Humbucker split, which coil is active?

[Van B.]

Hi guys,

I am a new guy here though I have been lurking quite much this forum and I have found lots of useful information. I have tried to use search but it is obvious that I couldn't use right words. Now I have a question for all of you who have used much more Duncan gear what I have.

The problem is following: If I have understood right way, the HSS configuration with Duncan standard pickups has RW/RP SC in the neck, regular SC in the middle and trembucker in the bridge.

If the middle pickup is standard SC like SSl-1, which coil from trembucker will be active when splitted and coworking with SC? Slug coil or screw coil?

Probably no big deal with tone but I would like to know.

Thank you.

Yours

Van B.

 

[cakire82]

Re: Humbucker split, which coil is active?

Welcome to the forum. I believe this will make everything more clear to you.

http://www.seymourduncan.com/support/wiring-diagrams/schematics.php?schematic=coil_splitting

 

[Van B.]

Re: Humbucker split, which coil is active?

Thank you very much of your answer. I checked the diagram but I am afraid that it don't solve my problem.

I would like to know which one of the trembuckers coils, slug one or the screw one is RWRP against the regular SC in the middle position so I can get the hum free tone when the middle SC is active and the trembuckers other coil is active as well.

 

[gunslinger]

Re: Humbucker split, which coil is active?

Grumpy's right. For example on a JB the green and red coil gets turned off. Which is the one with the pole-pieces.

 

[tone4days]

Re: Humbucker split, which coil is active?

welcome to the forum

the most complete answer is that either can be selected - it just depends on whether you short out the black/white coil or the red/green coil ... it is determined by how it is wired

t4d

 

[idsnowdog]

Re: Humbucker split, which coil is active?

Technically either coil can be active when split, the screw-coil or slug-coil. What you are looking for when combining two pickups like a single-coil middle and a split humbucker is that the two coils are out of phase series. Or in other words +-/+-. The electrical phase of the pickup is determined by which direction the copper was wound on the coil, clockwise or counterclockwise.

Different manufacturers wind coils in different directions and some offer middle pickups which are reverse wound to cancel hum when used in the 2/4 positions of a 5-way switch. Phase problems can be tricky and it takes trial and error to get them correct unless you know the phase of each pickup before hand.

The good news is you can reverse your positive and negative leads to change the electrical phase of the pickup, so I wouldn't get hung up on the idea that certain colors need to go to certain places or that certain coils need to be used in combination. However the best thing to do is print off the diagram, map out any differences in color scheme due to manufacturer or phase and then experiment until you get the phase relationship correct. Remember that if you need to reverse wires for the middle to get it to sound correct with the bridge you also need to reverse the neck because changing the phase of the middle has a cascade effect on the next two positions on the switch.

 

[Van B.]

Re: Humbucker split, which coil is active?

A big thank you for all of you guys. I guess the problem is solved.

Yours

Van B.