Get 16 different guitar tones from one cable with UnderTone Audio's capacitance-altering Vari-Cap

By Michael Astley-Brown
published

New guitar lead promises expanded tonal possibilities

In guitar and pro audio circles, capacitance is a hot topic: low capacitance is considered the bastion of transparent tone, while higher levels roll off top-end for more vintage sounds - UnderTone Audio now promises the best of both worlds with the Vari-Cap cable.

Boasting a high-resolution variable capacitance control, the Vari-Cap offers adjustment from 150 pF (that's picofarads, people) to 1650 pF in 15 100 pF steps; in laymen's terms, that means you get 16 different tones from one cable - by our calculations, that's 15 more than you'd get with a regular guitar lead.

The Vari-Cap is the work producer/engineer Eric Valentine and circuit designer Larry Jasper, following Valentine's quest to find cables that perfectly paired with particular guitars and amps.

UnderTone Audio's Vari-Cap is available now for $99.95 from Square.

Michael Astley-Brown
Michael Astley-Brown

Mike is Editor-in-Chief of GuitarWorld.com, in addition to being an offset fiend and recovering pedal addict. He has a master's degree in journalism, and has spent the past decade writing and editing for guitar publications including MusicRadar, Total Guitar and Guitarist, as well as a decade-and-a-half performing in bands of variable genre (and quality). In his free time, you'll find him making progressive instrumental rock under the nom de plume Maebe.