Any easy way to equilize output when coil cutting?

[wildman923]

Have a HSS E-series Squier strat that's due for some surgery. In stock configuration it has a coil cut wired in. I currently have the pickups setup where the output is even on the singles and the coil cut. The side effect is the humbucker overpowers the other pickups something fierce. I'm trying to find a way to normalize these two settings.
Have been thinking of using a 3p3t mini toggle to have two seperate feeds with the coil cut going to the main volume pot and the humbucking out to a piggybacked pot (adjusted to normalize the output) between the two.

TLDR; how would tandem (piggybacked) 250k volume pots effect tone of a humbucker?

[wildman923]

Re: Any easy way to equilize output when coil cutting?

Here's a quick schematic of what I'm thinking:

[Zhangliqun]

Re: Any easy way to equilize output when coil cutting?

What about just a stompbox EQ insead?

[wildman923]

Re: Any easy way to equilize output when coil cutting?



Not sure why the previous image didn't attach, but this image is what I'm thinking for the wiring. I thought about a stomp box but it wouldn't help out with the HB overpowering the singles. Luckily my strat already has three toggles from the factory so I'll only need to wire in is the 3p3t toggle in place of the DPDT currently connected to the HB.

[ArtieToo]

Re: Any easy way to equilize output when coil cutting?

You could always do an auto-L-pad. This is an idea I had quite some time ago, but I've never tested it. No reason for it not to work though. There's no rocket-science here.



You can also do it with a simple SPDT switch.



That last diagram shows the resistor values depending on whether you're using a 250k or 500k pot.

[Empty Pockets]

Re: Any easy way to equilize output when coil cutting?

when i first installed a humbucker in my Strat and it was way louder than the single coils, I was all, "Oh sweet! Built in boost!"

[wildman923]

Re: Any easy way to equilize output when coil cutting?

You could always do an auto-L-pad. This is an idea I had quite some time ago, but I've never tested it. No reason for it not to work though. There's no rocket-science here.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]38119[/ATTACH]

You can also do it with a simple SPDT switch.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]38120[/ATTACH]

That last diagram shows the resistor values depending on whether you're using a 250k or 500k pot.

So rather than using a pot, your thinking of soldering in some resistors to even the output. Two paths to the same result. Best question is how would either of these options effect the sound (besides the intended lowered volume) that the pickup puts out.

[ArtieToo]

Re: Any easy way to equilize output when coil cutting?

I'm not sure what you mean by "rather than using a pot". You keep the volume pot. In the 1st diagram, it's just one resistor.
A simple -3db or -6db L-pad. When you go to the full-bridge position, the L-pad comes into play, equalizing the volume. It shouldn't affect the pickup characteristics at all. Thats the whole point of an L-pad. It's invisible to the circuit except for the voltage drop.

[darthphineas]

Re: Any easy way to equilize output when coil cutting?

when i first installed a humbucker in my Strat and it was way louder than the single coils, I was all, "Oh sweet! Built in boost!"

that's what I'm talkin' 'bout.

[GuitarDoc]

Re: Any easy way to equilize output when coil cutting?

The main purposes of having a humbucker instead of the single coil is to get a thicker more powerful tone...a boost to tone and output. If you don't want that why not replace the humbucker with a single coil?

I don't get why you want the hummer instead of the single, but then you want to cut down the hummer to be like a single not a hummer.

[GuitarDoc]

Re: Any easy way to equilize output when coil cutting?

I want to buy a car with a V8 instead of a little 4 cylinder engine. But I want to put a governer on the V8 so it will only go as fast as the 4.

There must be some logic to this. I just can't find it.

[wildman923]

Re: Any easy way to equilize output when coil cutting?

I'm not sure what you mean by "rather than using a pot". You keep the volume pot. In the 1st diagram, it's just one resistor.
A simple -3db or -6db L-pad. When you go to the full-bridge position, the L-pad comes into play, equalizing the volume. It shouldn't affect the pickup characteristics at all. Thats the whole point of an L-pad. It's invisible to the circuit except for the voltage drop.

My idea is to use an extra volume Pot to decrease the output. That's what I meant with "Rather than using a pot".

I want to buy a car with a V8 instead of a little 4 cylinder engine. But I want to put a governer on the V8 so it will only go as fast as the 4.

There must be some logic to this. I just can't find it.

Speed isn't what I'm going for with this build ... the growl of the engine is what I'm going for. V8 has a deeper growl (humbucker), 4 cylinder has a noticeable wine (single's). In essence I'm trying to adjust the mufflers whereas the deep growl doesn't obnoxiously drown out the tailored wine of the 4 cylinder.

When going for speed I prefer the "0" Piston turbocharged 13B rotary I have sitting in my miata ... 400hp + 2k lb car = ear to ear grin for days.

[ArtieToo]

Re: Any easy way to equilize output when coil cutting?

My idea is to use an extra volume Pot to decrease the output. That's what I meant with "Rather than using a pot".

Ah, I see what you mean. Yes, you could use a pot, wired as a rheostat, in place of my resistor. That way, you'd have auto-L-pad and you could tweak the level to your preference. Should work great.

[wildman923]

Re: Any easy way to equilize output when coil cutting?

Ah, I see what you mean. Yes, you could use a pot, wired as a rheostat, in place of my resistor. That way, you'd have auto-L-pad and you could tweak the level to your preference. Should work great.

That's what I'm hoping. My main concern with this is how it will effect the sound. Will tandom 250k pots (both at full for example) have the same effect of a 500k pot and dampen the high end?

[GuitarDoc]

Re: Any easy way to equilize output when coil cutting?

That's what I'm hoping. My main concern with this is how it will effect the sound. Will tandom 250k pots (both at full for example) have the same effect of a 500k pot and dampen the high end?

If anything, it will be just the opposite...the 500k increases high end (compared to 250k), not dampens it.