High output humbuckers and coil splitting!

[The Don]

Hey all,

I just have a simple question here, which type of pickup produces the best clean (and to a lesser extent dirty) sound while its coils are split?

I'm almost positive I want a high output bridge pickup in my seven string and also likely a higher output neck pickup and I do want good clean sounds for jazz and blues, making coil splitting necessary IMO. And anyways, hell, the guitar came with a push-pull pot, might as well use it!

The guitar currently has a pair of Duncan Designed HB103's, modeled after the Distortion, and split both pickups sound FANTASTIC. So I'm guessing that high output humbuckers produce a very good split sound - right?

 

[jeremy]

Re: High output humbuckers and coil splitting!

yup, hotter buckers tend to produce nicer split tones due to the fact that if you split a 59 for example you end up with a 4k pup, split a distortion and you get an 8k+ pup
on the other hand, in the right guitar ive had good luck with splitting some lower output pups.
i split the bridge pearly gates all the time

 

[Forbes]

Re: High output humbuckers and coil splitting!

I don't know why, but my Invader (also high output) sounds awesome clean when split with my stock S1 ibanez single coil, the invader when clean is pretty much unusable, muddy with no definition or life to it, but when i split it it sounds jangly and twangy, and for when i want stuff very clean i actually choose that over the lone single coil or neck humbucker.

 

[Robert S.]

Re: High output humbuckers and coil splitting!

When I had a DD set in my LP I liked the split tones alot. With low output HBs I tend to like the pickups split to opposite coils and run at the same time. The cleans are exceptional that way.

 

[korovamilkdud]

Re: High output humbuckers and coil splitting!

I like my Custom split too. Quite stratty.

 

[The Don]

Re: High output humbuckers and coil splitting!

Cool. I'm looking for a good pickup combo for my 7 string and this will sure be taken into consideration!

I was originally going to go with an Air Norton or Jazz in the neck of this beast. A Jazz split would have no output at all and I'm assuming it would not balance well with, say, an SH-5, SH-6, Dimarzio Evo or Blaze Custom (my choices for bridge replacement) split, since those pickups are such high output.

Maybe a Distortion would kick ass in the neck. They do make a 7-string Distortion neck pickup I'm pretty sure. I'm betting that one will be almost as fat as the JB in my Strat but with more midrange. And of course since the clean sound won't be all that great I'll be able to split it and get one similar to the HB-103 I have that gives me a friggin TELECASTER clean tone.

...speaking of pickups etc... I can't seem to find a bridge hummer that suits my needs, I want something with the characteristics of the HB-103 (comparable to a DD right?), retaining the treble bite and output, but with more midrange (like I said this thing sounds scooped especially in the lower mids) and more bass... maybe some brightness too as this is a very dark guitar...

Anyhow, back on topic, if high output humbuckers can be split to give me such Straty/Tele-ish sounds, holy cow... my 3 humbucker Strat with push-pull pots is going to be insane... heh heh heh... ever wonder what a JB in the neck of a Strat would sound like split? Or how bout if positions 2 and 4 will have authentic Strat quack with three split humbuckers? Probably not. But I do...

 

[italic zero]

Re: High output humbuckers and coil splitting!

Personally, I think the Jazz sounds orgasmic split.

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: High output humbuckers and coil splitting!

A Jazz neck or 59N as a neck pickup sound great split. A little thin and weak when used as a bridge pickup.

I think the best split sounds I've gotten from a bridge pickup came from the JB. So I'd say 59N & JB.

Lew

 

[papersoul]

Re: High output humbuckers and coil splitting!

I agree with Robert in that lower output p'ups you get some of the best tones with opposite coils split and in the middle position. The McCarty pickups in my McCarty are too weak for good single coil tones unless combines. Even then it's not like a strat. But, I don't like hot pickups so I guess I'll have to wait to get a strat.

 

[The Don]

Re: High output humbuckers and coil splitting!

I don't quite understand the opposite coil splitting concept being mentioned here... can you describe it a little more in detail?

 

[The Don]

Re: High output humbuckers and coil splitting!

Also - the guitar's a Schecter with a mahogany body/maple top with a set neck ...

I was thinking JB/Jazz at first ( how original ) but I'm afraid the JB doesn't have enough low end for me. An SH-5 or a Blaze Custom seem more up my alley.

That being said, the Jazz seems like it might be a good match -- I do like ultra fat, hot neck humbuckers though, ie the Distortion or the Air Norton.

Bah I don't know. Such few choices and I am laboring so much over it!

 

[Brett Valentine]

Re: High output humbuckers and coil splitting!

I really like the sound of the Alnico II Pro split. The inner lug coil has a bit of that "Stratiness" to it, and the outer coil is warm and . . . "articulate" is the only word I can come up with for the sound. Also, the crisp top end is a nice contrast to the warmth from it in humbucking mode.

Brett

 

[Artie]

Re: High output humbuckers and coil splitting!

I don't quite understand the opposite coil splitting concept being mentioned here... can you describe it a little more in detail?

What they mean is, split both pups, neck and bridge. But make sure your wiring is such, that you have the outside two coils. In other words, the coil closest to the neck, from the neck pup, and the coil closest to the bridge, in the bridge pup. Then, place the 3-way in the middle, and use those two coils together.

Edit: As I say that, it occurs to me that I'm not sure if they mean, those two coils in parallel, (the way the 3-way would connect them), or in series, the way your own switch would connect them. :smack:

 

[mrid]

Re: High output humbuckers and coil splitting!

A split JB in the neck = very stratty!

 

[The Don]

Re: High output humbuckers and coil splitting!

Sweet!

Split DD in the neck = ??

What other high output 7 string humbuckers are worth trying in the neck? ...

A Custom (or JB) / Jazz combo seems to be optimal if I'm looking for versatility.

I'm much more interested in the neck and in-between split sounds than the bridge alone, I rarely use the bridge for clean tones regardless of whether I have a good "clean" pickup in there or not.

 

[Dills]

Re: High output humbuckers and coil splitting!

My custom sounds pretty good split in the bridge too, except its better when you combine it split with the neck, or by itslef for a twangy sound with slight added overdrive.

 

[The Don]

Re: High output humbuckers and coil splitting!

Nice, now I kinda wish I left my SH-5 in my Strat ... I guess I'll know what a split Breed sounds like instead.

As for the 7 string, it seems that the four pickups that come closest to what I'm looking for in the bridge are the JB, SH-5, the Evo, and the Blaze Custom. I'm guessing any of those will split fairly well. As for the neck the Jazz, PAF and Air Norton.

A tech at Dimarzio reccommended a Evo/PAF 7 but the Jazz sounds like a better option in the neck.