Inflames626
New member
Hi guys,
I've had a hard time deciding between parallel and split coil wiring. I tend to like split coil for distorted tones and parallel for clean tones.
Most of my guitars are master volume and single tone. I don't want to drill holes in the front for a mini toggle for series/split/parallel. I'm aware of the Triple Shot but I don't want to use it for various reasons (waiting for a four knob guitar so I can do all possible wiring variations with independent settings for each pickup, combine these sounds from each pickup, and also add killswitch, phase, and megabucker options--basically an "everything" guitar).
As a compromise, I have wired my guitars J bass style with each having its own push/pull split master volume.
Based upon my experimenting, I've heard the following, and I'm confirming whether I'm onto something. I've run most of these into my DAW so for you live players my observations on noise reduction may not hold true.
I rationalized this dual master split option would be better than parallel/series for each pickup because I could put the toggle in the middle and get a parallel type sound while still retaining split functionality (in the middle position, the volume for each humbucker seems to drop and thin out like a humbucker wired parallel).
I can get a parallel type sound from the split coils by putting the toggle in the middle position. I couldn't have this with series/parallel.
I can isolate each pickup by turning down the volume to the pickup I don't want, and I can deal with hum from the split coils by playing them both with the toggle in the center position (my understanding is opposite coils, even on different humbuckers, will cancel out hum--it sounds like the hum is dropping but I may be perceiving a volume loss).
These split pickups in parallel with the toggle in the center would also seem to pick up sound from widely spaced points on the string, whereas a humbucker in parallel is only going to pick up sound from points a fraction of an inch apart, which is of limited usefulness.
Ultimately, it's going to depend upon whether it sounds good, but what I'm looking for is to be able to combine the benefits of a split coil and parallel sound. On paper, it looks like this set up has more options than simply wiring each humbucker as series/parallel.
Thanks as always.
I've had a hard time deciding between parallel and split coil wiring. I tend to like split coil for distorted tones and parallel for clean tones.
Most of my guitars are master volume and single tone. I don't want to drill holes in the front for a mini toggle for series/split/parallel. I'm aware of the Triple Shot but I don't want to use it for various reasons (waiting for a four knob guitar so I can do all possible wiring variations with independent settings for each pickup, combine these sounds from each pickup, and also add killswitch, phase, and megabucker options--basically an "everything" guitar).
As a compromise, I have wired my guitars J bass style with each having its own push/pull split master volume.
Based upon my experimenting, I've heard the following, and I'm confirming whether I'm onto something. I've run most of these into my DAW so for you live players my observations on noise reduction may not hold true.
I rationalized this dual master split option would be better than parallel/series for each pickup because I could put the toggle in the middle and get a parallel type sound while still retaining split functionality (in the middle position, the volume for each humbucker seems to drop and thin out like a humbucker wired parallel).
I can get a parallel type sound from the split coils by putting the toggle in the middle position. I couldn't have this with series/parallel.
I can isolate each pickup by turning down the volume to the pickup I don't want, and I can deal with hum from the split coils by playing them both with the toggle in the center position (my understanding is opposite coils, even on different humbuckers, will cancel out hum--it sounds like the hum is dropping but I may be perceiving a volume loss).
These split pickups in parallel with the toggle in the center would also seem to pick up sound from widely spaced points on the string, whereas a humbucker in parallel is only going to pick up sound from points a fraction of an inch apart, which is of limited usefulness.
Ultimately, it's going to depend upon whether it sounds good, but what I'm looking for is to be able to combine the benefits of a split coil and parallel sound. On paper, it looks like this set up has more options than simply wiring each humbucker as series/parallel.
Thanks as always.
