Disadvantages of split coil vs. regular full humbucker wiring?

[Edward203]

First time I'll be wiring a guitar, going from active EMGs to SD Thrash factor and Sentinent.

Since I'm basically rewiring the whole thing, should I go for the 5 blade switch to have the option to split the humbucker in coils? Are there any disadvantages to do that over the regular full humbucker mode with the 3 blade switch?

If it's going to add noise/ hum or somehow cripple the humbucker I rather just go with the regular setup since I think I will mostly use it as a full humbucker but the other way will make it more versatile I guess. Thanks!

 

[GuitarStv]

Re: Disadvantages of split coil vs. regular full humbucker wiring?

There are more notches on the switch, which I guess could be confusing?


No, you won't get any hum in humbucker mode if you wire it correctly. You might get a little hum when using the split coils (single coils do hum), but it's usually pretty manageable. Having split coils makes a humbucker guitar a lot more versatile.

 

[Edward203]

Re: Disadvantages of split coil vs. regular full humbucker wiring?

Will it lower the output or change the tone of the humbucker in any way? I mean the humbucker in humbucker mode will sound the same regardless of the wiring I chose?

 

[jeremy]

Re: Disadvantages of split coil vs. regular full humbucker wiring?

bucker in bucker mode will sound the same with or with out having the option to split

 

[shadowfire90]

Re: Disadvantages of split coil vs. regular full humbucker wiring?

Going with different blade switches really depends.

With a 3 way blade it's very simple. Even the cheap chinese ones for under 2$ will do the trick. Not as solid feeling (stiff) as say a CRL or similar but it'll do the same job.

if you go with a super 5 way blade it depends on the wiring you go with. I spent about 3 or so weeks on again off again drawing out diagrams to help people luckily. Super 5 way blades can be around twice as much money but the options you get are great. If you're comfortable with a soldering iron and know how to keep it clean to avoid cold solder joints I say go for it.

With one or two push pulls you do get more sounds. However if you're not a fan of the hum you'll get either go parallel or try this PRS mod attached to your coilsplits below
View attachment 103110

As far as output goes blades vs push pull or similar switches it should be all the same. What affects the resonant peak, volume of the guitar and all is the pots and capacitor anyways.

If you do go with a super 5 way blade this is a basic diagram. However if you're after something a little more ambitious I have around 40 diagrams. This is a re-drawn version with seymour duncan pickup color code and their similar style. I drew these myself.
View attachment 103109

 

[Edward203]

Re: Disadvantages of split coil vs. regular full humbucker wiring?

Going with different blade switches really depends.

With a 3 way blade it's very simple. Even the cheap chinese ones for under 2$ will do the trick. Not as solid feeling (stiff) as say a CRL or similar but it'll do the same job.

if you go with a super 5 way blade it depends on the wiring you go with. I spent about 3 or so weeks on again off again drawing out diagrams to help people luckily. Super 5 way blades can be around twice as much money but the options you get are great. If you're comfortable with a soldering iron and know how to keep it clean to avoid cold solder joints I say go for it.

With one or two push pulls you do get more sounds. However if you're not a fan of the hum you'll get either go parallel or try this PRS mod attached to your coilsplits below
View attachment 103110

As far as output goes blades vs push pull or similar switches it should be all the same. What affects the resonant peak, volume of the guitar and all is the pots and capacitor anyways.

If you do go with a super 5 way blade this is a basic diagram. However if you're after something a little more ambitious I have around 40 diagrams. This is a re-drawn version with seymour duncan pickup color code and their similar style. I drew these myself.
View attachment 103109

Thank you!! Great info!! I'll try a less ambitious approach for now. Thinking the regular 5 way blade switch, I'm hoping the JB / 59 or JB / Sentient won't have much humming. I'll post the diagrams I found from Seymour Duncan because I have a question about them, I'll open another thread for that.

 

[BluesIsBlood12]

Re: Disadvantages of split coil vs. regular full humbucker wiring?

I'm a big fan of the PRS method listed above. It doesn't sound like a true single coil, but neither does splitting a humbucker the traditional way. The PRS method produces much more usable tones though, in my opinion. The exception being something with a really hot coil like the 59/Custom Hybrid. That sounds fantastic with the traditional split.

 

[Jack_TriPpEr]

Re: Disadvantages of split coil vs. regular full humbucker wiring?

Will it lower the output or change the tone of the humbucker in any way? I mean the humbucker in humbucker mode will sound the same regardless of the wiring I chose?

In full humbucker mode, no impact. But just a head's up, in split coil mode, there is a noticeable drop in volume, and there will be some amount of hum present due to 60 cycle hum that is inherent with any non-humbucking pickup. If you wire one of the pickup switch positions to combine both splitcoils together you would elminate most of the 60 cycle hum. That combination method would normally be Parallel which sounds somewhat Strat like, but you could also explore combining them in Series, which is thicker and like a virtual humbucker (e.g. a humbucker's two coils are wired together in Series) -but then it would not sound much like a singlecoil anymore.

 

[JB_From_Hell]

Re: Disadvantages of split coil vs. regular full humbucker wiring?

+1 on the PRS setup. It's a little more involved, but about 100x better than the normal split. Having the split option on a push/pull tone knob is way better (IMHO) than a 5 way switch, as well.