Series/Parallel/Split Switches - Where Have You Been All Of My Life?

[Agileguy_101]

I installed two series/parallel/split switches for each humbucker in my guitar last night and I finally got everything working after work today. Oh man, so much versatility! My previous assortment of three different pickup combinations now seems incredibly pedestrian. I have so many different choices for the middle position - it's awesome.

I also put a A4 in the neck and an A8 in the bridge of my Pearly Gates set. I've not had much time to play them yet pero mucho gusto. The PG8 in parallel sounds killer - meaty but with a bit of single coil clarity, and the nice punch of an A8.

Lastly, I did up the master tone 50's style. If I recall correctly, this is the first time I've done so. It's very nice, it makes the tone control much more useful. With the tone all the way down, the tone is actually useable.

 

[CTN]

Re: Series/Parallel/Split Switches - Where Have You Been All Of My Life?

I've got a couple of series/parallel switches for the 'buckers in the Jolly Roger, they are very useful, especially the switch for the lil 59.

Don't think I'd ever use split mode though.

 

[DreX]

Re: Series/Parallel/Split Switches - Where Have You Been All Of My Life?

When it comes to usability, I'm willing to pick either parallel or split with the limitation of a push pull pot, because they sound very similar, but then sweetening the split deal is the fact that a push pull can split two humbuckers in one shot, on top of the fact that it's true single coil. Then, I don't really care to mix a series neck and split/bridge, or vice versa, because the difference isn't all that great from just having both series or split at the same time, so all said an done, a single push pull does the trick.

 

[Kais]

Re: Series/Parallel/Split Switches - Where Have You Been All Of My Life?

Absolutely! I have a master series/parallel switch on my explorer, and it makes everything so much more versatile.

 

[Agileguy_101]

Re: Series/Parallel/Split Switches - Where Have You Been All Of My Life?

I've got a couple of series/parallel switches for the 'buckers in the Jolly Roger, they are very useful, especially the switch for the lil 59.

Don't think I'd ever use split mode though.

The Jolly Roger was actually a bit of an inspiration for doing up my Strat the way I did. I thought about just getting an on-on to do series-parallel, but I figured what the hell, if I don't like the split mode it's just one click on the switch more to skip it.

When it comes to usability, I'm willing to pick either parallel or split with the limitation of a push pull pot, because they sound very similar, but then sweetening the split deal is the fact that a push pull can split two humbuckers in one shot, on top of the fact that it's true single coil. Then, I don't really care to mix a series neck and split/bridge, or vice versa, because the difference isn't all that great from just having both series or split at the same time, so all said an done, a single push pull does the trick.

Interesting, I hear a huge difference between split and parallel. Parallel to me sounds like a nice mix of tonalities between series and split. I hear parallel as being like series but a bit leaner in the lows and with that nice top end clarity of a single coil, but with the girth of a series humbucker.

Absolutely! I have a master series/parallel switch on my explorer, and it makes everything so much more versatile.

Do you mean that you have a switch that changes the middle position between series and parallel or a switch that changes both pickups from series to parallel?

 

[DreX]

Re: Series/Parallel/Split Switches - Where Have You Been All Of My Life?

Interesting, I hear a huge difference between split and parallel. Parallel to me sounds like a nice mix of tonalities between series and split. I hear parallel as being like series but a bit leaner in the lows and with that nice top end clarity of a single coil, but with the girth of a series humbucker.

The degree of difference in tone between parallel and split varies depending on the pickup and the position of the pickup, and whether the split gets the coil that's closer or further from the bridge. There is a difference, but it's minute enough in most cases that I'd rather have one or the other for the sake of simplicity.

A long time ago I wired up a stratacopy with a ton of knobs and switches, it did everything, notably series/parallel/split as well as blending, and I realized that unless the changes the switches made were sizeable, they only served to distract from actual playing, because you go from making macro choices to micro choices. On my Strats I still like the option to get B+N and B+M+N because those are entirely different voicings, but beyond that, less is more. Although I would like to make a five pickup Strat with a patch cable type thing some day, just to satisfy my curiosity.

 

[Artie]

Re: Series/Parallel/Split Switches - Where Have You Been All Of My Life?

Options are always good. My two favorite sounds of almost any axe, is to split two HB's as bridge-slug/neck-screw, then run both of those in either parallel, for Stratty quack, or series, for the virtual 3rd humbucker.

 

[Myaccount876]

Re: Series/Parallel/Split Switches - Where Have You Been All Of My Life?

I've used series/parallel switching more for combinations between pickups rather than the actual coils within a pickup. It's worth a try if you haven't given it a shot yet, especially with phase switching. The series and out of phase sound is just so good for solos.

Now I have to find a way to have a series/split/parallel switch for pickups and their coils, take that, and find a way to switch between series/parallel combinations between pickups simultaneously. I've heard it is possible, but I haven't found an effective way of doing it (yet).

 

[Inder_Cine_Mann]

Re: Series/Parallel/Split Switches - Where Have You Been All Of My Life?

Splitting humbuckers is great. Could care less for parallel

 

[Chrisp]

Re: Series/Parallel/Split Switches - Where Have You Been All Of My Life?

Now I have to find a way to have a series/split/parallel switch for pickups and their coils, take that, and find a way to switch between series/parallel combinations between pickups simultaneously. I've heard it is possible, but I haven't found an effective way of doing it (yet).

Whilst waiting for a few more parts to arrive for my Z44 etc., I've been considering switching options using 3 pots and 3 push/pulls. I think this circuit does what you describe.



The left hand sides and right hand sides of switches 1 and 2 act like the triple shot switches working on both pickups at the same time. In split modes a humbucking pair is activated like ArtieToo likes above. This is achieved by wiring the neck pickup inside-out. Switch 3 is the series parallel switch. When pushed the selector works as normal with parallel in the middle position. When pulled the selector is a series or kill switch.

 

[Kais]

Re: Series/Parallel/Split Switches - Where Have You Been All Of My Life?

Do you mean that you have a switch that changes the middle position between series and parallel or a switch that changes both pickups from series to parallel?

yes, a master push/pull that changed both pickups from series to parallel. it's quite fun!

 

[hermetico]

Re: Series/Parallel/Split Switches - Where Have You Been All Of My Life?

Options are always good. My two favorite sounds of almost any axe, is to split two HB's as bridge-slug/neck-screw, then run both of those in either parallel, for Stratty quack, or series, for the virtual 3rd humbucker.

Tele lover, right?
:laughing:

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Series/Parallel/Split Switches - Where Have You Been All Of My Life?

Splitting humbuckers is great. Could care less for parallel

If I'm going to try and make a full size humbucker sound like a single coil, I like the sound split better than the sound parallel. The split sounds seems stronger to me.

But parallel sounds pretty good too, and it's also humbucking - so that's a plus.

None of my guitars with humbuckers have the coil splitting or parallel options though. I removed all that stuff.

I much prefer to keep things simple and just concentrate on playing the music with feeling.

The more options and switches and choices I give myself, whether it's on the guitar or on the floor, the more I feel tempted to tweak and the more I'm tempted to tweak, the more distracted I get from the music itself.

I guess I'm not much of a multi-tasker - and if I want a single coil sound I'll just play my Strat. Sounds about ten times better than split humbucker anyway.

 

[Agileguy_101]

Re: Series/Parallel/Split Switches - Where Have You Been All Of My Life?

The more options and switches and choices I give myself, whether it's on the guitar or on the floor, the more I feel tempted to tweak and the more I'm tempted to tweak, the more distracted I get from the music itself.

I don't get this. When I switch between pickup options (series, parallel, or split) it's because the song calls for that tone. I usually don't need to switch during songs, as most songs are used with either a single coil or humbucker sound. Very infrequently do you see/hear someone using both from the same pickup.

I guess I'm not much of a multi-tasker - and if I want a single coil sound I'll just play my Strat. Sounds about ten times better than split humbucker anyway.

I can't argue with the latter part of your statement - a Strat's single coils definitely sound better than a split humbucker. But I have three guitars for my band, each one in a different tuning (E, Eb, and Drop D) and I sometimes need to get single coil or humbucker tones in any given tuning for different songs.

Personally, it's easy to not let the extra switches distract me if I know when I'm going to use them.

 

[DreX]

Re: Series/Parallel/Split Switches - Where Have You Been All Of My Life?

I don't get this. When I switch between pickup options (series, parallel, or split) it's because the song calls for that tone. I usually don't need to switch during songs, as most songs are used with either a single coil or humbucker sound. Very infrequently do you see/hear someone using both from the same pickup.

Personally, it's easy to not let the extra switches distract me if I know when I'm going to use them.

That explains why I'm OK with a single push pull to just split both humbuckers at once, because any given song is usually all or nothing, and why I don't need both parallel and split, because IMO theyre on the same side of the tone fence.

And I agree with the too many choices issue. It's the same reason big budget movies are often so much worse than low budget movies, which is that it's frequently easier to be creative with more limited means because it keeps your focus where it matters most.

 

[Agileguy_101]

Re: Series/Parallel/Split Switches - Where Have You Been All Of My Life?

It's the same reason big budget movies are often so much worse than low budget movies, which is that it's frequently easier to be creative with more limited means because it keeps your focus where it matters most.

I'm going to have to call BS on that one. Just having a big budget doesn't make a movie inherently crappier. It comes down to the talent behind and on camera, not the money. Example invalid.

Side note - a few people (along with the SD wiring diagram for the S/P/S switch) say that parallel should be lower output than split. I'm not finding that to be the case in my guitar - it's higher output than split, just under series. I don't quite know what to make of this. Any ideas?

 

[DreX]

Re: Series/Parallel/Split Switches - Where Have You Been All Of My Life?

I'm going to have to call BS on that one. Just having a big budget doesn't make a movie inherently crappier. It comes down to the talent behind and on camera, not the money. Example invalid.

Side note - a few people (along with the SD wiring diagram for the S/P/S switch) say that parallel should be lower output than split. I'm not finding that to be the case in my guitar - it's higher output than split, just under series. I don't quite know what to make of this. Any ideas?

OK... it's why the BOOK is often BETTER than the MOVIE.

I also feel that split is lower output than parallel, at least in terms of perception if not decibals.

 

[Chrisp]

Re: Series/Parallel/Split Switches - Where Have You Been All Of My Life?

Do you mean that you have a switch that changes the middle position between series and parallel or a switch that changes both pickups from series to parallel?

No reason why you shouldn't do both.

But not by using the circuit diagram I had here earlier.

 

[MontyAwesome]

Re: Series/Parallel/Split Switches - Where Have You Been All Of My Life?

A lot of people think that parallel is quieter than split because the DC resistance of a parallel humbucker is lower than either split coil (split coil is half the resistance and parallel is a quarter the resistance). They're confusing DC resistance with output, when really it's the inductance measured in Henries that measures output. A humbucker in parallel has about 2/3 the output compared to being in series.

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Series/Parallel/Split Switches - Where Have You Been All Of My Life?

A lot of people think that parallel is quieter than split because the DC resistance of a parallel humbucker is lower than either split coil (split coil is half the resistance and parallel is a quarter the resistance). They're confusing DC resistance with output, when really it's the inductance measured in Henries that measures output. A humbucker in parallel has about 2/3 the output compared to being in series.

It isn't just the output though. The two coils of a standard paf style humbucker will be humcancelling when combined in parallel or in series.