Humbucker wiring - coil split AND parallel?

DiscoStu · April 2023

Single humbucker guitar with a single volume pot and nothing else. Is there a way to upgrade the pickup and pot and have the options of splitting it and also having it in parallel without adding any extra switches or a second pot? I can't have a Tripleshot pickup surround either as the pickup is screwed through the pickguard.
I'm just wondering out loud at this point!

ICBM · April 2023

With just one push-pull pot, you can only have one switch function - so you can have series and either split or parallel, but not both.

If you could find a dual-gang push-pull pot you could do it using the second part of the pot as a progressive split, but I’m not aware of any.

Personally, I don’t really see the point - split and parallel do sound different, but not hugely so. If your priority is hum cancellation, use parallel… if it’s a true(ish) single coil sound, use split - possibly partial with a resistor.

Funkfingers · April 2023

Series/split/parallel requires a DP3T on-on-on switch to select between the three modes.

One thing that would work electrically (but might not be the most fun to use) is a stacked dual concentric push-pull pot. MEC/Warwick make them.

The upper pot in the stack serves as volume. The lower pot in the stack serves as variable coil split. The push-pull switch selects between series and parallel modes.

The sad truth is that the most immediately playable approach involves an additional hole being made somewhere in the guitar top.

DiscoStu · April 2023

Cheers guys. I thought as much but thought there might be clever bit of electrickery to allow it.
It's my Hello Kitty Strat so don't want to make any holes.

Funkfingers · April 2023

DiscoStu said:

Hello Kitty Strat

Well, in that case, you need:
1) a white humbucker of high output
2) a good quality volume pot
3) nothing else

An EMG-81X will absolutely rock. You might prefer an -89X. Its push-pull pot would give the -SA X sound when pulled upwards.

Duncan Blackouts For Metal are available in white. These can be wired to a push-pull pot for a second, even louder, mode!

Fishman Fluence might also have a model to suit your tastes. Many of their humbuckers are available singly for the bridge position.

DiscoStu · April 2023

Aye I've got a shortlist of possible pickups for it but haven't pulled the trigger yet. It needs to be passive though.
SD JB / Invader

DiMarzio Super Distortion

BK Warpig

Iron Gear Hammer Head / Metal Machine / Steam Hammer

roberty · April 2023

I managed to do this on a three way Mustang switch. Split and parallel are not meaningfully different enough for it to be worth having both

Imo if you have enough switch terminals then just wire for parallel. If you're doing two pickups on one DPDT then splitting is your only option

I might use a fixed resistor to change the sound of the coil split on mine

This is how I did it (Seymour Duncan colour codes):

DiscoStu · April 2023

Cheers @roberty but that won't work for me. This is the Kitty and I don't want to add anything extra to it, I want to change the pickup and pot to add a single coil type option without changing the layout. So I reckon I'll go for a coil split for a more Stratty sound as well as the full brutalz of the humbucker.

ICBM · April 2023

Yes, I would do that. If you use a really hot pickup you can get a nice single-coil sound without bothering with the resistor - personally, I would use a Duncan Invader because it then makes the Kitty into a Tom Delonge Strat, which sound great - split, the Invader sounds like a Rickenbacker High-Gain pickup. But other options/tastes are available…

Bear in mind you need an uncovered pickup or you’ll have to modify the pickguard.

roberty · April 2023

@DiscoStu that's so cool. I'm guessing you'll want a white pickup to match the guitar. I have a few humbuckers in the drawer including some of the ones you mentioned but they are either cream or black and would ruin the look

The Iron Gear Steam Hammer and Metal Machine are pretty good but I've been a little underwhelmed by them when compared to DiMarzios etc. Haven't tried the Hammer Head

The Tone Zone is really good, chuggy and punky, I think it would suit this sort of guitar. More attitude and not as smooth as a typical high output pickup. But that's just me thinking out loud :-)

Funkfingers · April 2023

DiscoStu said:

This is the Kitty … I want to change the pickup and pot to add a single coil type option without changing the layout. So I reckon I'll go for a coil split for a more Stratty sound as well as the full brutalz of the humbucker.

In that case, I suggest the Duncan SH- or TB-16 '59/Custom Hybrid. Split to the stud coil for a passable single coil.

The old Duncan The Mag would give a better Fender sound but, possibly, compromise the humbucker. The Oil City Brass Knuckle works on similar principles. I don't know whether Ash could be bribed to build a white one?

The Duncan P-Rails would work. Split to the P90 coil for killer blues and slide noises.

ICBM · April 2023

Funkfingers said:

The Duncan P-Rails would work. Split to the P90 coil for killer blues and slide noises.

The P-Rails won’t fit in the pickguard cut-out, unfortunately.

DiscoStu · April 2023

I'm keeping it as simple as I can!

Jonathangus · April 2023

Strat knobs on push-pull pots are not great. I'd look at a push-push instead.

Dave8 · April 2023

Jonathangus said:

Strat knobs on push-pull pots are not great. I'd look at a push-push instead.

Agreed

Sporky · April 2023

What'd be good for this sort of thing is a stacked pot and rotary switch.

How about having a single coil sized humbucker and a single coil on a shared baseplate?

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Humbucker wiring - coil split AND parallel?

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