1 Humbucker splitting options

[cragga]

Hi

I have a one pickup (Iron Gear blues engine) 4 wire in the bridge of my les Paul junior. I was wondering if any of the three options below were possible to actually do?

Option 1:
1 volume
1 tone
1 bourns style blend pot : middle/detent - series, blend left - north coil, blend right - south coil

Option 2
1 volume
1 spin a split: series to south coil
1 south coil tone control only (cutting treble of just south coil)

Option 3
1 volume
1 spin a split: series to north coil
1 switch: series to parallel

Many thanks

 

[GuitarDoc]

Re: 1 Humbucker splitting options

Yes, you could do all of those options. You just treat each coil as if it were a separate pup. You could even have a separate vol pot for each coil (which is essentially what you do for spin-a-split), and a separate tone for each coil if you want.

Here's series/parallel:
https://docs.google.com/gview?embed....com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/1H_1VppSP.pdf

Here's spin-a-split (you just need to look at one pup in this diagram, obviously...the diagram for one pup s-a-s wasn't loading properly):
https://docs.google.com/gview?embed...wp-content/uploads/2016/05/2H_3G_2V_2SSPL.pdf

 

[cragga]

Re: 1 Humbucker splitting options

Hi

Thanks for getting back. That’s great thank you.

There was another option, which I know I’ve definitely seen somewhere before but can’t find the right diagram. It’s this:

Spin a split for either north or south coils:

1 volume
1 spin a split
1 dp/dt on/on mini toggle to switch north coil and south coil for spin a split

Any ideas where I can get hold of the diagram?

 

[GuitarDoc]

Re: 1 Humbucker splitting options

I can't draw it out, but follow this explanation:

Number the lugs on the mini toggle like this:
1 4
2 5
3 6

Shunt 1 to 6 and wire that to the jack.
Shunt 3 to 4 and wire that to the spin-a-split.
Red wire goes to 2.
Black wire goes to 5.

When switch is in up position you get full slug coil, and the screw coil going to the spin-a-split pot. When switch is down you get full screw coil, and the slug coil going to spin-a-split pot.

 

[cragga]

Re: 1 Humbucker splitting options

That’s fantastic. Thank you for that.

What I may do is draw up a wiring diagram and then post it here just so you can check I’ve understood?

Cheers
Craig

 

[GuitarDoc]

Re: 1 Humbucker splitting options

Great idea. I'll be glad to check what you finally decide upon.

 

[cragga]

Re: 1 Humbucker splitting options

Great idea. I'll be glad to check what you finally decide upon.

Hi GuitarDoc

I've drawn up a diagram as mentioned yesterday. A bit unsure of some wires and where they go so if you could have a look I'd be eternally grateful.

 

[GuitarDoc]

Re: 1 Humbucker splitting options

There are a couple problems with that diagram.

Assuming that the vol pot is a master volume:

The black coil wire needs to go directly to lug 5 on the switch.
Lug 6 needs to go to the input lug of the M. Vol pot.

 

[cragga]

Re: 1 Humbucker splitting options

There are a couple problems with that diagram.

Assuming that the vol pot is a master volume:

The black coil wire needs to go directly to lug 5 on the switch.
Lug 6 needs to go to the input lug of the M. Vol pot.

Thanks for the advice. Is that the only thing I need to alter? I was also wondering if I’d put the white pickup wire in the correct place?

Many thanks indeed

 

[cragga]

Re: 1 Humbucker splitting options

There are a couple problems with that diagram.

Assuming that the vol pot is a master volume:

The black coil wire needs to go directly to lug 5 on the switch.
Lug 6 needs to go to the input lug of the M. Vol pot.

Hi GuitarDoc

Could you just have a good check of the new amended diagram for me? Just checking a few things:

1. Will the humbucker definitely be in series when the spin-a-split is at 10, no matter which coil is selected?

2. Have I indicated that the white wire is in the right place? (i.e. soldered with the red)?

Many Thanks
Craig

 

[GuitarDoc]

Re: 1 Humbucker splitting options

Yeah, that looks correct afaik. Try it and see if it works properly.

When you only have one coil selected/active, there is no series or parallel. When both coils are active, you will have series (the white and red wires connected give you series). If you ended up with black and red as hot and green and white as ground, you would have parallel.

 

[cragga]

Re: 1 Humbucker splitting options

Brilliant! I will hook it up tomorrow night and give it a try. Thank you for your help with this, especially when I thought it wasn't possible originally. I'll report back.

Very grateful.

 

[cragga]

Re: 1 Humbucker splitting options

Yeah, that looks correct afaik. Try it and see if it works properly.

When you only have one coil selected/active, there is no series or parallel. When both coils are active, you will have series (the white and red wires connected give you series). If you ended up with black and red as hot and green and white as ground, you would have parallel.

Sorry!

Just want to double check one more thing. The DP/DT switch should definitely be an On/On rather than an On/On/On?

E.g.
A. Spin-a-split pot on 10 = series (selecting either up and down on switch should make no difference sound-wise)
B/ Spin-a-split between 0-9 = up on toggle is slug coil on / screw coil blending in/out
down on toggle is screw coil on / slug coil blending in/out

Thank you.

 

[GuitarDoc]

Re: 1 Humbucker splitting options

Yes, DPDT is on-on. You can use on-on-on but you wouldn't use the middle position (it would probably just be dead anyway).

"Up" or "down" on the DPDT switch is all relative. Just rotate the switch 180 degrees to get opposite positions.

 

[cragga]

Re: 1 Humbucker splitting options

Yes, DPDT is on-on. You can use on-on-on but you wouldn't use the middle position (it would probably just be dead anyway).

"Up" or "down" on the DPDT switch is all relative. Just rotate the switch 180 degrees to get opposite positions.

Hi

I’ve wired it up and the screw side spin a split is definitely fading out on one side of the switch, from series to screw coil and working perfectly.

On the other side of the switch when the humbucker is up full it sounds like it’s changing to parallel, but not hum cancelling? Both coils are definitely on and it’s definitely half the output of series, after measuring with a multimeter. There is a noticeable sound difference when the switch is changed when the volume is up full too. Also when it’s on this parallel sounding setting and I turn the spin a split down it goes very thin sounding and I’m not sure it changes to one coil or the other, it just sounds quiet, ice-picky and thin. Out of phase maybe?

The only change that has been made is that I have cross-referenced the wiring colour codes of Seymour Duncan to Iron Gear (which is what I’ve installed). I have checked multiple times that the wire colours have been changed correctly and it definitely has. I have attached the new Iron Gear diagram.

Sorry to trouble you, but hope you can help?

Cheers Craig

 

[GuitarDoc]

Re: 1 Humbucker splitting options

If you switch as you say..."On the other side of the switch when the humbucker is up full it sounds like it’s changing to parallel, but not hum cancelling? Both coils are definitely on and it’s definitely half the output of series, after measuring with a multimeter", The it is actually SPLIT. If it were on parallel the multimeter would read about 1/4 of the full humbucker reading. If you say that both coils are on because they both sound when you tap them with a screwdriver, this is normal.