02R96 Posted January 8, 2010 Share Posted January 8, 2010 I'm in the process of designing my ultimate guitar to be built via Warmoth parts. I'm thinking about using dual humbuckers, but I also like the sound of single coils. So... 1 - Do you split one or both humbuckers? 2 - Is there a brand and model the is better for this? 3 - Is it advantageous to have a single coil between the humbuckers? Dan "I hate what I've become, trying to escape who I am..." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mudcat Posted January 8, 2010 Share Posted January 8, 2010 1 - Do you split one or both humbuckers? Most guitars with coil splitting will have it avaialable independently for each humbucker on the instrument. 2 - Is there a brand and model the is better for this? You just need be sure the humbucker you purchase is a 4-wire configuration. All of the GFS branded humbuckers from Guitar Fetish are 4-wire. Seymour Duncan, Dimarzio, etc. will vary from model to model. 3 - Is it advantageous to have a single coil between the humbuckers? If you want to get the Strat "2" & "4" position "quack" tonality, then yes. You need to figure out what sounds you really want to get out of this guitar and configure your pick-ups accordingly. You may find that a pair of humbucker w/coli splitting is fine or you could settle on a H/S/S arrangement or even a humbucker paired with a P90. Mudcat's music on Soundclick "Work hard. Rock hard. Eat hard. Sleep hard. Grow big. Wear glasses if you need 'em."-The Webb Wilder Credo- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G. A. Donis Posted January 8, 2010 Share Posted January 8, 2010 I've never wired a guitar but my PRS has coil splitting. It uses a push/pull pot that splits both the pups and then you can use the pickup selector switch to choose bridge/both/neck. I really like the split coils but I don't think they sound exactly like a regular single coil. That could be psychosomatic. I really like the idea of mixing a P90 with a humbucker. You might also want to take a look (or a listen) to these Seymour Duncan P-Rails Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caevan O’Shite Posted January 8, 2010 Share Posted January 8, 2010 Just an idea... Seymour Duncan Stag Mag SH-3 Sort of like a pair of AlNiCo-2 Strat single-coils made into a humbucker. (With a SC's 6 vertical rod/slug magnets through the coils instead of a HB's usual horizontal bar-magnets underneath.) http://www.seymourduncan.com/images/products/electric/humbuckers/SH-3.jpg Ask yourself- What Would Ren and Stimpy Do? ~ Caevan James-Michael Miller-O'Shite ~ _ ___ _ Leprechaun, Esquire _ ___ _ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Geoff Posted January 8, 2010 Share Posted January 8, 2010 My Ibanez Studio ST-105 has a DiMarzio PAF at the neck & a DiMarzio Dual Sound at the bridge. Both have 5 conductors (hot & ground for each coil plus a chassis ground). I've wired the coils in series then taken a wire from the series connection to a push/pull tone switch/pot. This allows me to have each pup in series but go into single coil when I pull up the knob. This works well for the dual sound as it's approx 13K, so gives around 6.5K when split, which is a good strong single coil sound. The PAF splits to about 4K, so it's a bit thinner, but the greater amplitude of the string vibration at that point goes some way to compensate. Hint: orientate the bridge pickup so that the live coil when in single mode, is the coil further away from the bridge (neck-side coil) as the coil nearest the bridge sees very little in amplitude off the string. The other coil is much nearer the Fender position. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v213/geoffbyrne/Sale/P6050082.jpg G. "When the power of love overcomes the love of power the World will know Peace": Jimi Hendrix http://www.soundclick.com/bands/default.cfm?bandID=738517&content=music The Geoff - blame Caevan!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caevan O’Shite Posted January 8, 2010 Share Posted January 8, 2010 Hint: orientate the bridge pickup so that the live coil when in single mode, is the coil further away from the bridge (neck-side coil) as the coil nearest the bridge sees very little in amplitude off the string. Good call. Ask yourself- What Would Ren and Stimpy Do? ~ Caevan James-Michael Miller-O'Shite ~ _ ___ _ Leprechaun, Esquire _ ___ _ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
02R96 Posted January 9, 2010 Author Share Posted January 9, 2010 Thanks everyone for the great ideas. Lots to chew on... Dan "I hate what I've become, trying to escape who I am..." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larryz Posted January 11, 2010 Share Posted January 11, 2010 my luthier recommended the Seymour Duncan with "P-rails" for some really good sounds (they didn't just drop in on the double fat strat so I didn't put them in)...but they're advertised to get the sounds of a Strat with singles and an LP with humbuckers and an LP with P90's...you can check'em out at seymourduncan.com... Take care, Larryz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caevan O’Shite Posted January 11, 2010 Share Posted January 11, 2010 my luthier recommended the Seymour Duncan with "P-rails" for some really good sounds (they didn't just drop in on the double fat strat so I didn't put them in)...but they're advertised to get the sounds of a Strat with singles and an LP with humbuckers and an LP with P90's...you can check'em out at seymourduncan.com... Hey Larry, had your luthier friend tried those P-Rails before? I haven't seen in real life yet myself, and I'm very curious about 'em. The things people have said about 'em on the internet rumor mill- often second-hand info- are both good and bad, so I can't draw any conclusion from it. Ask yourself- What Would Ren and Stimpy Do? ~ Caevan James-Michael Miller-O'Shite ~ _ ___ _ Leprechaun, Esquire _ ___ _ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
picker Posted January 11, 2010 Share Posted January 11, 2010 Yeah, I've heard mixed reviews about them too. Always remember that you are unique. Just like everyone else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larryz Posted January 12, 2010 Share Posted January 12, 2010 my luthier recommended the Seymour Duncan with "P-rails" for some really good sounds (they didn't just drop in on the double fat strat so I didn't put them in)...but they're advertised to get the sounds of a Strat with singles and an LP with humbuckers and an LP with P90's...you can check'em out at seymourduncan.com... Hey Larry, had your luthier friend tried those P-Rails before? I haven't seen in real life yet myself, and I'm very curious about 'em. The things people have said about 'em on the internet rumor mill- often second-hand info- are both good and bad, so I can't draw any conclusion from it. Yes, he had installed them for another client/player and tried them out at the shop where they have at least 3 luthiers/techs on duty at all times...he said they all tried them and agreed that they really sounded wonderful and we were in the process of installing them on my double fat Strat...but it is wasn't going to be a simple drop in due to measurements, a little routing HxWxD and if I remember right they worried me on string height clearance...so I had in mind a different set up using active EMG's (which I'm very happy with) at less cost and bench time plus I could go back to stock for $20 if I ever wanted to...but I think you'll get mixed reviews on anything that comes out these days (same as Picker indicates)...I don't think they will really model a Strat, LP Hum & LP P90 but they will probably get some real enjoyable sounds depending on the quality of guitar you put them on...ie. USA vs MIM etc...I didn't ask about noise cancelling but I assume they past the test...hopefully we'll get some more reviews someday... Take care, Larryz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.