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

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

Technically, split and parallel should have the same output, but there's a couple different things going on. Remember, two AA batteries in series will be 3-volts. Two AA batteries in parallel will be 1.5 volts . . . exactly the same as one AA battery. But, the two in parallel are capable of twice the current.

So, a humbucker in parallel will be less impacted by the load of the rest of the circuit, but the two coils will also be picking up slightly different string nodes. The outcome is unpredictable. Some people, in some guitars may actually hear parallel as louder, while others will hear split as louder.
 
Re: Series/Parallel/Split Switches - Where Have You Been All Of My Life?

I like split coil for the neck pick up and parallel for the bridge. To me, split humbuckers don't sound quite right at the bridge.
 
Re: Series/Parallel/Split Switches - Where Have You Been All Of My Life?

I usually find split slightly louder than parallel, maybe a 10% to 20% louder.
But the key thing is what our forum mate of A2guitars demoed in his videos.
Parallel moves to treble side the resonance peak and resonance frequency.
So, for really dark humbuckers, parallel is a best choise, while it can be too much for brighter humbuckers, where split will do a better job.
As always in music, it all depends on your complete rig and, to choose one or the other way is just a matter of what are you after.

Independently of tech measures, take into account that human hearing is very selective and, doesn't ears every frequency with the same "willing".
The resonant frequency and peak have been revealed to me as the most interesting measures for pickups, because it determines where your sound will be placed in a mix (band, gig, etc.):
 
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Re: Series/Parallel/Split Switches - Where Have You Been All Of My Life?

I have split switches in most of my guitars but i don't really use them, except with the lace sensor Dually which are really something else.
It's a cool option but in the end most humbuckers don't sound that great when splitted or in paralell.

It's useful to get clean tones though.
 
Re: Series/Parallel/Split Switches - Where Have You Been All Of My Life?

I like parallel and series. In general I dislike split, as unless it is a super high output humbucker, it sounds anemic to me. I am interested in sticking a triple shot on a black winter though.
 
Re: Series/Parallel/Split Switches - Where Have You Been All Of My Life?

I keep confusing all of you guys with those damn Tobias avatars :lmao:
As far as the SPS switching goes I'm actually planning on doing this to a set of pups tomorrow night do good timing on the review. Sounds just like what I'm looking for.
 
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