Tap that Coil?

[shoestring]

Ok. Here goes...

Coil tap and coil split is not the same (relatively new knowledge to me). Coil split is turning off one half of a humbucker. Coil tap is inserting an extra lead out of a coil to lower the output by lessening the number of windings "in use".

So here´s my idea . It´s possible to wire two singlecoils to a 3way switch. Position 1 operating one coil, position 2 operating the other and position 3 putting them together as a humbucker, tapped to match output to positions 1 & 2 (long sentence finished).

This, I think, would be a very cool way to wire a single pup guitar.

Thoughts any one? Mr. Duncan?

 

[idsnowdog]

Re: Tap that Coil?

Ok. Here goes...

Coil tap and coil split is not the same (relatively new knowledge to me). Coil split is turning off one half of a humbucker. Coil tap is inserting an extra lead out of a coil to lower the output by lessening the number of windings "in use".

So here´s my idea . It´s possible to wire two singlecoils to a 3way switch. Position 1 operating one coil, position 2 operating the other and position 3 putting them together as a humbucker, tapped to match output to positions 1 & 2 (long sentence finished).

This, I think, would be a very cool way to wire a single pup guitar.

Thoughts any one? Mr. Duncan?

Two single coils in series/parallel don't necessarily make a humbucker. You can do what you're suggesting with Lace Sensors or the Stag Mag, but you will have less success with traditional single coils. The trade off is that with a humbucker each of the coils aren't designed to sound good on their own. While wiring two single coils together creates excessive string pull and a mediocre humbucker sound because the coils aren't well matched to create a humbucking sound.

 

[Rich_S]

Re: Tap that Coil?

See: Duncan Stag Mag

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: Tap that Coil?

^
^
This is why I have never got on with the SD Stag Mag in HB/series mode.

P-Rails do a better job. Each single coil has a distinctive voicing. The paired coil combinations are usable.

 

[shoestring]

Re: Tap that Coil?

Ah Idsnowdog. I never knew that. Still... It would be a cool way to wire a single pickup guitar. Maybe it can be done with pups designed to work this way.

 

[idsnowdog]

Re: Tap that Coil?

Ah Idsnowdog. I never knew that. Still... It would be a cool way to wire a single pickup guitar. Maybe it can be done with pups designed to work this way.

I tried putting two single coils back to back and wiring them as a humbucker but together they just ended up sounding mediocre. You might have better luck with pickups that don't use alnico rod magnets.

 

[Davii]

Re: Tap that Coil?

Wouldn't it be necessary to have one single coil as reverse wound/polarity?

 

[AlexR]

Re: Tap that Coil?

These sort of things are great in theory, but this is actually complex in reality....not just the fact that the electronics to get this to work would be tricky, but the winding of the coils to get the taps in the right place could be a long process of trial and error.......assuming that a humbucker of singlecoil strength (or a singlecoil of humbucker strength) would be ideal. And 2 singlecoils close to each other will sound almost precisely the same, hence no real need for being able to select both separately.
Spin a split is perhaps a more user friendly way to do this, but even then its not really close to what you want.

 

[DreX]

Re: Tap that Coil?

So here´s my idea . It´s possible to wire two singlecoils to a 3way switch. Position 1 operating one coil, position 2 operating the other and position 3 putting them together as a humbucker, tapped to match output to positions 1 & 2 (long sentence finished).

Some are saying the result won't sound good, but that's subjective, I think with the right pickup, like a JB, taps in series could sound pretty decent. A lot of people dislike the Stag Mag, maybe coil taps would even make this pickup sound better in series.

Technically speaking, there's nothing unworkable with this idea, and boutique winder make tapped humbucker coils for extra tone options, although this idea might require more than the usual on/on/on 3 way switch, and a custom wound humbucker with taps on both coils. A JB has a good split tone and a good series tone, so that would make for a good base to have customized if you were to do a custom shop order.

I think ultimately it's better to keep as an idea on paper unless you're winding your own pickups and need things to try, but not to pay for, because even though it might sound interesting, you can get close to the same result through simpler means. Someone else mentioned a spin-a-split, if you "spin" it to 50% output, you'll get a half-n-half sound similar to, but not identical to, the humbucker with tapped coils (one full power coil + one loaded down coil as opposed to two split coils). The spin a split is such an awesome mod (especially with the right pot) that it makes me less inclined to try any other humbucker mod.

 

[Edgecrusher]

Re: Tap that Coil?

Two single coils in series/parallel don't necessarily make a humbucker. You can do what you're suggesting with Lace Sensors or the Stag Mag, but you will have less success with traditional single coils. The trade off is that with a humbucker each of the coils aren't designed to sound good on their own. While wiring two single coils together creates excessive string pull and a mediocre humbucker sound because the coils aren't well matched to create a humbucking sound.

Sorry but a lot of this just inst factually true. Wiring 2 singles together doesnt create excessive string pull no more than you would experience normally with a 3 pickup strat or any other configuration.

Riogrande has for years sold pickups that are their take on a vintage strat single coil wired together as a humbucker and they sound great. http://riograndepickups.com/scart/ProductPage.asp?ImageLink=TBHB&ProductName=For+Humbuckings

7.2k is a bit hot for vintage 50's tone purists but its still a great chimey single coil sound that absolutely murders the stag mag. The stag mag is 2 normal shaped humbucker bobbins and uses a metal base plate all which influence the sound and make it sound less like a traditional singe coil. Riogrande uses a nylon baseplate which acts like the fiberboard baseplates of original strat pickups in that they do not influce the eddy currents of the magnets. They also use correctly shaped strat bobbins. As a humbucker it has more clarity and detail than most but is still relatively low output.

 

[orpheo]

Re: Tap that Coil?

@Edgecrusher: All I read is 'nylon baseplate'.

now i'm curious about taking a stagmag, swap the a2's for a5's (or 2x3 a2 and 2x3 a5) and a nylon baseplate. Perhaps I should start looking for nylon sheets or pieces of acrylic I can use for this experiment.

 

[Edgecrusher]

Re: Tap that Coil?

@Edgecrusher: All I read is 'nylon baseplate'.

now i'm curious about taking a stagmag, swap the a2's for a5's (or 2x3 a2 and 2x3 a5) and a nylon baseplate. Perhaps I should start looking for nylon sheets or pieces of acrylic I can use for this experiment.

The earliest Riogrande Barbecue buckers had nylon baseplates, you could possibly find one of those to pilfer for the project. If memory serves the change happened in the year 2000 so before that. The newer ones have more conventional nickle baseplates. Its not a huge effect on the sound but it is there. The only complaint I have had is that they are easy to break the feet off of. But if your creative with epoxy they are easily repaired also.