2 Tone Caps, 1 Push Pull Pot

Happy November! This month, we’re talking about a really cool simple Push-Pull Modification that allows you to choose between two cap values for your guitar. The 2 Tone Cap Push-Pull Pot Mod is great on a Strat or Telecaster, where you might have a Master Volume and a Blender Pot, but still want the capabilities of two Tone Caps.

This modification also is great for those who want to use our Magic Cap on the Bridge pickup. Simply pull up (or push down) to select the right tone cap that will work best for the pickup you’re playing on. The 2-Cap Push-Pull mod is simple to do, and an easy way to get more versatility out of your guitar!

Here’s what you’ll need to perform the mod:

  1. 250K / 500K Push-Pull Pot
  2. 2 Separate Tone Caps
  3. Cloth / Insulated Lead
  4. Soldering Pencil and Basic Soldering Skills

2 Tone Cap Push-Pull Mod:

Here’s how to wire up the Two-Tone Cap Push-Pull Mod. See below:

Two Tone Cap Push Pull Pot Mod

HOW IT WORKS: 

In order for a tone pot to work, you need input to the pot (this can be through a wire or a cap in traditional uses), and one of the legs to ground the cap. This allows the high frequencies to be sent to ground, thus giving you a darker tone.

Here’s how the 2 Tone Cap Push-Pull Pot Works: The Input comes from the switch or volume pot, depending on what setup you have. The signal enters the pot via the middle lug. Lug 3 connects the pot to the switch section, which connects to the Common Terminals (B & E).

Pushing The Pot Down will connect the Common Terminals to selected Cap 1. This cap has one leg on terminals C & F, and its other leg connects to ground. Likewise, pulling up on the switch connects the Common Terminals to A & D, which relates to cap 2.


Well, that’s it! Pretty easy, and it’s a very usable modification to your guitar. We hope you find it useful! Cheers!

Comments

20 Comments For This Post

  1. Could I do this mod using 2 P90s? If so what would you recommend for the two caps?

  2. I wired up a push pull pot.. 500K.. soldered on 2 caps.. 1 – .047; 2 – .o22 .. so far I can’t seem to get two different tones selecting push down or pull up. My rig is two humbucker, single coil w/single vol pot 500K and a 3-way selector switch. Still trying to select between two tones. I get same tone no matter what tone I select. The pot functions by rotating, seeking two tone select-ability as defined in the write up.

  3. Mark Abbott

    I was wondering if you knew what the John Stilwell master tone circuit was that Ritchie Blackmore used in his Strats.

  4. Ashley Billimoria

    Hi, Has anyone found a way to wire this so that one setting is a treble cut and one is a bass cut? I cant get my head around the alternate wiring required for the 2 options and how a push pull could resolve it. I looked for a stacked pot with push pull but couldn’t find one. Any suggestions appreciated.

  5. Thanks Tyler, I am using an Alpha push-pull pot, I assume the metal casing was grounded, but I ran a jumper from the volume pot casing where everything else is grounded and now I get no sound at all. I think that might mean it is too much grounding at this point?

    I’m not sure how the pickguard is relevant as the pickup is mounted directly into the body of the guitar. There is a ground wire coming from the bridge piece (I assume that is where it is coming from) and I have it grounded at the volume pot along with the pickup, the third lug on the volume pot, and now the connections from the tone pot via a jumper.

  6. This isn’t working correctly for me. I’m working on a Hamer Special Jr. (one p90, one volume, one tone pot, no switch). I’ve wired it exactly like this and it is killing to overall output volume. The first time I tried it I had connected E to the third lug instead of E to B and that dampened the tone but the sweeper was controlling the volume instead of tone. I’m on like my 9th configuration for this simple mod and I’m at wit’s end! Please help!

    1. Mike, it sounds like a ground issue to me. Is the casing of the tone pot grounded? If you don’t have a pickguard with conductive shielding, you’ll need to run a ground jumper from the volume pot casing to the tone pot casing. Let me know!

  7. Jonathan rich

    Not trying to knock anyone or anything. It seems like more work than it’s worth. If you use a push pull for anything, why not have your efforts be noticed? The half out of phase mod is extreme. This mod makes no impact overall. I wanna have something gimme chills when I pull up. What do you suggest for that?

    1. A lot of users find this mod useful, especially those with a Strat with a Master Volume, Tone, and Blender Pot. This mod allows them to get the 7-sound Strat with the functionality of a classic Strat wiring. Not sure what will give you chills, but there are a lot of mods out there – if you find one, let us know!

  8. Archie Comel

    I’m using a CTS push pull with a fender jazz. Nothing is happening. Regardless of if it’s push or pulled, rolled on or off the tone is still like I don’t have a time pot. Please help it’s driving me mad

  9. Tyler, sorry for the question about push/pull treble bleed. I found your post on that. Thanks again!……K

  10. Hey Tyler, I like the idea of having two different tone caps available. In standard strat wiring it looks fairly simple for two tone pots to share one cap. With the push/pull pot is it possible, lets say, to have the neck and middle pickups on one tone control and the bridge on the other and share the selected capacitor value on the push/pull pot? Also, could you use a push/pull pot on the volume control and have a treble bleed on one selection and one without? Thanks for your great site!

  11. Where do you connect the output?

    1. Tyler Delsack - Fralin Pickups

      Victor,

      The pot input is sort of the output in this case – all a tone pot is doing is acting like a “drain” for high frequencies. When you start to roll the pot, highs are being sent to ground. They don’t need a traditional output wire.

      Tyler

      1. Hi,

        So if I understand you correctly the middle lug of the pot is the input, and the output to the next pot or output-jack at the same time? For both versions? And I need an output wire to the output-Jack. It would be great for a lot of people if you can adjust the pictures above just for us physics-dummies 😉 Thanks in advance.

  12. Phoenix Vamvakias

    Hi Tyler,

    I just received the drop in pickguard with the split rails. Two vintage pups in neck and center, and the hot one in the bridge. I didn’t even realize I had the push pull mod until I was peeling off the plastic of the new pickguard and the tone pot pulled up. I checked my order and sure enough I have the tone cap mod.

    I understand it’s selecting between two different capacitors, but sonically, I can’t hear what it does.

    Can you explain to me please?

    Thanks!

    Phoenix

    1. Tyler Delsack - Fralin Pickups

      Hey Phoenix,

      The two tone cap mod allows you to select two different tone cap values, depending on your switch. For example – let’s say you want a darker roll-off, like a .05mfd cap – and you also want a more subtle roll-off, with a .02mfd cap. This mod allows you to select the .05mfd cap when pushed down, and .02mfd when pulled up. If you chose the “magic cap”, you’ve requested the most subtle roll-off, and it’s hard for a lot of people to hear the difference.

      Tyler

  13. I’m looking to do this tone mod with Fralin Jazzmaster (Stock) pickups in a Fender Offset Special but could use some advice. Because this guitar originally came with humbuckers and does not have the typical Jazzmaster rhythm circuit I will be re-wiring it using the Fender Professional wiring schema (consisting of 3-way switch, 1 volume pot (250k) and 1 push-pull tone pot (250k) for the tone mod) and am looking for tone cap suggestions to still achieve the most Jazzmaster-like lead and rhythm tones with this limited setup. I am thinking .1mfd and .022mfd would provide a wide range from dark to bright. Any thoughts on other combinations?

    1. Tyler Delsack - Fralin Pickups

      Hey Ken,

      I think you’re off to a good start with these Cap values. .1mfd will be really dark, and start rolling off high end quicker. .022mfd is a good way to tame some of the highs / high mids.

      Tyler

      1. I ultimately decided on .047mfd and .022mfd for this modification using the stock Fralin Jazzmaster pickups and could not be happier with the results. The balance of darkness and brightness provides a versatility of tone that the control pattern on this guitar could not otherwise have provided. Fantastic article and guidance! Thanks!

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