Re: Coil Splitter (Cool options!)

[Harry J]

"Jim Anable" <jim@seattle-attorney.com> wrote in message
news:3F414D91.A4F8785@seattle-attorney.com...
> JASONST wrote:
>
> > When a guitar like Carvin with humbuckers has a coil splitter
switch(es),
> > does that mean you can select a pickup to operate like a single coil,
say as
> > on a standard strat?
> >
> > your comments appreciated
>
> Yes. A standard humbucker runs two coils in series in a way that cancels
hum.
> If you short one coil to ground, you are left with a single coil.
>
> A more usable option might be both coils in parallel. This keeps a single
coil
> tone, but retains the humbucking characteristics.

---------------

From Harry J:

Parallel is close to a single tone,but not the same... lacks definition and
pick attack... you can get all 3 options... single, parallel and series with
a single DPDT on/on/on switch.

Choosing which coil is cancelled can alter the tone a good bit.

For a bridge P/U, the coil closest to the bridge will give you a bright and
sometimes shrill semi-"tele" like tone( great for cuttin' through for
staccato hits on a R&B tune), while the other coil will be less shrill ( a
bit more strat like)

For the neck P/U, the coil closest to the neck will have the most warmth and
character, while the other will have a bit more mids and blend with the
middle pickup for a killer strat "quack" combo tone.

I suggest always choosing the (opposite) coil to your other pickups so you
retain humbucking qualities in combo modes, then simply turn the pickup
around to choose the sensing area.

For a 2 humbucker guitar, the combination of the 2 outer coils will be very
"pingy" similar to the 2 pickup tele tone.
The 2 inner coils will be more "quacky" similar to a strat combo tone...
this is what PRS uses for their semi strat quack combo.

I use a single DPDT on/off/on to give me:

neck and/or bridge with inner coils
neck and/or bridge with all coils
neck and/or bridge with outer coils

This is similar to the PRS configuration without the outer coil series
option.

All the combo sounds are humbucking! (if you choose the opposite coils and
turn the pickup around)


There are some very good wiring diagrams avail. on the net at:

www.stewmac.com
www.dimarzio.com

to name just a few

Harry Jacobson
www.surf.to/harryj

[Jim Anable]

Harry J wrote:

> "Jim Anable" <jim@seattle-attorney.com> wrote in message
> news:3F414D91.A4F8785@seattle-attorney.com...
> > JASONST wrote:
> >
> > > When a guitar like Carvin with humbuckers has a coil splitter
> switch(es),
> > > does that mean you can select a pickup to operate like a single coil,
> say as
> > > on a standard strat?
> > >
> > > your comments appreciated
> >
> > Yes. A standard humbucker runs two coils in series in a way that cancels
> hum.
> > If you short one coil to ground, you are left with a single coil.
> >
> > A more usable option might be both coils in parallel. This keeps a single
> coil
> > tone, but retains the humbucking characteristics.
>
> ---------------
>
> From Harry J:
>
> Parallel is close to a single tone,but not the same... lacks definition and
> pick attack... you can get all 3 options... single, parallel and series with
> a single DPDT on/on/on switch.

Wouldn't the switch be DPTT (double pole triple throw)? To be honest, I don't
have a guitar with the single coil AND parallel coil on the same pickup.
Parallel coil is essentially two single coils at the same time, so I imagine you
could get some phase cancellation that could affect attack.

> Choosing which coil is cancelled can alter the tone a good bit.
>
> For a bridge P/U, the coil closest to the bridge will give you a bright and
> sometimes shrill semi-"tele" like tone( great for cuttin' through for
> staccato hits on a R&B tune), while the other coil will be less shrill ( a
> bit more strat like)
>
> For the neck P/U, the coil closest to the neck will have the most warmth and
> character, while the other will have a bit more mids and blend with the
> middle pickup for a killer strat "quack" combo tone.
>
> I suggest always choosing the (opposite) coil to your other pickups so you
> retain humbucking qualities in combo modes, then simply turn the pickup
> around to choose the sensing area.
>
> For a 2 humbucker guitar, the combination of the 2 outer coils will be very
> "pingy" similar to the 2 pickup tele tone.
> The 2 inner coils will be more "quacky" similar to a strat combo tone...
> this is what PRS uses for their semi strat quack combo.
>
> I use a single DPDT on/off/on to give me:
>
> neck and/or bridge with inner coils
> neck and/or bridge with all coils
> neck and/or bridge with outer coils
>
> This is similar to the PRS configuration without the outer coil series
> option.
>
> All the combo sounds are humbucking! (if you choose the opposite coils and
> turn the pickup around)
>
> There are some very good wiring diagrams avail. on the net at:
>
> www.stewmac.com
> www.dimarzio.com
>
> to name just a few
>
> Harry Jacobson
> www.surf.to/harryj

[TuskBuffer]

I'm going to try this diagram on one of my guitars. With 2 push/pull pots,
it will be set up for dual coil tap and reverse phase.

http://www.guitarelectronics.com/diagrams/lpmods/lpmod2.html

This site also has lots of other diagrams for just about everything you can
imagine.
--
You've got the best guitar
You've got the best amp
Now get the best pick!
http://www.tuskbuffer.com


"Jim Anable" <jim@seattle-attorney.com> wrote in message
news:3F425DE6.ACD50E10@seattle-attorney.com...
> Harry J wrote:
>
> > "Jim Anable" <jim@seattle-attorney.com> wrote in message
> > news:3F414D91.A4F8785@seattle-attorney.com...
> > > JASONST wrote:
> > >
> > > > When a guitar like Carvin with humbuckers has a coil splitter
> > switch(es),
> > > > does that mean you can select a pickup to operate like a single
coil,
> > say as
> > > > on a standard strat?
> > > >
> > > > your comments appreciated
> > >
> > > Yes. A standard humbucker runs two coils in series in a way that
cancels
> > hum.
> > > If you short one coil to ground, you are left with a single coil.
> > >
> > > A more usable option might be both coils in parallel. This keeps a
single
> > coil
> > > tone, but retains the humbucking characteristics.
> >
> > ---------------
> >
> > From Harry J:
> >
> > Parallel is close to a single tone,but not the same... lacks definition
and
> > pick attack... you can get all 3 options... single, parallel and series
with
> > a single DPDT on/on/on switch.
>
> Wouldn't the switch be DPTT (double pole triple throw)? To be honest, I
don't
> have a guitar with the single coil AND parallel coil on the same pickup.
> Parallel coil is essentially two single coils at the same time, so I
imagine you
> could get some phase cancellation that could affect attack.
>
> > Choosing which coil is cancelled can alter the tone a good bit.
> >
> > For a bridge P/U, the coil closest to the bridge will give you a bright
and
> > sometimes shrill semi-"tele" like tone( great for cuttin' through for
> > staccato hits on a R&B tune), while the other coil will be less shrill
( a
> > bit more strat like)
> >
> > For the neck P/U, the coil closest to the neck will have the most warmth
and
> > character, while the other will have a bit more mids and blend with the
> > middle pickup for a killer strat "quack" combo tone.
> >
> > I suggest always choosing the (opposite) coil to your other pickups so
you
> > retain humbucking qualities in combo modes, then simply turn the pickup
> > around to choose the sensing area.
> >
> > For a 2 humbucker guitar, the combination of the 2 outer coils will be
very
> > "pingy" similar to the 2 pickup tele tone.
> > The 2 inner coils will be more "quacky" similar to a strat combo tone...
> > this is what PRS uses for their semi strat quack combo.
> >
> > I use a single DPDT on/off/on to give me:
> >
> > neck and/or bridge with inner coils
> > neck and/or bridge with all coils
> > neck and/or bridge with outer coils
> >
> > This is similar to the PRS configuration without the outer coil series
> > option.
> >
> > All the combo sounds are humbucking! (if you choose the opposite coils
and
> > turn the pickup around)
> >
> > There are some very good wiring diagrams avail. on the net at:
> >
> > www.stewmac.com
> > www.dimarzio.com
> >
> > to name just a few
> >
> > Harry Jacobson
> > www.surf.to/harryj
>

[Jim Anable]

TuskBuffer wrote:

> I'm going to try this diagram on one of my guitars. With 2 push/pull pots,
> it will be set up for dual coil tap and reverse phase.
>
> http://www.guitarelectronics.com/diagrams/lpmods/lpmod2.html
>
> This site also has lots of other diagrams for just about everything you can
> imagine.

A couple of suggestions:

As long as you're in there, you may want to experiment with different value tone
caps. Try .010 and .015. They will set the frequency higher, allowing more
mids to come through. Caps are cheap, give it a try.

I'd also suggest the treble bleed cap across the volumes to allow more highs as
you reduce volume, so it doesn't get muddy as you go down to 5 and below on
volume.

On the single coil tap: I recommend VARIABLE taps (pull the knob and it runs
the tap through the tone control, you lose your tone control for single coil but
you can also dial in a bit of humbucking if you want).

I really like the both coils parallel option, retaining much of the single coil
tone WITHOUT the hum. I end up using this much more than my variable single
coil tap.

Another option is both pickups series. That's right, putting both pickups in
series. It give a very high output with attenuated highs.

Have fun!