Mismatched coils?

Natman

Member
Hi all, I've been wondering about how singnificant it is to have matched coils ona humbucker. Considering that Fralin offer the "unbucker" with a mismatch, what is the audible difference (other than more noise)?
 
Re: Mismatched coils?

Natman said:
Hi all, I've been wondering about how singnificant it is to have matched coils ona humbucker. Considering that Fralin offer the "unbucker" with a mismatch, what is the audible difference (other than more noise)?

Slightly brighter highs and more open/transparant mids. Also if you like splitting the humbucker into a single coil, if you choose the stronger of the two coils you'll get a better single coil tone. Lew
 
Re: Mismatched coils?

Do a search with the word HYBRID and you will find plenty of information in discussions we have had regarding Hybrid Duncans with 2 coils from different Duncan designs.
 
Re: Mismatched coils?

Wow -cool stuff! You guys are insane and I love it! So if I got this straight, some of you guys are saying that hybrids DO NOT HUM. If that's correct, I am going to town with my Invaders... I'm thinking 2 hybrid neck/bridge invaders, using magnet combinations to compensate for output and tone. Of course it's also possible that I'm being a bright-eyed newbie headed for grave disapointment. But what the hey!
 
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Re: Mismatched coils?

Hybrids have some humbucking to them, but not as much as matched coils. HOW much less effective they are at this depends on how different the coils are.
 
Re: Mismatched coils?

Is there a list of known SD production pickups with mismatched coils? I know the Pearly Gates are, and Antiquities (?), any others?
 
Re: Mismatched coils?

Alvin Lee Fan said:
Is there a list of known SD production pickups with mismatched coils? I know the Pearly Gates are, and Antiquities (?), any others?

Those are the two that come to mind...I don't know if there are others. I can't think of any. Lew
 
Re: Mismatched coils?

I would like to say a few things.

-Hybrid pickups are a massive mismatch...in a PAF (or PAF style) you had 2 coils wound with the same guage wire and would pretty close to each other in a hybrid tghe 2 coils are massively mismatched...both in DC and the coils also use different wire.

-It is also a FACT that the farther the 2 coils get from each other to being matched the more noise you do get...this is not my opinion but a fact.
 
Re: Mismatched coils?

You will get more hum with "Unbuckers" but really not much more -- certainly nothing like a true single coil.

I wind mismatched buckers all the time and really don't notice much in the way of increased hum, but then again I don't play with a lot of gain.
 
Re: Mismatched coils?

Alvin Lee Fan said:
Is there a list of known SD production pickups with mismatched coils? I know the Pearly Gates are, and Antiquities (?), any others?


Lewguitar said:
Those are the two that come to mind...I don't know if there are others. I can't think of any. Lew

Learn something new everyday around here.

I didn't realize that Antiquity's were mismatched coils. All of them, or just certain models?
 
Re: Mismatched coils?

As for tone, I like to make mine with about a 0.6k spread -- in favor of the slug coil on the bridge pu, and in favor of the screw coil on the neck.

In both cases you get nearly the ideal combination of P90 top end sparkle with humbucker mids and bass.
 
Re: Mismatched coils?

ArtieToo said:
Learn something new everyday around here.

I didn't realize that Antiquity's were mismatched coils. All of them, or just certain models?

They are, but only because they're wound to vintage specs.

See, back then, there was no counter to count the amount of turns a specific coil had received, it was just an approximation. One coil would end up with more turns than the other.
 
Re: Mismatched coils?

Ok, I hear what y'all are saying. But I'm referring to guys like Jon Moore who offer a 2k difference between coils for the purpose of getting good single coil tones when split. Will that hum like a single (when in humbucking mode)? Those who have a 59/CC hybrid are seeing a 1k difference. How quiet are those?
 
Re: Mismatched coils?

Zhangliqun said:
In both cases you get nearly the ideal combination of P90 top end sparkle with humbucker mids and bass.

Thats almost exactly what I'm looking for! I've noticed that P-90s and single coils always seem to have more character but I love the fullness of humbuckers . . . maybe this is the route to go.
 
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