Coil splitting humbuckers - Is it worth doing?

[Philly Q]

Coil splitting simply drops the output and makes a full-sounding guitar sound thin. I've never heard it work well. Re Philly's comment re the PRS DGT, it is probably the best coil-splitting setup that there is.  I'm fortunate enough to own one and I can tell you that the coil splitting sounds awful even on a guitar of this awesomeness.  That's why I'm selling it - a Les Paul or 335 with BKP's makes me sound like ME, so happily I can stop looking for tone!  The good news is that if you want a Fender-y sound you can buy really good strat's and tele's quite cheaply and put BKP's in to take it to a whole new level.  I think Tim's expertise really adds value to guitars.

I'm a bit puzzled by that, even if the coil splits on the DGT sound rubbish, why sell the guitar if it's awesome? 

Coil splits are really just "optional extras", something to add with push-pull pots or a five-way switch - you don't lose your basic three humbucker sounds.

Or maybe I'm misinterpreting the comment, was your main point that you're better off letting humbuckers and single-coils each do what they do best, and that you don't need to spend PRS money to get good sounds?

[fbloke]

Philly, you actually do lose your humbucker sounds.  All the coil tap does is water-down what was already there.  I'm selling it because I realised what I loved about the DGT was the Les Paul/335 sounds that it does. I already have two LP's and two 335's so I don't need the DGT but I do need the money to build my tuition website. Coil splitting aside, what is phenomenal about the DGT is that it can sound like a LP and a 335 depending on what pickup you're using.  That should be physically impossible, but this guitar does it when it's cranked.   PRS got this guitar so right, it's way ahead of the game. If you can afford one, do yourself a favour and go for it. :D

http://worldguitars.co.uk/2009-mccarty-burst-146520/

[Philly Q]

If you can afford one, do yourself a favour and go for it. :D

http://worldguitars.co.uk/2009-mccarty-burst-146520/

 :lol:  No!!

I can (sort of) afford it, but I'm not buying any more guitars!  Not for a while anyway.

[Zaned]

Coil splitting simply drops the output and makes a full-sounding guitar sound thin. I've never heard it work well. Re Philly's comment re the PRS DGT, it is probably the best coil-splitting setup that there is.  I'm fortunate enough to own one and I can tell you that the coil splitting sounds awful even on a guitar of this awesomeness.  That's why I'm selling it - a Les Paul or 335 with BKP's makes me sound like ME, so happily I can stop looking for tone! The good news is that if you want a Fender-y sound you can buy really good strat's and tele's quite cheaply and put BKP's in to take it to a whole new level.  I think Tim's expertise really adds value to guitars.

Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. With the A-bomb on my strat, it actually works quite nicely. I was playing with a clean tone, and the split humbucker gave a really really good tone there. Might have been luck, I have to really test it at stage volumes where I've rarely used it..yet. At least on its own.

I don't really care for it on the Riff Raff bridge that's on my PRS McCarty. That's where it feels somewhat thinner. However, the middle position on that guitar gives very nice tones on the split position too. And full humbucking mode. I might try the parallel setting on this guitar though!

One setting which I often use on the LP, is the middle position, full bridge humbucker and the neck humbucker split. That's where it works good too..

-Zaned

[darkbluemurder]

Re Philly's comment re the PRS DGT, it is probably the best coil-splitting setup that there is.  I'm fortunate enough to own one and I can tell you that the coil splitting sounds awful even on a guitar of this awesomeness. 

Is it a 2013 model or an earlier one? PRS changed the wiring and stopped using the additional resistors from 2013 on.

Cheers Stephan

[fbloke]

Re Philly's comment re the PRS DGT, it is probably the best coil-splitting setup that there is.  I'm fortunate enough to own one and I can tell you that the coil splitting sounds awful even on a guitar of this awesomeness. 

Is it a 2013 model or an earlier one? PRS changed the wiring and stopped using the additional resistors from 2013 on.

Cheers Stephan

Stephan, it's an earlier one - I think it's a 2011. I'd be interested to hear the 2013.  That's what I love about PRS, they never stop researching and improving.

[richard]

So you have to lash out every year or so for an 'improved' PRS ? Nice if you can afford it. Luckily, I don't like them.

[JimmyMoorby]

I cant comment on the les paul or that pickup choice unfortunately.

I'm really knew to coil tapping etc and to be fair I dont understand how if works ....... what I will say is I can get a very nice strat sound from it on my ESP M1000 and I have a  USA strat I can compare it to.  I will say its clean stuff that sounds impressive as opposed to overdrive.  Very usuable and I often play clean Eric Johnson riffs/songs with the coil tap and I think its sounds really good

Like I say I dont understand how it words.  In the said guitar i have a nailbomb bridge and a could sweat neck.  I have no idea which parts of the pickups are being used in the middle position but it sounds brilliant.  If any one could explain i'd be grateful.