Lil 59 volume drop not like my others

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Dungoe_ed

New member
Hello all some questions about a setup I just finished. It's a PRS SE Custom 24 with 85/15-S (import) neck and bridge currently, but I routed in a Lil 59 in middle position, put in a 6 way switch and 3 toggles for partial splits. Was trying to get a middle humbucker that would be something like a Super 2, but would actually fit in there. So went with the Lil 59 neck on my routed spot. DiMarzio tech said just stick a Super 2 in without a pickup ring, but wanted it to look clean should I ever part with it.

All my prior efforts have been with toggles, but just neck and bridge. And I always do partial splits with resistors and have good success. Just to note the bridge and neck split is nice, volume drop is not really noticable in this one, but the middle Lil 59 is drastic.

I always run 1.2k neck split and 2.3k bridge split. This time I piggy backed off the neck toggle using the same 1.2k resistor leg as my ground. Could that be the problem? Should I cut the ground link and add in another 1.2k specifically for the Lil 59? I know I could just try it, but don't want to mess up the current wiring effort if that's not a logical solution.

This is what I currently get:

Neck = 7.6k full split = 4.7

Lil 59 = 9.4 full split = 5.5 ( thought if neck toggle is in split mode when only using middle I get a drop to 5.3 when split on the Lil 59)
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Bridge = 8.2 full split = 5.4

(The other 9 pickup selections don't matter because they are naturally lower usually down in the low 4ks)

Other option, if I need to run a dedicated resistor to the Lil 59, I could use something above a 1.2k and get it up to 6.5 range.

Current Lil 59 split sounds good or interesting, but the Vol drop is a pain. Again never had if like this with Super 2s or with these import 85/15.

Note, I can go up with the Lil 59, but that just boost the sound overall then pick and string refracting off the pickup top gets funky, unless you use that sound to add to the dynamic of it all.

Also, not to thrilled with the 85/15 bridge, so may try a A3 or A4 and if not, maybe grab a SH-1b and then just put an A2 in it. I have a lot of various magnet.

Thanks for any thoughts/input.
 

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Is the split Little 59 in phase with the other split pickups? I know that by itself, a split Little Humbucker isn't really a great sound (to me, and a few of us here)...it tends to sound better in parallel.
 
i agree the lil 59 sounds better in parallel. ive done partial splits before, but never shared a resistor. not sure if that would be an issue or not
 
Thanks for the input guys
It's in phase and wired so the series join is the split on the toggle with North coils being the active splits. I did south coils on my Garcia tone DiMarzio Super 2 PRS, but this one I was trying to copy the PRS Eagle II style guitar.

Last night found it just sounds better being the full pickup by itself like y'all said. Or using it with the neck or bridge and letting those split. Especially combo with the bridge and letting the bridge split. It's just too much the two combined and sitting so close.

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Yes I jumped the 1.2k from the middle pickup toggle thru the neck toggle to the Vol pot. The two toggles closest together in that photo.

Thinking maybe I should just snip the link and try a 3.2k from that middle toggle to ground. See if I can get the partial split up to 6-6.5k more strat like. I'll try that tonight when I switch to 11-50s with a 18w G. Have 10s on it now, as that's what I had on hand when I routed the top out the other day.


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I also found more volume drop when single-coil sized humbuckers are used with coil-split wiring. It can vary from model to model, but that is totally normal. I tried with the Duncan Coolrails, and it wasn't really satisfactory IMO.

It's definitely better to use separate resistors for each pickup partial split. Even if the resistors are the same value, it allow eachs toggle switch to work independently.
 
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Here's my results. Tried various resistors and pushed it up to 6.7k, but then looking at my Lindy Fralin Vintage Hots on my strat; I get 6.0 neck and middle, so went down to a 2.2k resistor and got 6.1k split from the full 9.4k on the meter. I was hoping for something more when I tried it in three different amps, but well not much improvement.

With adjusting the pickup I can get the sound to not dropoff as drastically, but it's so so. Still drops, so after a lot of playing this evening, the Lil 59 in the middle is best to not split as y'all said. Just use it full on its own or full in combo with splitting other pickups.

Thanks to all for the input. Was a good little project, didn't turnout exactly as I thought it would. But it's a fun guitar to sit and play, so this one may stick around.

Thxs Ed
 
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