If you can’t wait until January to add custom ringtones to your new Windows Phone 7 handset, and aren’t afraid of a little hackery (and warranty-void-ery), then listen up: the same folks behind the WP7 unlock and side-load tool have just released their custom ringtone manager for WP7.

Now, this isn’t as simple as loading up a ringtone Android stylee, so listen up to these caveats:

• You need to unlock your WP7 handset first
• Ringtones have to be in 48kHz WMA format (snore!)
• You must use the “Application Deployment” within the WP7 SDK to load the created .xap files onto your device
• You can’t load ringtones “on the go” — ie, you need a PC to load them onto your phone
• You can only load up a max of 5 ringtones at a time

Basically, you use a desktop application to select 5 ringtones for your phone. You then create a .xap package, which you side-load onto your device to “install” the ringtones.

Not a simple solution by any means, but certainly worth it for those that like their ringtones as self-expressive as their t-shirts. Like me.

So, with these thoughts in mind, head on over to Chevron’s page for everything you need to know (including how to unlock your handset).

[via WP Central]