HB Split vs Parallel for clean sounds ?

[IMENATOR]

I dont have on-on-on switches, just on-off so I can either split or parallel the humbuckers in an HH Strat project.

I wont use Split/Parallel for gain, only for clean sounds, either clean channel or crunch channel with volumen rolled back.

Which would you recommend and why?

I cannot find many shootouts that sound good. My concern is as usually Split coils are a little bit thiner than a true single Coil then the Parallel may sound too Thin.

What pickups you ask? Duncan Distortion set: TB-6 and SH-6

[Mincer]

Personally, I like them split better than parallel as a whole. But it is pretty easy to experiment, and worth it, too. Parallel has some advantages here, in that it will be hum-cancelling- important if you use a lot of gain.

[beaubrummels]

For me, in a strat type, I’d do split with a custom, as it sounds very fendery split. With a Distortion, the split sound it’s kinda punk P-90 ish. But parallel the sound isn’t all that different, just a different volume. I don’t worry about the volume drop with split because I’m using it for clean anyway, so the drop let’s me get clean without having a completely different amp channel.

[ArtieToo]

For me, it depends on the pup. A Distortion sounds good split, while an Invader sounds great parallel. No particular rhyme or reason. You just about have to experiment and hear for yourself.

[Synapsys]

Since I nate hum and play with gain, I prefer my humbuckers wired in series / parallel. I do the same wiring on rails and singke coil sized humbuckers.

I also prefer the tone of parallel over split.

Still have two guitwrs with single coils, a Squier Jazzmaster and a P90 equipped Epiphone LP Special, though.

[DonP]

I dont have on-on-on switches, just on-off so I can either split or parallel the humbuckers in an HH Strat project.

I wont use Split/Parallel for gain, only for clean sounds, either clean channel or crunch channel with volumen rolled back.

Which would you recommend and why?

I cannot find many shootouts that sound good. My concern is as usually Split coils are a little bit thiner than a true single Coil then the Parallel may sound too Thin.

What pickups you ask? Duncan Distortion set: TB-6 and SH-6

Can't answer your question because I don't really care about cleans, but I used a Mega E Switch with the Mayhem set in a Charvel 3A. This gives a split in the 2 and 4 positions.

What would Dave do? He'd use the single in between the two humbuckers.

[PicoRiveraTele]

I dont have on-on-on switches, just on-off so I can either split or parallel the humbuckers in an HH Strat project.

I wont use Split/Parallel for gain, only for clean sounds, either clean channel or crunch channel with volumen rolled back.

Which would you recommend and why?

I cannot find many shootouts that sound good. My concern is as usually Split coils are a little bit thiner than a true single Coil then the Parallel may sound too Thin.

What pickups you ask? Duncan Distortion set: TB-6 and SH-6

The thing about a humbucker is you get comb filtering because of the two coils, high frequency cancellations that are periodic, so they still sound bright, but also thin. That's the sound of a Filter'tron. Low inductance single coils are bright too, but they don't have any of that comb filtering, so they sound, and literally are fuller in the treble. So I'd say split sounds better if you like a Fender sound, noise included, parallel if you like Gretsch and need noise cancelling.

I think the most important thing is to have a humbucker with a high inductance to begin with, so that the coils will have a higher inductance when split, or even when wired in parallel. A '59 or similar will sound pretty weak split or parallel because it's a low to medium output pickup when it's wired in series.

[IMENATOR]

What would Dave do? He'd use the single in between the two humbuckers.

This is for an HH guitar, but Dave would appreciate your comment.

[Juanhanglo]

I don't generally split humbuckers unless I combine them in a middle position.

I really like the air norton s in parallel. It gets very single coily.

I can see the thinness thing though. its not a big thing for me.

[zionstrat]

Most of my customers prefer parallel to coil cuts. They keep the humbucking mode and reinforce that comb filtering aspect that is described above. If you take a look at mini humbucker threads you'll see there's a recent discussion.

however when I do is split, it's usually not a full split. It's either spin a split where you can change the amount of the second coil or it's an incomplete split where a little bit of the second coil remains. This retains some of the complexity and a surprisingly large amount of humbucking.

You can do the partial split with a resistor, but most of the time I use a mini pot that remains in the cavity. That way I can play the guitar and listen to the new sound by spinning the pot and some of the best sounds are in the middle of the range. so it's really a spin a split that doesn't change.

If it's an open rear cavity like a Les Paul, I go ahead and wire the mini pot in and simply adjust it from the back.

If the pickups are in the pick guard I use alligator clips to keep the mini pot outside of the cavity until everybody is happy with the setting, I measure the setting in case the pot ever gets bumped, and then I take off the pic guard and finish the wiring.

As you might have guessed, reducing the thickness of humbuckers is one of my favorite mods.

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