Author Topic: Coil Split (Read 8364 times)

MrBump · « **on:** January 06, 2008, 07:04:02 PM »

So I've been playing my Nailbomb equipped Charvel for some time now, and it's wonderful.

However, as I thought I would, I'm missing the single coil sound, particularly in the neck position. Tim says that Nailbombs coil split nicely, so at my next string change I want to add a push/pull tone pot.

The setup is the 2 calibrated Nailbombs, a single volume, single tone, and a Schaller megaswitch. And my question is where the push/pull switch figures in this setup?

Would I need to completely change the wiring? I installed the switch as per the instructions below. Can the push/pull circuit just be added into this arrangement?

Thanks.

Mark.

Philly Q · « **Reply #1 on:** January 07, 2008, 01:58:33 AM »

As I said in the thread below, I don't think a push-pull will work with the megaswitch:

http://www.bareknucklepickups.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=10696

MrBump · « **Reply #2 on:** January 07, 2008, 08:46:00 AM »

Forgive my ignorance, but couldn't the push/pull pot be placed in between the pups and the megaswitch? Or am I talking rubbish?

WezV · « **Reply #3 on:** January 07, 2008, 09:41:42 AM »

i was wondering the same thing - but i havnt tried it, it might mess up the switch positions.... there is one way to know for sure!!!

Philly Q · « **Reply #4 on:** January 07, 2008, 09:46:38 AM »

Well, the Megaswitch isn't like a typical Fender switch - it's designed to do one specific thing. That's why they make 3 different 5-way Megaswitches to do different things, rather than 1 switch with multiple wiring options.

I think you have the "P" model Megaswitch, which uses the full HB in positions 1 & 5, the inner coils in position 2 and the outer coils in positions 3 & 4?

If you disconnect your coil-split wires (green/white) from the Megaswitch and instead have them going to a push-pull, the push-pull will switch off one coil (and always the same coil) when it's operated. Then I think you'd potentially get no signal in certain positions on the switch with the push-pull activated. Or maybe not, I can't pretend to totally understand how the switch works.

If you had individual push-pulls for the two pickups, then you could possibly do whatever you want, but it would be complicated. It's probably a case of trial and error to see what works.

I think if you want more "control" over how and when the humbuckers are split, you'd be better off with push-pulls and a standard 3-way Tele-style switch. Or maybe you could get the wiring you want with a double-wafer "super" switch.

WezV · « **Reply #5 on:** January 07, 2008, 10:11:54 AM »

Quote from: Philly Q

If you disconnect your coil-split wires (green/white) from the Megaswitch and instead have them going to a push-pull, the push-pull will switch off one coil (and always the same coil) when it's operated. Then I think you'd potentially get no signal in certain positions on the switch with the push-pull activated.

thats what i was thinking might happen.

definately more straight foward to figure out with a normal switch but if you already have the megaswitch its worth trying

MrBump · « **Reply #6 on:** January 07, 2008, 01:09:47 PM »

Damn, this guitar stuff is complicated...

For the sake of a few quid I might buy the Superswitch and a push/pull pot and have a crack at that.

How hard can it be?

Cheers, guys.

Mark.

WezV · « **Reply #7 on:** January 07, 2008, 01:34:50 PM »

if you havnt got the switch yet then buy a normal 3 way and 1 or 2 push/pull pots as philly suggested

ToneMonkey · « **Reply #8 on:** January 07, 2008, 01:36:53 PM »

Quote from: MrBump

How hard can it be?

That's what I thought before getting someone else to do it :lol:

MrBump · « **Reply #9 on:** January 07, 2008, 01:54:47 PM »

Quote

That's what I thought before getting someone else to do it

hmmm... I suspect that my spirit of adventure might get the better of me.

To be honest, at the moment I use full bridge and full neck - I never use both together anyway, and rarely use the split coils together. Worse comes to worse I'm pretty sure I can get back to full neck and bridge.

Philly Q · « **Reply #10 on:** January 07, 2008, 02:21:32 PM »

I had a Strat with 2 humbuckers and a superswitch wired like this:

1. Bridge HB
2. Inner coils in parallel
3. Both HBs in parallel
4. Neck outer coil
5. Neck humbucker

Is that any good? Wiring diagram here (using the Seymour Duncan colour code):

http://www.fender.com/support/diagrams/pdf_temp1/stratocaster/0117230A/SD0117230APg2.pdf

MrBump · « **Reply #11 on:** January 07, 2008, 02:46:41 PM »

Quote from: Philly Q

I had a Strat with 2 humbuckers and a superswitch wired like this:

1. Bridge HB
2. Inner coils in parallel
3. Both HBs in parallel
4. Neck outer coil
5. Neck humbucker

Is that any good? Wiring diagram here (using the Seymour Duncan colour code):

http://www.fender.com/support/diagrams/pdf_temp1/stratocaster/0117230A/SD0117230APg2.pdf

Yeah, that's definitely a combination that's worth looking at.

I guess if I were to be really picky, I'd go for:

1. Bridge HB
2. Bridge outer coil
3. Inner coils in parallel
4. Neck outer coil
5. Neck humbucker

I guess that if your example above is possible, mine would be too?

Mark.

Philly Q · « **Reply #12 on:** January 07, 2008, 03:11:49 PM »

I'm 90% sure that would be possible, but I'm not clever enough to actually understand those switches, I need a diagram.

It's a shame they don't supply wiring diagrams with the switches, but there are just too many possibilities for it to be practical.

I think there might be something like that on the DiMarzio site, but I can't check it from work because it needs an up to date Flash player.

MrBump · « **Reply #13 on:** January 07, 2008, 03:19:10 PM »

Yeah, I found this on the SD site:

http://www.seymourduncan.com/pdfs/support/schematics/2hum_1vol_1tone_super5way.pdf

It does pretty much what I want, except for the middle position, which I think I could live with.

Will check out the DiMarzio site too.

Mark.