Coil splitting or series/parallel?

[ItsaBass]

Hello,

I'm about to undertake a wiring project. I'm taking out the stock wiring from my Dean ML. It has two Super Distortions and a V/V/T setup. I'm going to a 1 meg volume pot, putting in two 500K push/pulls, and converting to a V/T/T setup. Also, I'll be lowering the cap value (and, of course, going to two caps instead of one).

I had originally planned to use both push/pulls for coil splitting. Now I am thinking that I might rather do series/parallel on one or both pickups.

I'm curious what you all think about the tone of one coil alone vs. the tone of both coils in parallel. How would you describe the differences?

Thanks.

 

[Guston7]

Re: Coil splitting or series/parallel?

For me, it depends on the pickup. Some have an almost worthless split sound, and some are pretty darned good. Most HB's, though, I have found to have a very usable parallel sound. But, why settle for just one or the other? With just the 2 push-pulls you mentioned, you can get both parallel & split sounds in addition to the standard series.

 

[darthphineas]

Re: Coil splitting or series/parallel?

agreed.

depends on the pup and the application. I've gotten workable tones out of both. so yeah, wire it up for both.

 

[ItsaBass]

Re: Coil splitting or series/parallel?

I'm thinking of it as one or the other because I want to have independent control of each pickup. I usually wouldn't want both pickups split at the same time, or both pickups with coils in parallel at the same time.

 

[Guston7]

Re: Coil splitting or series/parallel?

I'm thinking of it as one or the other because I want to have independent control of each pickup. I usually wouldn't want both pickups split at the same time, or both pickups with coils in parallel at the same time.

Then there is no pleasing you.

Just kiddin'. In that case, I would personally go for parallel...especially for the bridge pickup. Very few p'ups sound good split to me in the bridge position. And, obviously, you get the bonus of parallel being hum-free. You could try split for the neck & parallel for the bridge while maintaining independent control? Once you've got it converted to V/T/T w/the 2 push-pull pots, it's not hard to try it one way, then switch to the other.

 

[Gypsyblue]

Re: Coil splitting or series/parallel?

I've had guitars with two humbuckers and all three options for both pickups. Both the split and parallel sounds are weaker in most humbuckers than the sound from most good regular Strat type single coils. The parallel setting was slightly weaker than split but it was humbucking. But being weaker than split, I rarely used the parallel setting. I did use the split setting and, IMO, that setting sounded best when both pickups were combined. If it was my guitar, I'd might go for just the split and series.

 

[MojoMonster]

Re: Coil splitting or series/parallel?

Series/parallel.
Why deal with noise if you don't have to?

 

[idsnowdog]

Re: Coil splitting or series/parallel?

I have everything wired for series/parallel. I have never found a HB that I like split.

 

[dkal24]

Re: Coil splitting or series/parallel?

Bridge series/parallel and neck series/split. I have a Tele with GFS Lil Punchers wired like this and it sounds great.

 

[tourettes]

Re: Coil splitting or series/parallel?

Split gives an interresting result with HB having unmatched coils. The hot coil gives a strat like tone while the weak coil gives an incredibly thin sound that keep clear any hard driven tube amp, for aerial arpeggios.
My vPAF neck is an incredible pickup for this, parallel gives a tone really close to the HB, just a bit less output, but paired with middle it gives the best quack.

 

[RayBarbeeMusic]

Re: Coil splitting or series/parallel?

Series/parallel.
Why deal with noise if you don't have to?

That. After years of splitting humbuckers, I'm finding that I like parallel at least as much tone-wise and infinitely better noise wise. There are a few exceptions but that is mostly the case.

 

[Gypsyblue]

Re: Coil splitting or series/parallel?

Why deal with noise if you don't have to? Because nothing that bucks the hum sounds like a real single coil. Nothing. Besides, splitting gives a stronger tone than parallel.

 

[RayBarbeeMusic]

Re: Coil splitting or series/parallel?

Because nothing that bucks the hum sounds like a real single coil. Nothing.

First of all, not true in the case of some noiseless singles, unless you consider an out of tune note between Bb and B to be charming. I don't.

That said, it is true that SPLITTING a humbucker will NOT sound like a real single coil. Even a slugbucker or similar design. Never mind the differences in construction between 1 coil of a humbucker vs. a single coil, but even if you plant two singles right next to each other as a humbucker, the proximity of one pickup's magnet interferes with the other and splitting the result is not the same as one coil all by it's lonesome.

 

[aleclee]

Re: Coil splitting or series/parallel?

IME, parallel sounds more like an Stratty in-between position where split sounds more like a single coil. If working with push/pull pots (as opposed to 3-way mini toggles), I think dkal24 has the right idea.

 

[MojoMonster]

Re: Coil splitting or series/parallel?

Honestly, it depends on what I'm using the guitar for.
If it's a high-gain/high volume setup with distortion pedals, I use series/parallel.
If it's a low-gain/medium volume setup where I'm tending to use mostly clean or light amp distortion, I will use splits.
What I care about is the noise floor.
If I'm using dirt pedals to get my crunch I don't want to deal with pickup hum.

If you really want to test this out, get yourself a pair of Triple Shots.
Excellent tool for determining what works best for you with your setup.