One more time -coil tap N vs B?

Natman

Natman

New member
Hey guys,

I've done lots of wiring experiments in the past 10 years or so, but one thing has me confused still to this day:

-ARE Duncan N and B humbuckers wired the same way?

The reason I ask is because all the diagrams seem to show 1 humbucker only, so should we assume that the color codes are identical?

If so, then we are cutting the SOUTH coil ONLY when we do a coil tap, ie. the SLUG coil on B pickup stays active and the SCREW coil on N pup stays active?

Please clear it up for me cuz I've messed this up on at least 2 guitars and get phase issues with both pickups on...

Thanks!
 
Re: One more time -coil tap N vs B?

They are wired the same as one another, as in North Coil = Slug and South Coil = Screw. However, neck and bridge are generally flipped from one another in physical orientation so doing a standard coil tap (grounding the red & white) leaves the North (or slug) coil on and cuts the South (or screw) coil. For the Bridge pickup that means that the upper coil is left on, and for the neck pickup that means the lower coil is left on (or the inner coils). Does that help? :D
 
Re: One more time -coil tap N vs B?

Yes, and I was right to be concerned! The SD diagram is for bridge pickups only! They really should mention this somewhere.
So I'll just swap the wires for the neck pickup.

Thanks dude
 
Re: One more time -coil tap N vs B?

I ran into the same confusion at one point because of that same diagram. If you're looking to reverse the split, just connect the red & white to hot instead of to ground. That will cut the North coil and give you just the south. I like having one of each so they're noise-cancelling together.

Just think in terms of slugs & screws... that's what I do to keep 'em straight!
 
Re: One more time -coil tap N vs B?

BriGuy1968 said:
I ran into the same confusion at one point because of that same diagram. If you're looking to reverse the split, just connect the red & white to hot instead of to ground. That will cut the North coil and give you just the south. I like having one of each so they're noise-cancelling together.

Just think in terms of slugs & screws... that's what I do to keep 'em straight!
Click to expand...

Alright so just to make 100% certain: aLL Duncan SCREW coils use GREEN & RED wire while the SLUG coils use WHITE & BLACK (regardless of which position)?

Thanks again!
 
Re: One more time -coil tap N vs B?

You have to worried about phase too.

And the diagram is for all pickups regardless of position. Why is cutting to the slug coil on the neck suddenly 'wrong' or incorrect in your eyes.
It is 'right' in that (in both cases) you cut to the coil that exhibits the least weaknesses associated with the pickup in its position. The bridge can be harsh and shrill, the slug coil contains less treble and more mids. The neck is often muffled and boomy, the slug coil gives more treble and less woof of the 2 coils.
 
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Re: One more time -coil tap N vs B?

pr you can always wire them to split and add a phase switch.. depending on if the pickup is in phase or out of phase would determine what coil is on is a coil split
 
Re: One more time -coil tap N vs B?

AlexR said:
You have to worried about phase too.

And the diagram is for all pickups regardless of position. Why is cutting to the slug coil on the neck suddenly 'wrong' or incorrect in your eyes.
It is 'right' in that (in both cases) you cut to the coil that exhibits the least weaknesses associated with the pickup in its position. The bridge can be harsh and shrill, the slug coil contains less treble and more mids. The neck is often muffled and boomy, the slug coil gives more treble and less woof of the 2 coils.
Click to expand...

In my humble opinion, cutting to single coils should emulate Fenders and the screw coil is under the 24th fret harmonic, which is a node and contributes to the distinct sound of both teles and strats. The slug coil is just far enough away to lose that. This is my only reason! There's nothing wrong if it sounds good and floats your boat, but in my experience split humbuckers need all the help they can get! On the bridge pickup, the screw coil is so close to the bridge that it's sensing a part of the string that barely moves, so there's less vibration and consequently less output. Therefore slug coil is best on bridge pickups. YMMV
 
Re: One more time -coil tap N vs B?

Well, my YMMV part is 'split humbuckers sound nothing like anything fender has ever put out - so you might as well go for the slug to make it less wholly annoying and get a more balanced tone.'
Tbh, I have given up on split - its a very poor tone even when you don't try and compare to a nice singlecoil, and take it on its own merits. Even parallel is poor until you get into higher output pickups. Then the series sound suffers.

Pure singlecoil or nothing. YMMV
 
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