but if they both are constantly affecting the tone, whether 'switched on' or not, it seems like it would be kind of counter-productive, no? Thoughts, anyone?

Cheers

Joe

 

[DeanEVO_Dude]

I found a diagram a while back detailing how one could wire a tone knob with two capacitors using an SPDT switch. This really appeals to me because I love versatility and what-not, but there was one thing I was curious about. . .

A capacitor will always affect the tone of the guitar whether the tone knob is all the way up or not. . . But what of two capacitors - one of which will be out of the circuit all-together (save the ground on the tone knob)?

Will they both always affect the tone, or only the one that is selected?

Reason I ask is because I have a NOS Soviet PIO cap and a NOS Mallory polyester cap - both of which should be very good, and both of which should also have diametrically opposite qualities - and I'd love to switch between them, but if they both are constantly affecting the tone, whether 'switched on' or not, it seems like it would be kind of counter-productive, no? Thoughts, anyone?

Cheers

Joe

Hi Joe,
No, the switch will only connect one cap to the circuit, so only one will have any effect, which one is determined by the switch position.
If I might make a suggestion, put in a 3-way switch, on-off-on (the opposite of a pickup selector). You put one cap on each side of the switch, and attach the middle to where the tone cap connects to the circuit. This will allow you to have the "no tone cap" in the middle position and either the POI or the Malory in the other positions.

 

[Kazz]

I like EVO Dudes suggestion. That sounds like a killer mod.

 

[kiteman]

You can do it with the pot alone, no switch needed. Put one value cap on one end and different value cap on the other end of the pot. The wiper taps into the circuitry. Double the value of the pot you use like from 250K to 500K.

With the knob in the middle, it involves no caps. Rotated one way brings in the cap and rotated the other way brings in the other cap.

Simple hey?

 

[thearabianmage]

Hey y'all, to be fair, those are two pretty cool ideas! :dude:

EVO - the on/off/on switch - would that be a SPDT? So basically, I'd use the diagram (3rd down) found this site:

http://www.1728.com/guitar3.htm

And I would literally just replace the on/on with the on/off/on? But then, what would happen to the tone pot? Would it become 'disabled' in the 'off' position or would it be a secondary volume or...?

Cheers, guys!

 

[Eric]

And I would literally just replace the on/on with the on/off/on? But then, what would happen to the tone pot? Would it become 'disabled' in the 'off' position or would it be a secondary volume or...?

I believe it would just be disabled at that point, since you'd be bypassing the tone portion of the circuit. Best to wait for one of the people who know to answer though...

 

[DeanEVO_Dude]

Hey y'all, to be fair, those are two pretty cool ideas! :dude:

EVO - the on/off/on switch - would that be a SPDT? So basically, I'd use the diagram (3rd down) found this site:

http://www.1728.com/guitar3.htm

And I would literally just replace the on/on with the on/off/on? But then, what would happen to the tone pot? Would it become 'disabled' in the 'off' position or would it be a secondary volume or...?

Cheers, guys!

Yes, the third diagram (2 capacitor tone control), that's the one. You could do an on/on (2 position) switch, but what the on/off/on (3 position) switch does is disables the tone pot and caps, but if that is not your thing, a 2 position on/on switch will work.
Here is a link to the type of switch I am talking about:
http://www.amazon.com/DiMarzio-Three-Position-DPDT-Switch/dp/B000H18RXY
It does not have to be a double pole (extra set of terminals), but this will work.

 

[DeanEVO_Dude]

I believe it would just be disabled at that point, since you'd be bypassing the tone portion of the circuit. Best to wait for one of the people who know to answer though...

Yes, with the on/off/on switch, it is disabled, good call Eric.

 

[thearabianmage]

Yes, the third diagram (2 capacitor tone control), that's the one. You could do an on/on (2 position) switch, but what the on/off/on (3 position) switch does is disables the tone pot and caps, but if that is not your thing, a 2 position on/on switch will work.
Here is a link to the type of switch I am talking about:
http://www.amazon.com/DiMarzio-Three-Position-DPDT-Switch/dp/B000H18RXY
It does not have to be a double pole (extra set of terminals), but this will work.

Thank you both for your help :dude

I'm gonna hold off my mods (for now) and get a couple more parts