Humbucker with 2 tappable coils...

[Pierre]

Well we all know that SD can't do mismatched coils. But they do offer tapped single coils. Would it be thinkable to do a humbucker, with both coils tapped at the same place? The coils would the same, and they could be sold with a miniswitch or 2 to tap each coil individually. That would release certain frequencies and give a whole other sound. I believe it's doable, though it'd probably be expensive and I doubt there's a huge market for it. But just an idea nonetheless. I'm just wondering if it is possible at all.
Here's how it'd work. You'd have 2 active (hot) wires per coil, plus the other 2 wires from a standard bucker. You could have like black + white stripped, black, red + white stripped and red for instance. The tapped wires would go to the switch. It's not OVERLY hard to figure and to wire I guess.
Just call me silly if it is

 

[jeremy]

Re: Humbucker with 2 tappable coils...

ive thought about this before and tried to have someone do it. no one has done it successfully for me and the people that i think could do it, wont have any part of it. im sure it can and has been done but i can tell you that it is a huge pain in the backside.

 

[Scott Miller]

Re: Humbucker with 2 tappable coils...

Mj has done this for people in the past. It is totally do-able, but also totally nerdy. Let me know if it works out so I can order one for for my nerdy self.

 

[Artie]

Re: Humbucker with 2 tappable coils...

Funny you should mention this. I've got some "notes & doodles" here on exactly that subject. I have a tapped SSL-3 on the way, and I'm thinking of ordering another. Thinking of putting them together to make an SH-33 Stag Mag variation. SH-33 for three reasons:

1. Its two SSL-3's
2. A Stag Mag is an SH-3
3. It's 33k. (More or less.)

If I assemble them together into a bridge humbucker, I've counted around 24 different ways to connect it - (by itself).

I'll let you know how it turns out.

Artie

 

[Pierre]

Re: Humbucker with 2 tappable coils...

Thanks everyone. Artie, 33K? WFD should like that
I'm really interested myself. If you used the Custom as a base (let's say 7.2K per coil) you could tap each coil at 4K, a nice in between position. If one of the coils is wired to a 3 way mini, split/nonsplitseries/tapped, and with another mini wired as tapped/non tapped you could have SO many fun sounds. The 4K would be very Stratish, though hotter (Strat... Texas Blues anyone?), the 4K coil + other coil would probably give a more singing voice to it, the full on power will be the fantastic pickup that the Custom is...

DAMN I wish I could wire my own. That is a VERY tempting thing to do.

 

[Zhangliqun]

Re: Humbucker with 2 tappable coils...

Pierre, it can be done. Jon Moore made one for me with the screw coil tapped. I decided that I liked the Spin-A-Split better for the variety of tones I was looking for out of the pickup, but such things are obviously subjective.

Try out the Spin-A-Split first. But if it's something you seriously want, PM me, I may be able to help you.

 

[Pierre]

Re: Humbucker with 2 tappable coils...

Thanks Zhang, right now though I have no money available for such a project. It was just something I was wondering, and it'd seem like a fun project for whoever does try it one day.

New GAS: pickup winding machine or drill + materials

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Humbucker with 2 tappable coils...

Well we all know that SD can't do mismatched coils.

Sure they do! The Pearly Gates is one...

 

[Pierre]

Re: Humbucker with 2 tappable coils...

Oh I had no idea... Doesn't DiMarzio have it licenced? So I guess that means SD have to pay them to use the idea then right? Or was the PG created before the patent and therefore SD is allowed to continute the production?

 

[Artie]

Re: Humbucker with 2 tappable coils...

Oh I had no idea... Doesn't DiMarzio have it licenced? So I guess that means SD have to pay them to use the idea then right? Or was the PG created before the patent and therefore SD is allowed to continute the production?

I don't think you can patent, or trademark, normal production line tolerances.

They may have some sloppy equipment. (Nod, nod, wink, wink.)

 

[Aceman]

Re: Humbucker with 2 tappable coils...

I don't think you can patent, or trademark, normal production line tolerances.

You wouldn't think they would patentDouble cream either, but they did -WHy do you think Oreo had to call them double stuff!

 

[hamerfan]

Re: Humbucker with 2 tappable coils...

Tapping the Custom would be a great idea. But a Ceramic magnet Humbucker with 8k would be overkill in highs. I would think of a A8 or even or A3 or a A2.
Next thing is that the Custom use the higher resistance 43 AWG instead of the 42. So i think the taps should be in the 10k or more overall resistance in a Custom.

 

[Pierre]

Re: Humbucker with 2 tappable coils...

Eh maybe... It could work for any pickups really. The Custom to me is just at the right place between 'vintage' and 'modern' so I figured it could be popular for this kind of things. I can't wait to see if someone will want to try it out!!

 

[Zhangliqun]

Re: Humbucker with 2 tappable coils...

Tapping the Custom would be a great idea. But a Ceramic magnet Humbucker with 8k would be overkill in highs. I would think of a A8 or even or A3 or a A2.

Next thing is that the Custom use the higher resistance 43 AWG instead of the 42. So i think the taps should be in the 10k or more overall resistance in a Custom.

The highs would be even worse than that, because a coil with #43 wire wound to 8k wouldn't sound anything like an 8k with #42 wire -- the #43 coils would be much more narrow and would have less mids and lows. Taps at 10k would get you closer to an 8k #42 wire sound.

Overall, Spin-A-Split is your best bet.

 

[Pierre]

Re: Humbucker with 2 tappable coils...

Mhmm I just had a look at the spin a split diagram. What does it do exactly? Gradually split coils by increasing or decreasing one coil's output? When both volumes are on 10 does it produce the exact same tone as without the controls, or is there as always a slight bleed in output and treble?