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DIY Guitar Midrange Control

The frequencies between about 300 and 5,000 hertz are in the midrange. They are sounds higher than bass frequencies and lower than treble frequencies. Midrange is the most substantial part of the audible spectrum and can be a tricky area to manage on an electric guitar. Most electric guitars and guitar amplifiers have tone knobs that relate to the midrange. Sometimes, however, adjusting the tone knobs may not be enough to give your guitar the sound you want. A do-it-yourself modification provides a greater effect for an electric guitar's tone control.

Things You'll Need

  • Solder
  • Soldering gun
  • Inductor or inductors 500 millihenries (mH) or greater
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Instructions

    • 1

      Locate the electric guitar's tone control and the capacitor in the wiring harness. The location varies among electric guitar makes and models. The wiring harness is connected to the guitar's pickups as well as the volume and tone control knobs. The capacitor is the part of the wiring harness that stores electrical energy. A wire connects the capacitor to the tone control knob.

    • 2

      Disconnect the tone control wire, which extends from the back of the tone control knob to the capacitor. Do not disrupt other wiring. Pull out the wire with careful precision so that its tip can be soldered.

    • 3

      Solder a 500 millihenries (mH) or greater inductor or inductors in line with where the tone control wire connects with the back of the tone control knob. Doing so allows the guitar's signal to pass through the inductor or inductors from the tone control knob. If your guitar has multiple tone controls, then you may wire each one with a specific purpose. For example, you may use one as a master tone control while giving another this midrange cut modification. Those two tone controls will give your guitar a variety of tonal possibilities.

    • 4

      Experiment with your new tone controls. When you cut the midrange, a guitar can sound hollow or inside out. If you increase it, the bass and treble may not hit as hard. Play with the options to find the best sound for you.

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