Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum

Forum Ringside => Tech => Topic started by: drownedcat on October 22, 2011, 11:50:27 AM

Title: Wiring options for H-S
Post by: drownedcat on October 22, 2011, 11:50:27 AM

Hi there!

I'm putting together a strat-style guitar with a H-S pickup configuration. I'm still deciding which BK pickups to get but trying to work out wiring options first in case this impacts on which pickup options i need.

In terms of switches i'm limited to a 3-way toggle switch for pickup selection, and a single Push/Pull DPDT switch on the volume control, probably to use to split the coils on the HB. I'm thinking something like this..

Switch position 1: Neck single-coil only
Switch position 2: Neck single + Bridge
Switch position 3: Bridge only
PUSH/PULL switch: turn on/off one of the bridge coils

But there are a couple of things i'm unclear about..

1) When splitting the bridge HB, which of the coils should be left 'on' - the one closest to the bridge or the one nearer the neck? i guess there could be slight tone differences in split-coil mode either when combining with the neck PU or the split-bridge PU just on its own?

2) When ordering pickups from BK which polarity option would be best for the neck single-coil - standard or RW/RP? is one option preferable for the middle switch position (neck combind with bridge)? Presumably for the bridge pickup the only special option i would need is the 4-conductor version in order to split the coils?

I was hoping someone on the forum with some electronics expertise could help clear up the confusion!

Many thanks :)

Title: Re: Wiring options for H-S
Post by: Poetic Justice on October 22, 2011, 11:55:53 AM

I think you can have the humbuckers polarity reversed or the single coils. When you order, add it into your comment box with the setting your using, and Tim will wire it accordingly.

Title: Re: Wiring options for H-S
Post by: Afghan Dave on October 22, 2011, 12:13:48 PM

As for which coil of the humbucker to activate with the neck single.

Traditionally it is the slug coil left on after the split & used with the right middle single it can be very straty but some say that the screw coil + neck can give you a useful tone if you only have a neck single coil.

Either way you can experiment easily and find what suits you by swapping around your 4 conductor wires.  :)