Villex Passive "Booster"

[ThrustDust]

So, I have been looking at this Villex Booster a lot, not knowing much but thinking it is kind of cool. I know that technically it is not a booster, but in some of the videos i've seen it does some cool stuff. Does anyone know how one of these could be made? Lots of people have suggested it is something to do with a transformer and different caps (is it similar to a Gibson Veritone?). Thanks a lot for any direction to a noob!

[J M Fahey]

It probably is nothing more than a switch and 3 caps, which get placed straight in parallel and resonate with the pickup coil impedance.

It sounds exactly like that: they absolutely kill typical Fender sparkle and introduce a Wah type resonance at, say, 1500/1000/600Hz or whatever.

And how can it boost if passive?
Parallel resonating LC tanks have a peak at the resonant frequency which may be somewhat higher than the driving voltage, under some circunstances.

Found it horrible in any of the 3 positions, compared to gorgeous straight Strat sounds.

$96 for *that*?

As PT Barnum said ........

Edit: and it's not like Gibson's Varitone, which included a *series* cap+inductor network, which kills midrange and subjectively increases lows and highs, much more useful and the opposite of this cheap scam.

Typical Strat type pickups resonate with typical cable capacitance to provide a peak at some real high frequency, think 3000 to 6000 Hz which is perceived as sparkle/brightness/shimmer/bite , but those fixed caps just provide nasal muddy sound.

[eschertron]

Stellartone makes something similar, doesn't claim any kind of "boost", but puts a stepped rotary switch on about 12 to 16 different RC networks as opposed to 3. It's still big $$ but I've found it useful in one of my guitars. It selects different RC values. Nothing in it more sophisticated than that.

As Juan intimated, you can make something like that (or something better for your specific application) for a couple dollars in parts.

[ThrustDust]

Thanks for the replies guys,
And yea, it cannot really boost if it is passive, just give the illusion of that. Caps for sure play a role in it, but I think there is something else this guy also had something similar. I think it has to use either an inductor or transformer along with caps.
Have you tried one Juan? funny you should like the varitone, most people on the forums seem to hate them and think they are useless (I havent tried one, so really don't know. Cool idea though). Thanks again for the input

[g1]

funny you should like the varitone, most people on the forums seem to hate them and think they are useless

Maybe in the rock world, but I think you would get a more favourable response in the Jazz (L-5) and blues (BB King) worlds.

[52 Bill]

...funny you should like the varitone, most people on the forums seem to hate them and think they are useless (I havent tried one, so really don't know. Cool idea though).

Most people dislike them because they don't understand them.

The circuit is a midcut control, so it sounds like the volume is lower than without it. So, the big complaint is that the sound is weak or has no guts, which is basically true compared to the straight signal.

But that being said, turn up the volume on your amp and you will suddenly hear Fender single coil sounds coming from your ES-345. This is more true with the older varitones with the original inductor value.

Just my 2 cents.

[ThrustDust]

Has anyone here actually used the Villex? or possibly even had a look inside?