Single coil/HB vs series/parallel switching

[Verne Bunsen]

I've got a HH setup and have each pickup wired to a push/pull for single coil/full humbucker switching. I've been reading some posts where folks have been raving about series/parallel switching, even claiming you can get single coil sound without the 60 cycle hum! The main reason I set it up with switches was so that I could get the high output and clean signal of the HBs but get back to more vintage tone when I want it. It works great, but if I can get the tone without the hum I'm all for that!! I don't have the room for on/on/on switches for full series/single coil/parallel switching, so it's got to be single coil/HB or series/parallel. Will re-wiring to series/parallel switching make all my dreams come true?

[Ron C]

Hi Verne - I've tried both series/parallel and coil cut switching with a variety of pickups, and while each can be useful in certain circumstances, I found them to be pretty different from each other.

I know that many have described parallel as a single coil sound, but I don't. It has, to my ears at least, the smooth, even response of a PAF humbucker but in a much lower output. I found it great on neck humbuckers when I wanted a clear, sweet tone that wouldn't overdrive the amp. But that special character of things like bass notes played clean on a good Strat neck or Tele bridge pickup -- that kind of piano like quality -- well, parallel just doesn't get me there at all.

Coil splits worked best for me on a very high output bridge pickup, like the Duncan JB. Lower output bridge pickups when split, or any on parallel, were just too thin and weak, IMO.

If you have a spare pot, you may also want to consider what Seymour Duncan refers to as a "spin a split". It allows you to blend how much of the second coil you get in the sound. Net effect is you can get hum cancelling by using just a little of the slug coil, and it works kind of like a midrange boost +treble cut as you dial in more of it. On top of that, it's very easy to wire up as well.

Good luck with your tone journey. There are so many options out there that until you find the combination that you like best, you may find yourself changing the wiring more often than you change strings.

Ron

[JohnnyCrash]

Parallel isn't "single coil" sounds at all, but it is a little brighter/clearer than in normal series mode. With some pickups I actually prefer parallel over series, but for the most part like series better.

I added a miniswitch by drilling a hole in the control plate on more than a few guitars. Slider switches on the pickgaurd may be another option.

[Armo]

I got 3 way switching on my humbuckers (series/single/parallel and phase/single/parallel) and I'd say what you've read is pretty spot on. Eventually I'm gonna cut a new pickguard, go for push pulls and go for the series/parallel option.

[SimpleOne]

So, will wiring the two separate sides of a hum bucker in a parallel schemata not result in effectively the sound of two single coils wired similarly? Is this due to the fact that neither side of a hum bucker is a true single coil? Very intriguing and new, to me, thanks. I am missing something!

Verne B....wonder if you have a reverse wound part of your neck pick up wired to complement the split bridge pup to achieve some hum reduction. Or if, as a vintage Fender, the neck and bridge, when both split, are not reverse to each, relatively. Is there a way to split the neck pup so that it is using the other half?

[Verne Bunsen]

I've seen wiring diagrams for north coil only, south coil only, even an on/on/on wired north/both/south. Mine happen to both be wired for north only, so no hum-cancelling. I hadn't really considered a north/south mix for hum-cancelling, I guess that would work though? Just when I thought I was getting my head around all the options...

[patrickhowell]

Originally Posted by SimpleOne

So, will wiring the two separate sides of a hum bucker in a parallel schemata not result in effectively the sound of two single coils wired similarly? Is this due to the fact that neither side of a hum bucker is a true single coil? Very intriguing and new, to me, thanks. I am missing something!

Humbuckers generally use a bar magnet under the coils instead of magnetized pole pieces. That accounts for part of the difference. Also, the two coils are directly next to each other, as opposed to two single coils that are a few inches apart.