Every guitar cable colors the instrument; the Vari-Cap makes that a choice instead of an accident. Designed by Eric Valentine and Larry Jasper, it sweeps capacitance from 150 to 1650 pF across fifteen 100 pF steps, moving the resonant peak of the pickups the way different vintage cables do.
Ten feet long, built for the studio.
Under the Hood
| Type | Variable-capacitance instrument cable |
|---|---|
| Range | 150 to 1650 pF |
| Steps | Fifteen, 100 pF each |
| Length | 10 ft |
Questions, answered
Why would I want to add capacitance?
Cable capacitance interacts with passive pickups to set the resonant peak that defines much of an electric guitar’s top end. Classic recordings were made through long, high-capacitance cables. The Vari-Cap lets you dial that exact behavior in steps instead of collecting vintage cables.
Goes Well With
Hear it in your own session
The UnFairchild plug-in is $149 with a 14-day free trial. The hardware is at a dealer near you.