full output or not

[TeleJr24]

I have a JB humbucker in the bridge of one of my guitars and, similar to one of the other posters here, I am not getting really good pinch harmonics.

I've read somewhere that with tone controls, you are always sending some of the signal to ground. On my guitar I did the spin-o-split wiring where you can use a tone pot to control the amount of split. I'm doing this with both my neck and bridge pickups and I like it a lot. I can dial in any amount of split I want from full humbucker to split coil mode for the single coil sound. At least I thought I was going full humbucker with the knob at 10.

Am I actually sending some of the signal to ground with this control and therefore never at 100% humbucking mode. And if so, will this account for my not being able to get really good pinch harmonics?


Hmmmm...

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: full output or not

IMO, pinch harmonics have more to do with the wood on the guitar, especially when you're using a pickup that is known for great harmonics, like the JB. If you're having difficulty pulling off pinch harmonics, it's one of these things.

Soft body wood or neck wood that robs the string of energy.
You need a truss rod adjustment, so the neck is straighter, with less bow.
Your hardware is too cheap and kills sustain.
You're not using enough gain to make artificial harmonics jump off the neck.
Your technique is not developed enough.

 

[TeleJr24]

Re: full output or not

Thanks Gearjoneser, I don't think it is any of the top four because the guitar is pretty solid and I have plenty of gain. I did just switch my strings to 10's from 9's. Would my technique have to be any different?

So you're saying that the split coil knob has nothing to do with pinch harmonics and the output of the JB?

 

[Artie]

Re: full output or not

Keep in mind that a "pot" is simply a variable resistor. Its one of two components that are used to consrtuct the function that is a "tone control". A capacitor is the other part needed. If you've removed the cap from the tone control pot, its no longer a tone control - regardless of what the knob says.

If you have it wired as a spin-a-split, then thats what it is. Now, having said that, the spin-a-split function does send a tiny amount of one coil's signal to ground, but its a very small amount. It should be negligible.