humbucker splitting using tone knob

fingerace

fingerace

New member
so i read and understood what the splitting lets you do and i like it ! the problem is that my guitar has one tone knob! what happens when only one pickup is used? does it work like a normal tone knob?? (it should) !! and how is the wiring going to be (after the splitting modification) if both pickups use the same tone knob ??

thank you very much for your time...
 
Re: humbucker splitting using tone knob

If both pickups use the tone knob, that would mean that the pickups are wired first to the selector switch, then to the tone. Therefore, I don't see why you can't wire a split without affecting your tone knob.

Could you more specific on the control layout of your guitar and what controls you intend to use to select the split?
 
Re: humbucker splitting using tone knob

http://www.seymourduncan.com/support/sum96tip.shtml this is what seymour suggests for the wiring of the split...

and this i believe is the standard way for wiring a 2 humbucker 3 way 1 vol 1 tone guitar: http://www.seymourduncan.com/support/schematics/2hb_1vol_1tone_3way.html !!

i did not look into my PRS Santana SE series to see the actual wiring (i trust the wiring is the same although i know i have a ground wire on the tromolo... the standard wiring does not include a tremolo wire but i dont believe it will affect anything)

all i am asking is if this will affect the pickups when they play by their own... and if it will, how can i wire in order to make things correctly.......
 
Re: humbucker splitting using tone knob

The coil split function in a push-pull tone knob works as an entirely different circuit to the tone potentiometer. The tone pot will work exactly as it has always done as long as you get the right resistance range (and taper).
I did this mod to my PRS CU24, took out the 5-way rotary and turnid it into the /McCarty wiring' version. Much happier with it now.
 
Re: humbucker splitting using tone knob

I think what fingerace is refering to is the spin-a-split mod. That converts the tone control to the splitting function. When you do that, you no longer have the tone control.
 
Re: humbucker splitting using tone knob

ArtieToo said:
I think what fingerace is refering to is the spin-a-split mod. That converts the tone control to the splitting function. When you do that, you no longer have the tone control.
Click to expand...

:smack: Now I get it. Guess I should refrain from posting until I've been awake a few hours :chairfall
 
Re: humbucker splitting using tone knob

Nah . . . I do my best work when I'm half asleep. :D
 
Re: humbucker splitting using tone knob

thank you artietoo !! so i no longer have the tone knob working as a regular tone knob !!!
therefor the tone will always be full ? oh... not good...
i would like to have a split pickup woking by itslef with 0% of the other one (therefor having a single coil)...

BUT i want my tone knob !!

is there a way to still have it working as a normal tone knob (when one humbucker is active) even after the split Modification? or am i asking for too muck ??
 
Re: humbucker splitting using tone knob

Why not read my post above then, and replace your tone pot with a push-pull one? Then you can get coil split without losing the function of the tone knob.
 
Re: humbucker splitting using tone knob

fingerace said:
is there a way to still have it working as a normal tone knob (when one humbucker is active) even after the split Modification? or am i asking for too muck ??
Click to expand...

You can do it, depending on which style of 3-way you have. A Fender 3-way will work, and an "Alco-style" will work, but an LP style won't.

What kind of guitar/switch is it?
 
Re: humbucker splitting using tone knob

thank you al heeley... i didn't realise that you actually did this.... now i get it... the hard thing is that in my country i cannot find anyone to do it for me... so i ll have to order the push-pull pod from the internet... and to it my self !!!
anyways... i ll think of something....

Al heeley... do you have that McCarty schematic ?? that's the one i ll have to copy, right ??
 
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Re: humbucker splitting using tone knob

can anyone tell me in general lines what to do with the push pull wiring... i ll understand i know some electronics...
 
Re: humbucker splitting using tone knob

fingerace said:
i found the schematic from the PRS website... is that the one ?

http://www.prsguitars.com/csc/schematics/mccarty.gif


oh and... which humbucker do i split preferably??? neck ??

and the guitar is an LP style.... its a Santana PRS SE series...
Click to expand...
Yep, thats the schematic.
This splits both pups at the same time. So you can then choose with the normal 3-way toggle selector which pup, neck, bridge, or both, to hear, and those 3 can be either hum or split. Thats 6 tones altogether. It works well. Just need to replace the tone pot with a push-pull one and rewire according to the schematic. You can also see suitable alternative schematics for this set up on SD's own schematics pages.
http://www.seymourduncan.com/support/schematics/2hum_vol_tone_3way-w-split.html
 
Re: humbucker splitting using tone knob

Worth having a look at this too:
wdu_hh3t11_04
 
Re: humbucker splitting using tone knob

Get a concentric pot. That way it takes up one space but you can wire the spin a split and the tone knob.
 
Re: humbucker splitting using tone knob

ok this was prety helpfull... thank you guys... one last question...

http://www.music123.com/Allparts-500k-Push-Pot-i79625.music

this pot will work just fine wont it??

please excuse my many questions and the explanations that i need... its just that i want to do things right !

btw i will work with the pic named: PRS McCarty model style guitar... only...

i just need to know the capacity of that CERAMIC (i guess) capacitor... is it 0.022 MICRO farrats or is it 0.047 MICRO farrats ???
 
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Re: humbucker splitting using tone knob

that push-pull pot looks fine.
either cap will work, it will just alter the bassiness of the tone zero position. I never have any tone pot set lower than 6 anyway so for me, either cap will not make that much difference.
 
Re: humbucker splitting using tone knob

oh and something else... that picture has pickups with 5 wires... SD have 4 wires !! what's wrong with that ?!?!

and yet another question: can i remove the knob (the plastic with the numbers i mean) from the old pot and put it on the new pot ?
 
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