Two humbuckers with split middle position

JimmyO

New member
Hi there,

I have a superstrat with a Dimarzio Super Distortion bridge and Paf 36th neck. Both have four wires for coil splitting. Right now I have them wired to a single volume pot and a 3 way selector with full humbucking in all 3 positions. Do you know if it's possible to wire them for full humbucking in the neck and bridge positions but have them both split in the middle position? That way I can go from full rock to more subtle clean passages. I used to have a push pull pot for splitting all positions but it went bad quick and I replaced with a standard pot as the bridge and neck split on their own were too thin for me.

I couldn't find a wiring diagram, if anyone has one it would be great.

Thanks !
 
Re: Two humbuckers with split middle position

Why not try Artietoo's "Virtual 3rd Humbucker"?

Its pretty simple really. Its just the screw coil of the neck in series with the stud coil of the bridge, to form a "virtual 3rd" humbucker instead of the normal both-humbuckers-in-parallel tone. Its just a bit more refined, clean, and less muddy. You gotta try it. :)

Its like the best part of the neck combined with the best part of the bridge.

Virtual3rd.jpg
 
Re: Two humbuckers with split middle position

Notice that both pickups have the screw coil towards the bridge!
 
Re: Two humbuckers with split middle position

Notice that both pickups have the screw coil towards the bridge!

That's purely an "artistic" mistake. Mount both humbuckers as you normally would.

(I'll fix that diagram.) :)
 
Re: Two humbuckers with split middle position

That's purely an "artistic" mistake. Mount both humbuckers as you normally would.

(I'll fix that diagram.) :)

Really? I always thought thats the way it had to be to get it to work! This has been on my bucket list for some time......I really need to try it out!
 
Re: Two humbuckers with split middle position

That's purely an "artistic" mistake. Mount both humbuckers as you normally would.

(I'll fix that diagram.) :)

Just out of curiosity, what is the component between 2 and Common on the switch, and why?
 
Re: Two humbuckers with split middle position

Could this wiring work with the Gibson SG style 3 way toggle on my guitar, or is it better suited to a fender style 5 way or 3 way blade switch?
 
Re: Two humbuckers with split middle position

Really? I always thought thats the way it had to be to get it to work! This has been on my bucket list for some time......I really need to try it out!

No. The physical orientation of the pickups is irrelevant.

Just out of curiosity, what is the component between 2 and Common on the switch, and why?

Thats the spring that makes the switch "click".

Could this wiring work with the Gibson SG style 3 way toggle on my guitar, or is it better suited to a fender style 5 way or 3 way blade switch?

Unfortunately no. But I'm working on it. ;)
 
Re: Two humbuckers with split middle position

I am interested in this virtual 3rd humbucker, but I can't find any sound files anywhere. Does anyone have a vid posted to youtube or another site that they can share with that middle pickup sound? TIA
 
Re: Two humbuckers with split middle position

Do you know if it's possible to wire them for full humbucking in the neck and bridge positions but have them both split in the middle position?

You could also accomplish that with the "John Petrucci" wiring, using a 3P3T switch as a pickup selector switch. I got this wiring standard in an Ibanez RG620. The diagram of the so called Petrucci wiring is below:

Ibanez - JPM100.jpg


Do mind that the diagram shows DiMarzio humbuckers, you'll need to switch the black and red wires if you want to use it with Duncans (Dimarzio= red is hot, Duncan= black is hot).
Hope this helps! ;)
 
Re: Two humbuckers with split middle position

I actually use this a lot. I like it more than '2 full humbuckers' setting, although I remember having to flip the magnet in one to get either both screw coils or both stud coils in phase and humbucking.
 
Re: Two humbuckers with split middle position

You don't have to pull both splits to ground; one can go to the hot lead.

This way you only have to swap black and green on one pickup and keep the red and white wires together. For each pickup the red/white pair will still get connected to its green wire. You will also have to flip the magnet in one of the pickups.

IMHO it's far less complicated this way.

This is for Duncan wire colors.
 
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Re: Two humbuckers with split middle position

The virtual 3rd humbucker sounds pretty sweet. I don't know if you have space for another knob or not, but on my hh strat I use a master volume and a master spin a split where I can adjust the amount of split in any position. It's great.
 
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