My guitar already has coil splits on both pickups, selected via push-push switching tone pots. The problem is that activating the split results in a significant volume drop; I'd like to get a single coil-ish sound, but at a level closer to the full humbucker.
I have heard that one way to do this is to modify the wiring so that instead of completely removing one coil, its level is reduced instead. So here I am, soldering iron at the ready, trimpots (4k2 and 10k2, since I don't yet know what value will sound best) ... but where do I put them?
I think the photos below show the wire which, when the split is activated, shorts one coil to ground - in which case I need to splice the pot in series into that wire. Right?
Can anyone tell me whether that's the right place?
Comments
JM build | Pedalboard plans
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
JM build | Pedalboard plans
If it's still doing your head in (and I do understand, it does my head in trying to visualise this stuff based on written/verbal descriptions) might I suggest a different approach to the trim pots?
I've actually done this very mod on my Ibanez Artist just last week and I find it much easier to just have a few different single resistors on and around the PRS recommended values (I've never found the values need to be more than one or two of the standard resistor values above or below those used by PRS).
Make up (or buy) a couple of short wires with small crocodile clips soldered on either end (these are useful for other mods/repairs so keep them somewhere handy) - about 20cm is more than enough length for these. On a strat-style scratchplated guitar you need enough length to trail out from under the 'plate so you can experiment with the plate fitted. Les Paul style rear cavities are much easier to work on.
Then snip the black wire to ground (in your original pics), connect a crocoldile clip lead to each side and then try out various resistors held between the two remaining clips (effectively inserting the resistor into the wire as shown.
When you have found the best value, solder the resistor between the two parts of the snipped black wire.
On my Ibanez Artist I ended up with pretty much the same values as PRS - 1.0k on the neck and 2.2k on the bridge.
JM build | Pedalboard plans
My band, Red For Dissent
So I snipped those black wires and used the croc clips to splice in a 0-4.7k trimpot. Doing that on each pickup in turn allowed me to find values I like the sound of (2.4k for the bridge, 1.5k for the neck). Next time I'm near Maplin I'll pick up some resistors close to those values and solder them in.
JM build | Pedalboard plans
I recently bought a pair of Oil City HBs, plus new pots (2 x 500k volume, 2 x 500k tone w/ push-pull). I also bought a pair of new tone caps and a pair of resistors (1.5k) for partial coil splitting. The only other control on the guitar is a standard 3-way pickup selector.
I took all this to a tech for installation, but it seems to have been wired wrongly:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/CyoxscyNAvpeyaJ86
The coil split resistor has been wired in series with the volume pot
The volume now has almost no effect from 10 down to about 2, then suddenly drops to nothing. The coil split has a larger than expected volume drop, presumably because there is no resistor in the connection to ground when the tone pot is pulled out.
So, I need to take it back to the tech. Does anyone have a (link to) a good wiring diagram for my setup?
JM build | Pedalboard plans
What he’s done has effectively bypassed the volume pots.
The diagram you need is exactly the same as for normal coil splitting, but with the resistors in the split connection.
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
This is the closest I could find (Googling "2 humbuckers 2 volume 2 tone wiring"), but the split is on the volume pot:
https://i.pinimg.com/originals/5d/94/55/5d945562fc919a369b6a2677eddb02e0.jpg
JM build | Pedalboard plans
To be honest, if a tech can’t wire up a standard coil split circuit and add a couple of resistors in the right places, I’m not sure a diagram will help...
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
Two more resistors will be on the way to you before the weekend, but I'd seriously consider changing your tech before he buggers them too! :-)
Formerly TheGuitarWeasel ... Oil City Pickups ... Oil City Blog 7 String.org profile and message
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
I usually push the wired up resistor and the link wires into some clear shrink tube and zap it ... so I have a nice stiff resistor wire to solder into the switch ... six and two threes really.
Formerly TheGuitarWeasel ... Oil City Pickups ... Oil City Blog 7 String.org profile and message
https://i.imgur.com/lfMlaR4.jpg?1