(Complex?) Wiring - Coil Splitting

thegummy

Is it possible to set up a 2-humbucker guitar that allows both humbuckers to be selected as normal as well as allowing coil splitting to specific coils?

For example, somehow being able to split to the screw coils then switch to the slug coils?

Essentially I want it the way it as at the moment, which is with a switch that splits to the screw coils but also with the added option of being able to split to the slug coils if I so choose.

Perhaps with a combination of a superswitch and push-pull switches?

Hopefully I've described what I'm after clearly enough.

Cheers.

ICBM

Yes, fairly easy exactly as you describe. You can use either a Superswitch and a pull-switch, or a standard 3-way toggle and two pull-switches - one to select split, and one to select to which coils.

The first switch selects whether the coil-split junction is connected to the second switch, and the second switch selects either hot or ground for the connection.

thegummy

ICBM said:

Yes, fairly easy exactly as you describe. You can use either a Superswitch and a pull-switch, or a standard 3-way toggle and two pull-switches - one to select split, and one to select to which coils.

The first switch selects whether the coil-split junction is connected to the second switch, and the second switch selects either hot or ground for the connection.

Thanks for your help once again ICBM.

I've been looking at the SD wiring diagrams that show how to set up coil splits for either the inner or outer coils and it would involve changing a few wires at once so I can't work out how this would be achieved.

Any chance you could give me a bit more direction?

ICBM

It's just like I said... the coil split junction (red and white wires) go to a switch, which determines if they're connected to something else or not. The something else is the other switch, which selects whether that is the hot or ground connection (black or green) for the same pickup. You're bypassing one coil or the other, or neither if the first switch is off.

You can do this for both pickups at the same time with DPDT switches, which are standard for push-pulls. 

Sesh

I don't have any experience of these but they might be worth consideration:

https://www.thomann.de/gb/seymour_duncan_sts2s_triple_shot_mounting.htm?ref=search_rslt_Humbuckers+rings_227281_0

I've got 2 3p2t switches to do parallel/screwcoil/series for both pickups. It works but it is on a guitar that I didn't mind altering the look.
Guitar electronics.com has lots of free diagrams.

A5D5E5

Sesh said:

I don't have any experience of these but they might be worth consideration:

https://www.thomann.de/gb/seymour_duncan_sts2s_triple_shot_mounting.htm?ref=search_rslt_Humbuckers+rings_227281_0

I've got 2 3p2t switches to do parallel/screwcoil/series for both pickups. It works but it is on a guitar that I didn't mind altering the look.
Guitar electronics.com has lots of free diagrams.

I have the triple shot things on one of my guitars and they are a very neat solution if you rally want maximum flexibility - though in practice I don't know if anyone really needs all the options they provide for two humbuckers.

i would strongly recommend putting them on upside down (with the switches at the bottom) though - I found the micro switches dug into the side of my hand while I was playing with them the "right" way round.

thegummy

Sesh said:

I don't have any experience of these but they might be worth consideration:

https://www.thomann.de/gb/seymour_duncan_sts2s_triple_shot_mounting.htm?ref=search_rslt_Humbuckers+rings_227281_0

I've got 2 3p2t switches to do parallel/screwcoil/series for both pickups. It works but it is on a guitar that I didn't mind altering the look.
Guitar electronics.com has lots of free diagrams.

Funnily enough I actually came across these during my research for this topic and I'm pretty sold on them. If they live up to what I think they are then they will be ideal. Even leaving my push-pull free for a wee phase switch!

Thanks mate.

And thanks to ICBM as well, very knowledgeable and helpful guy.

Sesh

Personally, I prefer the both pickups in series option to out of phase. 

thegummy

Sesh said:

Personally, I prefer the both pickups in series option to out of phase. 

Really? I'd have thought 2 humbuckers in series would be too muddy? I can try both options out. Maybe even add another push-pull knob and have both!

thegummy

I've found this diagram:


Have they made a mistake with that series switch by not connecting two of the lugs together?

ICBM

Yes. The two unused terminals need to be either connected to each other (standard, but least reliable) or one connected to the opposite middle terminal (better), or *both* connected to the opposite middle terminals (best).

olafgarten

ICBM said:

Yes. The two unused terminals need to be either connected to each other (standard, but least reliable) or one connected to the opposite middle terminal (better), or *both* connected to the opposite middle terminals (best).

To clarify, like this?

ICBM

Yes, exactly - just make sure they don't touch each other… the easiest is to just make one straight and the other one a small loop over the top, which is what I normally do.

What you're doing is wiring both halves of the switch in parallel, which eliminates a possible bad contact in either side. The standard way of simply joining both terminals means that a bad contact in one will stop it working.