By Ed Malaker
Posted 04/08/2025
Greasebucket Tone Circuit
For many people, the tone control on their guitar is something they seldom use, because it often makes the guitar sound too warm, especially when playing older, vintage guitars. While adjusting the value of the capacitor can help reduce how muddy the tone gets, and a treble bleed modification helps roll off some of the low-end frequencies, a relatively modern mod called the Greasebucket Tone Circuit provides guitar players with a new and maybe more usable option. We’ll explain what the mod is, where it came from, how it works, and even how to install it in your guitar so you can see if it’s right for you.
What Is the Greasebucket Tone Circuit?
Fender created the Greasebucket Tone Circuit and installed it on many of their Highway One and Custom Shop guitars starting in 2005. Fender claims this circuit “rolls off highs while maintaining low-end definition,” and “The ‘Greasebucket’ tone circuit adds a new dimension to your tone. When the knob is rolled down, the tone pot reduces the high frequencies but does not add bass.”
What Does the Greasebucket Tone Circuit Do?
TheGreasebucket Tone Circuit reduces the high and low frequencies, leaving only the midrange intact. It works to reduce brightness and is especially helpful at preventing the guitar from becoming too harsh when using single-coil pickups without reducing the clarity of the notes. While many guitar players find the resulting tone useful, detractors claim it sounds nasally.
How Does the Greasebucket Tone Circuit Work?
The Greasebucket Tone Control circuit uses two capacitors instead of the single capacitor we find in the standard tone control circuit, along with a resistor. Fender suggests a 0.1uF capacitor for removing the low end and a 0.022uFZ capacitor to remove the highs. For the resistor, you will select one with a 4.7K value.
What Does The Circuit Look Like?
Example 1 – Greasebucket Tone Circuit Diagram
Greasebucket Tone Circuit Option
If your guitar isn’t already using push-pull pots for another modification, you can use one to turn the Greasebucket mod on and off. By doing so, your tone control will work like a standard tone control, only filtering out the high frequencies when the tone pot is in the normal position. Then, when you pull it out, the Greasebucket modification will kick in, filtering both the low and high frequencies resulting in its unique tone.
Example 2 – Greasebucket Tone Circuit w/Push-Pull Pot Diagram
Summary
The Greasebucket Tone Circuit is a great alternative to the standard tone control, resulting in a sound that many guitarists find more usable. It’s easy to install, so it’s a great project for beginners and only requires a few components, and you can easily revert to the standard tone control at any time. Using a push-pull pot gives you the best of both worlds without adding much difficulty.