Help splitting a 3 wire Humbucker

[yldouright]

I gutted a First Act for its single pickup and had a spare 5 way switch so thought of a project but I don't know if the 3 wire leads on the pickup will allow me to do it. My plan is to put this 3 wire pickup in the guitar with a five way switch and try to emulate some strat sounds. See below:

option 1 configuration
switch position 5 (normally neck) standard HB
switch position 4 (neck middle) north coil of HB
switch position 3 (normally middle) parallel HB
switch position 2 (middle bridge) south coil
switch position 1 (normally bridge) out of phase

option 2 configuration
switch position 5 (normally neck) north coil
switch position 4 (neck middle) parallel
switch position 3 (normally middle) south coil
switch position 2 (middle bridge) out of pahse
switch position 1 (normally bridge) south coil with *padded pot
*brightening it up by adding resistance inline

Are either of these configuration achievable with a 3 wire pup? I've done both successfully with four wire pups but never worked with 3 wires and want some advice before I start. From my meter readings it looks like the whole coil is on white, the bare wire is ground and the red is the half point.

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: Help splitting a 3 wire Humbucker

Three con + shield output cable permits series and coil split per pickup and phase reversal and series parallel interconnection between two such humbuckers.

To automate the coil splits and phase reversals in your wish list would require a 24-contact Superswitch.

 

[yldouright]

Re: Help splitting a 3 wire Humbucker

Funkfingers
Thanks for the input but it looks like you missed this was a single humbucker. Why won't the configurations above work with a standard 5 way switch? Can you point me to a schematic to show me the problem?

 

[Artie]

Re: Help splitting a 3 wire Humbucker

The problem is, that a standard 5-way has 5 mechanical positions, but only 3 electrical connections.
A Superswitch has 5 of both mechanical and electrical connections.

 

[yldouright]

Re: Help splitting a 3 wire Humbucker

Artie Too
I've been able to perform this with a four conductor humbucker so I don't quite understand your comment, would you please elaborate?

 

[Artie]

Re: Help splitting a 3 wire Humbucker

Basically, it's the out-of-phase mode that wouldn't work with a standard 5-way. The rest, might be do-able.

 

[yldouright]

Re: Help splitting a 3 wire Humbucker

Artie Too
Thanks, I'll live without out of phase if I can select the individual coils. I've provided the description of the leads above, please tell me in detail what connections to make or attach a schematic if you have one.

 

[yldouright]

Re: Help splitting a 3 wire Humbucker

Okay, what about putting the white on the neck lug, the red on the bridge lug and both on the middle lug and shorting either in reverse on the middle positions on the second set of poles (ex: 0.5-1). Any opinions on this approach?

 

[David Collins]

Re: Help splitting a 3 wire Humbucker

If you're using a single pickup with hot, ground, and split, your options are pretty much limited to standard series or split. You could split to either coil (red to ground will leave you with one, red to white/output for the other), but I honestly wouldn't count on there being enough difference here to make the either/or option worth having. Parallel and out of phase are unfortunately not options unless you want to get in to the pickup and replace the lead from the coils with a 4-conductor lead.

If you really want to fill the extra positions with some useful options, many players could use a kill position, and I'm always keen on things like a .005-.01uf cap fully engaged across the coils for a bit of a mid boost, or a series cap around the .001uf range can be a decent alternative to out of phase to get bit of the low end cut.

 

[yldouright]

Re: Help splitting a 3 wire Humbucker

David Collins
Thanks, everything I am reading seems to corroborate your post when trying to use this one humbucker. I really don't want to mess with those tiny wires so adding leads internally is out. If only north coil, south coil and humbucker are available, what can I do to get some quack? Is there an easy way to change the phase output of one of the coils permanently? In other words, can I make the humbucker operate permanently out of phase. This won't effect the coils when used individually but only when the whole humbucker is active. How many magnets are in the Ibanez V8 pickup? I know some humbuckers have a wide one under both coils but some two narrower ones.