HSH output in inbetween positions

C

CB434

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Does anyone have any experience with running full neck or bridge in parallel with a middle single coil, vs running a split bridge or neck with middle single coil and is there a big difference in output or is it a small difference?

I'm trying to choose output for the middle single coil in terms of 6k (vintage strat spec) vs 9k (Ibanez stock middle) vs 12k (Dimarzio evo single).

They all have their own advantages or disadvantages, so it's a hard choice in some ways. The guitar will have a push pull option that can run both options in the in between positions (full HB, or split HB). I like to lower the height of the middle single coil as well, because it can get in the way of picking, so that's another reason why higher output could help. And also a flatter stagger, as the radius of the neck is 16". I've love the vintage tone of a strat SC, but worry that the vintage stagger and low output would make it too low in volume when the height of the pickup is lowered a bit. This made me consider higher output pickups, but otherwise.. a vintage tone is preferred.

I was thinking about the SSL-2 flat, which is 6.5k and would balance well with the split HBs, and have good vintage tone. But then when the guitar is in full HB mode, how much higher would the output be when it's combined with both neck coils in parallel? I have no experience with this.

Does anyone know if the SSL-2 flat is south top polarity? Or is the RWRP version south top?
 
HSH output in inbetween positions

I have HSH and the middle pickup is always going to be a compromise- I also have coil splits, so the way I have set the middle pickup higher than the humbuckers so when the HBs are split the middle is slightly louder, and when full humbucking the middle is slightly quieter. I also split using a 4.7k resistor which has less volume loss as a small amount of signal from the cut coil is leaked back in series with the active coils.

I don't know about the pickups you have but in mine they are boutique pickups that the winder changed the polarity of the wires so lucky for me magnetic polarity was the same - all I had todo was swap wires to ensure everybody was in phase.

I could flip magnets, these are basically like 2 single coils in series, i.e. The HBs have 12 alnico pole magnets as opposed to a bar magnet under the poles....


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Re: HSH output in inbetween positions

Parallel vs coil split with resistor, the former is still humbucking the latter still has a bit of hum but some is cancelled. The latter is also louder.


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Re: HSH output in inbetween positions

Thanks for your reply.

I think I'll try SSL-2 to start with and see how it goes from there. It's quite simple to switch something else in but there's a chance it could be perfect. The flat polepieces kills a little bit of highs apparently but this guitar will have 500k pots. I also just read that it has quite strong magnets and needs to be lowered to sound good, which is exactly what I want, so that the middle pickup stays out of the way of hitting the pick. It could be exactly what I am looking for in terms of vintage tone with flatter polepieces. I will email SD directly to double check which version is south top polarity.
 
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