Wire two single coils in a humbucker slot in bridge?

[thehtm]

I saw this on youtube and thought it was interesting - in effect, what it looks like the guy is doing in wiring two single coil pickups (fralin split blade) next to each other in the bridge position, using one that is a lefty pickup. Has anyone ever tried this? If I have a set of pickups would I just need a push/pull pot and a lefty pickup If so, could you play either one of the two pickups in the bridge separately or in series?

Kind of a cool way to get a bucker sound from a set of pickups where that is currently not available - any advice that folks have is appreciated! Thanks!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9qCLc2TuBNI

 

[Sanford]

Re: Wire two single coils in a humbucker slot in bridge?

Seems like a cool idea. I wouldn't mind trying something like a pseudo H-H setup using a lil 59/lil screamin demon in the neck and another pair of SC sized hummers in the bridge area. I'd probably combine that with a 4 way switch and 2 mini toggles. Figure roughly $320 to $400 worth of pickups depending on models used.

 

[jafo]

Re: Wire two single coils in a humbucker slot in bridge?

Cool idea; makes me wonder why more people don't like the Stag Mag!

 

[cakire82]

Re: Wire two single coils in a humbucker slot in bridge?

Isn't this how PRS 513's work. They 5 single coils (HSH) and 13 tones possibilities.

 

[LReese]

Re: Wire two single coils in a humbucker slot in bridge?

I've never been totally satisfied with a humbucker - wished the stag-mag was more like 13K rather than 16K (From memory). I'm not too big on hotter bridge pickups, even single coils.

In my humbucking equipped Strat - I'm trying out Tom Anderson the HF1+ in a few days. Next step will be a single coil, Maybe an Antiquity I, which works well in the bridge against '54 style pickups in the neck/Middle, IMO.

 

[dominus]

Re: Wire two single coils in a humbucker slot in bridge?

The reimported MusicYo/Kramer had the QuadRails in the late 90s.

 

[Laughing Kookaburra]

Re: Wire two single coils in a humbucker slot in bridge?

DMZ used to have something like that, forget the name. It was a Chopper and a Fast Track 1 together. I thought it was a great idea, but it was discontinued before I could try one.

 

[jafo]

Re: Wire two single coils in a humbucker slot in bridge?

That is. The 513 has 5 single coils. Neck and bridge have two single coils that are wired in series, parallel or "splitted" (that is, to select just one).

Didn't the 513 at one time use coil taps, not parallel humming? ISTR a few interviews in which PRS himself said that, but I wouldn't bet anything substantial.

 

[uOpt]

Re: Wire two single coils in a humbucker slot in bridge?

If you mean Fender-style single coils with rod magnets, that really doesn't work well (assuming you use RWRP, otherwise nothing works).

The rod magnets right next to each other cancel each others magnetic field. The magnetic field if the rod magnet pickups is much narrower than in a magnet-at-bottom humbucker. The humbucker has one magnet that makes a wide round field and it gets a focused by the passive magnetic rods and screws.

You can easily test this by picking up a Music Man Morse and play with the height of the neck humbucker. The neck single coil's sound (with the neck humbucker off) changes dramatically. And that's combining one humbucker and one single coil to close to each other. It'll be worse with two rod magnet single coils.

 

[Gingrel]

Re: Wire two single coils in a humbucker slot in bridge?

If you mean Fender-style single coils with rod magnets, that really doesn't work well (assuming you use RWRP, otherwise nothing works).

The rod magnets right next to each other cancel each others magnetic field. The magnetic field if the rod magnet pickups is much narrower than in a magnet-at-bottom humbucker. The humbucker has one magnet that makes a wide round field and it gets a focused by the passive magnetic rods and screws.

You can easily test this by picking up a Music Man Morse and play with the height of the neck humbucker. The neck single coil's sound (with the neck humbucker off) changes dramatically. And that's combining one humbucker and one single coil to close to each other. It'll be worse with two rod magnet single coils.

Then how does the stag mag work?

 

[uOpt]

Re: Wire two single coils in a humbucker slot in bridge?

Then how does the stag mag work?

According to those who tried it - it doesn't.

I does what we describe here but apparently suffers from the same problems. People seem not to like it much.

 

[Gingrel]

Re: Wire two single coils in a humbucker slot in bridge?

According to those who tried it - it doesn't.

I does what we describe here but apparently suffers from the same problems. People seem not to like it much.

Fair enough... I'd prefer to have P-Rails anyway tbh

 

[GuitarDoc]

Re: Wire two single coils in a humbucker slot in bridge?

Actually, speaking from experience, the Stag Mag isn't such a "bad" PU. In humbucker mode it lacks some clarity and bite...typical of a hummer, but even more so. In single coil mode it sounds really quite good, like a true single coil PU (which it is).

I can combine the split StagMag with my '57n and it sounds very Straty, as in position 2 and 4.

 

[kavoo]

Re: Wire two single coils in a humbucker slot in bridge?

Hi,

I have a similar situation so I'll hook up my question here - since I have found this discussion in google, there's no need to start another thread.

I want to upgrade my Fender strat to be - metaphorically speaking - two guitars in one: HSH for some heavier tones and SSS for some blues/Gilmour-style playing. So I figured out a 5-pickup combination in a HSH pickguard with following pickups:
BRIDGE: DiMarzio DP182 Fast Track 2 + Seymour Duncan SSL-5
MIDDLE: Fender CS 69
NECK: DiMarzio DP218 Super Distortion S + Fender CS Fat50

Both configurations (HSH and SSS) selectable with S-1 Switch.

My question is - will single pickup fit the humbucker slot with single sized humbucker? All those pickups have (don't know how to name it) a sort of triangle shaped plate on one side (where the wiring comes out), so this could be a technical problem placing them closely enough to fit standard humbucker slot. If so, is it possible to install the humbucker in reverse position, so those "triangles" will be outside? Will it affect humbuckers tone (I know that it will in single coil pickups)?

 

[uOpt]

Re: Wire two single coils in a humbucker slot in bridge?

Hi,

I have a similar situation so I'll hook up my question here - since I have found this discussion in google, there's no need to start another thread.

I want to upgrade my Fender strat to be - metaphorically speaking - two guitars in one: HSH for some heavier tones and SSS for some blues/Gilmour-style playing. So I figured out a 5-pickup combination in a HSH pickguard with following pickups:
BRIDGE: DiMarzio DP182 Fast Track 2 + Seymour Duncan SSL-5
MIDDLE: Fender CS 69
NECK: DiMarzio DP218 Super Distortion S + Fender CS Fat50

Both configurations (HSH and SSS) selectable with S-1 Switch.

My question is - will single pickup fit the humbucker slot with single sized humbucker? All those pickups have (don't know how to name it) a sort of triangle shaped plate on one side (where the wiring comes out), so this could be a technical problem placing them closely enough to fit standard humbucker slot. If so, is it possible to install the humbucker in reverse position, so those "triangles" will be outside? Will it affect humbuckers tone (I know that it will in single coil pickups)?

No. This neither fits nor will it sound the way you want because the magnetic fields of the pickups will interfere with each other.

 

[kavoo]

Re: Wire two single coils in a humbucker slot in bridge?

because the magnetic fields of the pickups will interfere with each other.

Even if only one of those two pickups in humbucker slot will be working in that praticular moment and other will be completely cut off? I thought that pickups are electromagnetic devices and they produce magnetic field only when electric current flows through them...

 

[Aceman]

Re: Wire two single coils in a humbucker slot in bridge?

Quad Rails, Stag MAg, P-rails…..and who knows how many people like use doing it the hard way.


It has been done before freestyle and production. Results vary - as will your taste. Give it a try. Could be a loser or it could be a winner!

 

[uOpt]

Re: Wire two single coils in a humbucker slot in bridge?

Even if only one of those two pickups in humbucker slot will be working in that praticular moment and other will be completely cut off? I thought that pickups are electromagnetic devices and they produce magnetic field only when electric current flows through them...

No, the magnets are permanent. They are not electromagnets.

 

[audiocheck]

Re: Wire two single coils in a humbucker slot in bridge?

I saw this on youtube and thought it was interesting - in effect, what it looks like the guy is doing in wiring two single coil pickups (fralin split blade) next to each other in the bridge position, using one that is a lefty pickup. Has anyone ever tried this? If I have a set of pickups would I just need a push/pull pot and a lefty pickup If so, could you play either one of the two pickups in the bridge separately or in series?

Kind of a cool way to get a bucker sound from a set of pickups where that is currently not available - any advice that folks have is appreciated! Thanks!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9qCLc2TuBNI

Really cool idea here! Although I think his 2 and 4 positions lack a little QUACK!

To respond to some of the Negative StagMag posts. I have not used one in the bridge yet, but as far as the Neck goes, It nails a classic Les Paul neck tone, in humbucker mode. Split with another StagMag in the middle position of a 3 pickup LP, it is a real Quacker (think Robert Cray). I use coil closest to the neck when split and it is one sweet tone there. I don't think it could live up to a real hum bucker in the bridge, because for me that is the most critical spot. Its where I play 90% of the time and it has to respond a certain way for me to get my tone. In fact there are a lot of humbuckers that don't work for me there too.