Trembucker or Humbucker?

[animate]

This will be my first time switching out my pickups on my guitar(ibanez) and im confused on whether to buy the humbucker or trembucker version to put on the bridge. ive been told to get the trembucker one, but i just wanna make sure as to not waste time ordering wrong items. Im looking at Mark Holcomb omega pickups if that helps.

[ragamuffin]

Most Ibanezs will be trembuckers, but it really depends on the bridge. What kind of bridge is it? Which model Ibanez?

[animate]

Most Ibanezs will be trembuckers, but it really depends on the bridge. What kind of bridge is it? Which model Ibanez?

Its a fixed bridge and its an Ibanez rgrt621

[JamesPaul]

For high output pickups, it is more about aesthetics than tone.

Still technically you determine using this

https://www.seymourduncan.com/blog/t...vs-trembuckers

[Mincer]

Yes, get out an accurate ruler and measure your string spacing in millimeters. You don't need a tremolo to get a Trembucker- it is all about the measurements.

[GuitarDoc]

It's more about aesthetics than it is about tone. I've got over 50 guitars but probably only 2 have trembuckers, and that's only because they came like that from the mfr. I never put trembuckers in the guitars I make.

[hamerfan]

Yes, get out an accurate ruler and measure your string spacing in millimeters. You don't need a tremolo to get a Trembucker- it is all about the measurements.

Wot Mincer said. If its 51mm and more over the point where the screw coil sits, a trembucker looks better. Whats more of concern, is the length of the feet. None of my vintage standard humbuckers work in any of my strats.

[Mincer]

Also, if it is a hot pickup (like a Custom or JB), it is all about the 'look' more than sound. Even if poles don't line up under strings, it will sound balanced. But many people are bothered by the look of the poles being off. If you are buying a new pickup, just measure to be sure.

[ThreeChordWonder]

My all black 59/Custom hybrid trembucker arrived yesterday.

It's now in my Player Strat alongside two SSL-1 single coils.

I took the opportunity to tweak the rest of the wiring while I was at it.

The wiring uses a 5-way superswitch (a) because the original switch was playing up (b) because I had a superswitch handy but not a regular 5-way and (c) just in case I do an auto coil split in P-2 later.

All 500kohm pots,, 0.022uF caps.. I like a "bright" stratty sound from my strats.

I have three push-pushes in there. I use push-pushes on Strat types because I, for one, can't get enough of a grip on Strat knobs to pull on them.

Volume push-push brings in the neck in P-1, and by extension all three pickups in P-2 and P-4, and neck plus bridge again in P-5.

Neck and bridge tone push-push flips the middle pickup phase.

Bridge Tone push-push coil splits the trembucker.

Sound wise? Just like the 59/Custom regular width humbucker it replaced, all be it possibly with better definition on the E and e. That's purely subjective though, might be wishful thinking.

[ThreeChordWonder]

Today's job is to figure out how I can bring in the neck in P-1 and P-2, but not have the bridge active in P-4 and P-5 when the push-push is left "on".

[ThreeChordWonder]

^ Done (I hope).

Jump the bridge hot to P-4 and P-5 on the same bank of contacts used for auto coil splitting the humbucker.

The common goes to ground.

In P-2 that coil splits the humbucker. In P-4 and P-5 it dumps the bridge hot (black on a standard S-D humbucker) to ground. The cold (green) is permanently grounded, so in P-2 and P-4 both ends get grounded. In P-1 and P-2 the hot (black) doesn't get connected to ground so the humbucker continues to work, dual coil in P-1 and coil split in P-2.

[eclecticsynergy]

Wouldn't it be simpler just to jumper your neck's hot lead to the push-push, then straight to the volume pot?
Basic neck-on mod, leaving all else unaffected.

[ThreeChordWonder]

Wouldn't it be simpler just to jumper your neck's hot lead to the push-push, then straight to the volume pot?
Basic neck-on mod, leaving all else unaffected.

The problem there is that if you forget to disengage the push-push (or push-pull) the neck remains active in P-3 as well as P-1 and P-2. What I'm trying to achieve is an auto disengage in P-3, P-4 and P-5, so I don't have to remember to flip the selector switch AND push the push-push.

[Teleplayer]

The ibanez rgrt621 appears the have the Gotoh GTC101 hardtail. It is 52.5mm string spacing at the bridge saddles. It is right in the middle between Regular Humbucker and Trembucker spacing. If given the choice I always prefer regular humbucker. For the Trembucker, you need to change the pickup ring to the Duncan supplied one, so it could be a mis-matched look.

[ThreeChordWonder]

Right, I hope this makes sense.

Please criticize at your heart's content.

Although I'm not really interested in a career as an electrical draftsman (or even draughtsman back in The Empire), pointing out wiring logic cock-ups is appreciated.

Points in italic I'm not sure about, anything else please advise as well :-)

In P-1 - Add Neck DIS-abled:

Bridge Coil Splits: Red & white >> C-2 >> Dead end
Bridge P/U (1) : ground (green) >> full Bridge humbucker >> hot (black)>> A-1/A-2 >> A-COM >> Volume Pot
Bridge P/U (2) : ground (green) >> full Bridge humbucker >> hot (black)>> A-1/A-2 >> "Add Neck" Push-Push / Blend / Both >> Dead End
Middle P/U (1) : ground (black) >> Middle P/U >> B-2/B-3/B-4 >> Dead End
Middle P/U (2) : ground (black) >> Middle P/U >> B-2/B-3/B-4 >> Mid/Neck Tone Pot In >> D-5 >> Dead End (no short)
Neck P/U (1) : ground (black) >> Neck P/U >> A-4/A-5 >> Dead End
Neck P/U (2) : ground (black) >> Neck P/U >> A-4/A-5 >> D-COM >> D-1/D-2 >> "Add Neck Push-Push / Blend / Both >> Dead End

In P-2 - Add Neck DIS-abled:

Red and white humbucker wires ground via C-2 >> C-COM >> Ground, enabling auto coil split
Bridge P/U (1) : ground (white) >> coil split Bridge humbucker >> hot (black)>> A-1/A-2 >> A-COM >> Volume Pot
Bridge P/U (2) : ground (white) >> coil split Bridge humbucker >> hot (black)>> A-1/A-2 >> "Add Neck" Push-Push / Blend / Both >> Dead End
Middle P/U (1) : ground (black) >> Middle P/U >> B-2/B-3/B-4 >> B-COM >> A-COM >> Volume Pot
Middle P/U (2) : ground (black) >> Middle P/U >> B-2/B-3/B-4 >> Mid/Neck Tone Pot In >> D-5 >> Dead End (no short)
Neck P/U (1) : ground (black) >> Neck P/U >> A-4/A-5 >> Dead End
Neck P/U (2) : ground (black) >> Neck P/U >> A-4/A-5 >> D-COM >> D-1/D-2 >> "Add Neck Push-Push / Blend / Both >> Dead End

In P-3 - Add Neck DIS-abled:

Bridge P/U (1) : ground (green) >> full Bridge humbucker >> hot (black)>> A-1/A-2 >> Dead End
Bridge P/U (2) : ground (green) >> full Bridge humbucker >> hot (black)>> A-1/A-2 >> "Add Neck" Push-Push / Blend / Both >> Dead End
Middle P/U (1) : ground (black) >> Middle P/U >> B-2/B-3/B-4 >> B-COM >> A-COM >> Volume Pot
Middle P/U (2) : ground (black) >> Middle P/U >> B-2/B-3/B-4 >> Mid/Neck Tone Pot In >> D-5 >> Dead End (No Short)
Neck P/U (1) : ground (black) >> Neck P/U >> A-4/A-5 >> Dead End
Neck P/U (2) : ground (black) >> Neck P/U >> A-4/A-5 >> D-COM >> D-3 >> Dead End

In P-4 - Add Neck DIS-abled:

Bridge P/U (1) : ground (green) >> full Bridge humbucker >> hot (black)>> A-1/A-2 >> Dead End
Bridge P/U (2) : ground (green) >> full Bridge humbucker >> hot (black)>> A-1/A-2 >> "Add Neck" Push-Push / Blend / Both >> Dead End
Middle P/U (1) : ground (black) >> Middle P/U >> B-2/B-3/B-4 >> B-COM >> A-COM >> Volume Pot
Middle P/U (2) : ground (black) >> Middle P/U >> B-2/B-3/B-4 >> Mid/Neck Tone Pot In >> D-5 >> Dead End (No Short)
Neck P/U (1) : ground (black) >> Neck P/U >> A-4/A-5 >> A-COM >> Volume Pot
Neck P/U (2) : ground (black) >> Neck P/U >> A-4/A-5 >> D-COM >> D-4 >> Dead End
Mid/neck tone works on both mid and neck because they are connected in parallel by A-COM to B-COM

In P-5 - Add Neck DIS-abled:

Bridge P/U (1) : ground (green) >> full Bridge humbucker >> hot (black)>> A-1/A-2 >> Dead End
Bridge P/U (2) : ground (green) >> full Bridge humbucker >> hot (black)>> A-1/A-2 >> "Add Neck" Push-Push / Blend / Both >> Dead End
Middle P/U (1) : ground (black) >> Middle P/U >> B-2/B-3/B-4 >> Dead End
Middle P/U (2) : ground (black) >> Middle P/U >> B-2/B-3/B-4 >> Mid/Neck Tone Pot In >> D-5 (Parallel Connection to Tone Pot)
Neck P/U (1) : ground (black) >> Neck P/U >> A-4/A-5 >> A-COM >> Volume Pot
Neck P/U (2) : ground (black) >> Neck P/U >> A-4/A-5 >> D-COM >> D-5 >> Parallel Connection to Tone Pot

In P-1 - Add Neck EN-abled:

Bridge Coil Splits: Red & white >> C-2 >> Dead end
Bridge P/U (1) : ground (green) >> full Bridge humbucker >> hot (black) >> A-1/A-2 >> A-COM >> Volume Pot
Bridge P/U (2) : ground (green) >> full Bridge humbucker >> hot (black) >> A-1/A-2 >> "Add Neck" Push-Push / Blend / Both >> D-1/D-2 >> D-COM >> Back to A-1/A-2 (Closed Loop)
Bridge P/U (3) : ground (green) >> full Bridge humbucker >> hot (black) >>A-1/A-2 >> "Add Neck" Push-Push / Blend / Both >> D-1/D-2 >> D-COM >> A-4/A-5 >> Parallel Neck Connection
Middle P/U (1) : ground (black) >> Middle P/U >> B-2/B-3/B-4 >> Dead End
Middle P/U (2) : ground (black) >> Middle P/U >> B-2/B-3/B-4 >> Mid/Neck Tone Pot In >> D-5 >> Dead End (no short)
Neck P/U (1) : ground (black) >> Neck P/U >> A-4/A-5 >> Dead End
Neck P/U (2) : ground (black) >> Neck P/U >> A-4/A-5 >> D-COM >> D-1/D-2 >> "Add Neck Push-Push / Blend / Both >> A-1/A-2 >> A-COM >> Volume Pot
Neck tone pot serves both Bridge and Neck pickups as they're connected in parallel

In P-2 - Add Neck EN-abled:

Red and white humbucker wires ground via C-2 >> C-COM >> Ground, enabling auto coil split
Bridge P/U (1) : ground (green) >> full Bridge humbucker >> hot (black) >> A-1/A-2 >> A-COM >> Volume Pot
Bridge P/U (2) : ground (green) >> full Bridge humbucker >> hot (black) >>A-1/A-2 >> "Add Neck" Push-Push / Blend / Both >> D-1/D-2 >> D-COM >> Back to A-1/A-2 (Closed Loop)
Bridge P/U (3) : ground (green) >> full Bridge humbucker >> hot (black) >>A-1/A-2 >> "Add Neck" Push-Push / Blend / Both >> D-1/D-2 >> D-COM >> A-4/A-5 >> Parallel Neck Connection
Middle P/U (1) : ground (black) >> Middle P/U >> B-2/B-3/B-4 >> Dead End
Middle P/U (2) : ground (black) >> Middle P/U >> B-2/B-3/B-4 >> Mid/Neck Tone Pot In >> D-5 >> Dead End (no short)
Neck P/U (1) : ground (black) >> Neck P/U >> A-4/A-5 >> Dead End
Neck P/U (2) : ground (black) >> Neck P/U >> A-4/A-5 >> D-COM >> D-1/D-2 >> "Add Neck Push-Push / Blend / Both >> A-1/A-2 >> A-COM >> Volume Pot
Neck tone pot serves both Bridge and Neck pickups as they're connected in parallel

In P-3 - Add Neck EN-abled:

Bridge P/U (1) : ground (green) >> full Bridge humbucker >> hot (black)>> A-1/A-2 >> Dead End
Bridge P/U (2) : ground (green) >> full Bridge humbucker >> hot (black)>> A-1/A-2 >> "Add Neck" Push-Push / Blend / Both >> D-1/D-2 >> Dead End
Bridge P/U (3) : ground (green) >> full Bridge humbucker >> hot (black) >>A-1/A-2 >> "Add Neck" Push-Push / Blend / Both >> D-1/D-2 >> Dead End
Middle P/U (1) : ground (black) >> Middle P/U >> B-2/B-3/B-4 >> B-COM >> A-COM >> Volume Pot
Middle P/U (2) : ground (black) >> Middle P/U >> B-2/B-3/B-4 >> Mid/Neck Tone Pot In
Middle P/U (3) : ground (black) >> Middle P/U >> B-2/B-3/B-4 >> Mid/Neck Tone Pot In >> D-3 >> Dead End (No Short)
Neck P/U (1) : ground (black) >> Neck P/U >> A-4/A-5 >> Dead End
Neck P/U (2) : ground (black) >> Neck P/U >> A-4/A-5 >> D-COM >> D-3 >> Dead End

In P-4 - Add Neck EN-abled:

Bridge P/U (1) : ground (green) >> full Bridge humbucker >> hot (black)>> A-1/A-2 >> Dead End
Bridge P/U (2) : ground (green) >> full Bridge humbucker >> hot (black)>> A-1/A-2 >> "Add Neck" Push-Push / Blend / Both >> D-1/D-2 >> Dead End
Middle P/U (1) : ground (black) >> Middle P/U >> B-2/B-3/B-4 >> B-COM >> A-COM >> Volume Pot
Middle P/U (2) : ground (black) >> Middle P/U >> B-2/B-3/B-4 >> Mid/Neck Tone Pot In
Middle P/U (3) : ground (black) >> Middle P/U >> B-2/B-3/B-4 >> Mid/Neck Tone Pot In >> D-5 >> Dead End (No Short)
Neck P/U (1) : ground (black) >> Neck P/U >> A-4/A-5 >> A-COM >> Volume Pot
Neck P/U (2) : ground (black) >> Neck P/U >> A-4/A-5 >> D-COM >> D-4 >> Dead End
Mid/neck tone works on both mid and neck because they are connected in parallel by A-COM to B-COM

In P-5 - Add Neck EN-abled:

Bridge P/U (1) : ground (green) >> full Bridge humbucker >> hot (black)>> A-1/A-2 >> Dead End
Bridge P/U (2) : ground (green) >> full Bridge humbucker >> hot (black)>> A-1/A-2 >> "Add Neck" Push-Push / Blend / Both >> D-1/D-2 >> Dead End
Middle P/U (1) : ground (black) >> Middle P/U >> B-2/B-3/B-4 >> Dead End
Middle P/U (2) : ground (black) >> Middle P/U >> B-2/B-3/B-4 >> Mid/Neck Tone Pot In >> D-5 (Parallel Connection to Tone Pot)
Neck P/U (1) : ground (black) >> Neck P/U >> A-4/A-5 >> A-COM >> Volume Pot
Neck P/U (2) : ground (black) >> Neck P/U >> A-4/A-5 >> D-COM >> D-5 >> Parallel Connection to Tone Pot