Coil Split vs. Coil Tap??

[Audioduck]

Hi All,

'Pologies if this has been asked in a previous post but would one of you Gurus please explain the difference between a coil split and a coil tap on a Miracle Man?

Also, am I right in thinking that I would just take the third PAIR (green & white) and connect them to earth to leave just the ADJUSTABLE coil (via an on/on switch)? Why can't I get my head 'round this?!

[MDV]

A split only works on a humbucker: its where you switch to only playing coil.

A tap is where you take two outputs from one coil, one from the full length of wire and one from part way through it so you can flip between two pickups with the same voicing but different output levels. You can tap any pickup.

[Will]

yup it has been asked before  

just note that a coil split is also a coil tap, but a coil tap is not a coil split

[Audioduck]

A split only works on a humbucker: its where you switch to only playing coil...

OOOH ! It's more complex thatn I thought! So I just want to be thinking about a tap with my Miracle Man? just put an ON/ON switch between the green/white duo and the normal black ground cable to give me just the coil with the adjustable poles when switching?

[dave_mc]

the other thing is if you want to go for a tap, it has to be built into it. it's not like a split which you can do as long as the humbucker is 4 conductor. there's a good chance you won't be able to tap your MM, even if you want to (unless you send it back to tim or something, i guess).

[Audioduck]

the other thing is if you want to go for a tap, it has to be built into it. it's not like a split which you can do as long as the humbucker is 4 conductor.

Right. So I should be thinking about a coil split NOT a tap. I just want to use the coil with the adjustable poles. I think that I know what I mean now. Sorry for being such a dunce!

[Will]

a coil split is also a coil tap though as it is taking out an amount of winds.

aswell as making it the single coil

[kevincurtis]

the other thing is if you want to go for a tap, it has to be built into it. it's not like a split which you can do as long as the humbucker is 4 conductor.

Right. So I should be thinking about a coil split NOT a tap. I just want to use the coil with the adjustable poles. I think that I know what I mean now. Sorry for being such a dunce!

Unless you have a spare switch on your guitar your best bet is a push/pull pot (BKP can supply) to replace your volume or tone control. In a humbucker the coils are usually in series - ie the output of one goes to the input of the next, the coil split puts an earth after the first coil so all you get is the second coil. As previously stated you need a 4 core p/up, so if you haven't then yes you will need to send it back in...

PS - if you dont want to have a push/pull pot but have a 5 way selector, you can use that in position 4 to split the coils so you have the mid and bridge as single coils.

Hope this helps.

K

[Audioduck]

if you dont want to have a push/pull pot but have a 5 way selector, you can use that in position 4 to split the coils so you have the mid and bridge as single coils.

Hope this helps.

K

Nice tip Kevin. Thanks for that!

[cnotold]

just wondering, in 2 humbucker situation (neck&bridge) which configuration sounds most usable for clean funk? got a riff raff on neck, miracle man on bridge (i know it's quite a strange combination), both has 4 conductor wire. it;s a les paul type guitar, 1vol 1tone, 3way switch. I wanted to do some fancy wiring and push pull tone to add single coil like funk sound but i don't know which one to go for... pararell? split? I don't have much time to experiment atm.. so any tips??   :o

[kevincurtis]

Hey fella, if you dont have time to experiment I would go for a push pull that splits both pups, that way you effectively have a telecaster type setup. I doubt you would want a humbucker and single coil mix in mid position, so nothing lost by tapping both when you pull it up...