Anyone expert on Varitone switches?

[Philly Q]

My newly-acquired BC Rich Mockingbird is equipped with a Varitone switch which, frankly, sounds pretty wretched in 4 of the 5 positions.

From a quick bit of Googling, the general consensus seems to be that the tonal benefits of Varitones are limited, to say the least.  I've learned that some are stereo, some are mono, some are supposed to have a "bypass" position which isn't really a proper bypass.....  I've seen some wiring diagrams I don't understand, and various photos of switches with different-sized capacitors growing out of them like strange little toadstools.... it's all a bit confusing to take in at once. :?     

I was contemplating bypassing it and just leaving the "dead" switch there for looks, but I wonder if anyone has experience of "improved" Varitones which actually work?  Presumably someone out there makes wondrous boutique versions, like they do with most other guitar components.

Any thoughts?

[FELINEGUITARS]

I've never really been a fan of them .
I think the ones on the BC Riches seemed more powerful because of the connected preamp
I suspect that a few tones on UFOs Wild Willing & Innocent may have come via them when Paul Chapman was using a Bich

Somehow it all seems a bit dated in a way that hasn't achieved any retro charm yet
I bet there could be a great use for a rotary switch like that though with some other kind of built in circuitry - like a diode select on a built in fuzz circuit if you go in the Matt Bellamy direction
Or if you had a inbuilt wah type circuit for Schenker-esque moments, you could have a rotary range select like on the Dunlop 535Q wah

[Philly Q]

I bet there could be a great use for a rotary switch like that though with some other kind of built in circuitry - like a diode select on a built in fuzz circuit if you go in the Matt Bellamy direction
Or if you had a inbuilt wah type circuit for Schenker-esque moments, you could have a rotary range select like on the Dunlop 535Q wah

That sounds interesting!  :D

I was also thinking about ditching the preamp - which also seems pretty useless - and possibly replacing it with something like a Graph Tech Ghost setup?  Then the preamp volume and on/off switch could be replaced with piezo volume and a piezo/magnetic selector.

There are lots of possibilities, I guess.  Never really though about it before because I normally favour simplicity!

[Telerocker]

I like to keep things simple too. Ripped out the S1-system of my Fender-strat. Complicated and the guitar didn't sound nice with it too. VHII + Mother's Milk in, autocoil on fourth position, ready.

[gwEm]

its easy to say keep things simple, generally I fully agree, but its definitely in the spirit of that particular guitar to have an overload of switching options!

what about changing the preamp for something else, like a clapton midboost, or I'm sure you've all seen theres a few other effect kits available you can build into the guitar.

[gwEm]

anyway, a friend of mine has a gibson (i think) ES345, which has a varitone. i played about with it myself briefly and found that only one of the settings was really useful. i believe he uses a few more settings than that in his jazz, but not really that often

[Philly Q]

its easy to say keep things simple, generally I fully agree, but its definitely in the spirit of that particular guitar to have an overload of switching options!

Yeah, I agree, I like all the switches in this case because to my mind that's what a BC Rich is "supposed" to look like.

On the other hand, I don't much care for what the switches actually do (apart from the dual sound and phase switches, they're fine).

So I would like to find some alternative uses for the pots and switches.  I quite like the piezo idea (although the wiring would be fiddly and annoying).  Jonathan's built-in wah idea is appealing too, although I'd have no idea how to do it.

[FELINEGUITARS]

Here is a link to a wah circuit
http://guitarfetish.com/Onboard-Switchable-Wah-Wah-Midrange-Booster-Complete-Kit_p_573.html

[Philly Q]

Here is a link to a wah circuit
http://guitarfetish.com/Onboard-Switchable-Wah-Wah-Midrange-Booster-Complete-Kit_p_573.html

I was looking at that earlier - didn't really understand the description of the installation options or even what it's supposed to do, but it sounds potentially interesting.  I'll have to see if I can find any reviews.

[dave_mc]

i have no clue about the varitone, but I'm interested to see what you decide to put in there.

[gwEm]

theres these artec ones also: http://www.axesrus.co.uk/On-Board-Effects-s/1883.htm

i'm sure i've heard reference to builtin tube screamers too

[Philly Q]

Thanks for the AxesRUs link, gwEm.  I'll peruse it later!  I did have a quick look on their site yesterday but only found some active EQ circuits, I must've been looking on the wrong page.

I have actually got a Clapton mid-boost circuit "under the bed" already.... don't even ask how long ago I bought it!  Can't remember what long-since-sold guitar it was meant to be for. :oops:   I think it might be a bit much with humbuckers, though.

I did have another thought this morning as I walked to the bus stop.  I've been thinking in terms of replacing the active preamp with a piezo system and the varitone with "something else".  I could keep it simpler and just have the piezo system - replace the preamp volume with a separate volume control for the bridge pickup (that would be handy when using both pickups out of phase), then put the piezo volume where the varitone is now (keeping the chicken head knob for looks)

[Philly Q]

theres these artec ones also: http://www.axesrus.co.uk/On-Board-Effects-s/1883.htm

I'm quite likiing the look of the QDD2 Onboard Distortion - gimmicky, of course, but I'm sure it would be a lot more use than the varitone!
 

[AndyR]

There are lots of possibilities, I guess.  Never really though about it before because I normally favour simplicity!

:lol: I was actually reading through the thread thinking, hang on a minute!! this is Philly... Mr "One knob on me amp is enough" :lol:

I was at the front at Mr Chapman's feet for a UFO gig in 1980 or so, and yes the plethora of switches did look quite cool and part of the overall look. Whether he actually used any of them is another matter, though (they were all p1ssed out of their heads and completely awful - we watched in silence with folded arms, and then Mr Chapman got annoyed with us for not "getting into it"). The switches on his guitar were the best bit that night...

Anyway, I'll be interested to hear what you do. Whenever I've had "interesting switching" on a guitar I end up never using it cos I don't like the sounds. And as I don't use stomp boxes much, having an onboard effect might not grab me neither. Having said that though, I have been using wahs in set positions for guitar overdubs recently, so an onboard thingy that did that could indeed be interesting.

[Philly Q]

:lol: I was actually reading through the thread thinking, hang on a minute!! this is Philly... Mr "One knob on me amp is enough" :lol:

:lol: That definitely remains my general principle!  This guitar's a one-off, I won't be selling my Juniors anytime soon!

I was at the front at Mr Chapman's feet for a UFO gig in 1980 or so, and yes the plethora of switches did look quite cool and part of the overall look. Whether he actually used any of them is another matter, though (they were all p1ssed out of their heads and completely awful - we watched in silence with folded arms, and then Mr Chapman got annoyed with us for not "getting into it"). The switches on his guitar were the best bit that night...

I never had the (mis)fortune to see UFO with Paul Chapman - only with Atomik Tommy McClendon, who was pretty damn good if I remember right.  I do have a soft spot for Tonka as a Welshman and former member of Lone Star.

I reckon most people who used these BC Rich guitars had most of the controls bypassed.