HUGE Volume Difference - Series & Parallel

[kthornbloom]

I've heard a lot of people saying that a Series/Parallel switch can give some extra tones, so I tried it on my neck humbucker. It worked... but the volume difference is crazy. I have to crank the amp up to 11 just to hear it one way.

Is there anything I can do to even it out?

Attached is my schematic

[Finastbeans]

Does the parallel bridge option balance well with the neck pickup?

- You could replace the jumper wire on the dpdt with a capacitor to cut some of the bass when in humbucking mode... that would sort of redefine your humbucker as something else. I haven't tried it myself but I think it would be an interesting experiment (try 0.023, 0.033, 0.047 uF values), and might help even it out a little.

- Or you could also wire your middle position as a series position with the neck and one of the bridge coils, or the parallel option. That would bring up the volume/bass of the middle position.

Both of these ideas would change the tone.

- Or you could somehow wire in an additional potentiometer as a bass cut (like a Reverend) and wind down the bass when you're in series mode.

Also: If the parallel option is a lot quieter than anything else, check to make sure the coils are correctly phased.

[kthornbloom]

Thanks for the suggestions!

Originally Posted by Finastbeans

Does the parallel bridge option balance well with the neck pickup?

Yeah the parallel matches pretty well with the bridge. When I flip it over to series, I initially thought it wasn't doing anything. Then I turned my amp ALL the way up, and it sounded normal. So it works, but its like the biggest volume difference ever.

Basically, I was just wondering if there's supposed to be a noticeable volume drop between the two, or if I just did something wrong...

And why do they have to make the terminals on the DPDT switch so darn small?

[Teleterr]

The volume drop should be noticeable (my friend says 6db. , but I haven't varified that), but not as extreme as you're reporting.I don't know if you've heard true out of phase(as opposed to misnamed parallel), but it sounds weirdly trebley and lacks bass.Is that the parallel tone you are getting?

[Teleterr]

My theory the guys designing switches never solder them.

[kthornbloom]

Originally Posted by Teleterr

Is that the parallel tone you are getting?

It's hard to tell since it's so quiet, but yes it does sound thin. Would swapping where the red and white wires go on the DPDT switch fix a phase problem (if there is one)?

[Finastbeans]

ok... your series option should be noticeably louder, bassier (and boingier) than the parallel one. Sounds like something is wrong and I would address that first. I don't *think* it's a phase issue because your parallel option would be noticeably out of phase as well. Check your solder joints including the switch and ground connections with a multimeter. Also sometimes the color-coded wires do not match the diagrams.

[Teleterr]

If you decide to do a B and 1 N coil series try it both N+B and B+N and see which you like , order makes a difference.But then, the B p/up probably has a plate that's grounded and its a hassle to unsolder it and put in a separate plate ground wire.

[kthornbloom]

I'm definitely not the best solderer around, but I thought I had made all good connections. I'll go over them again when I get home this evening. I'm gonna need a microscope for that DPDT!

I just hope the wiring its self is correct. I kind of cobbled together a normal tele layout with this (right side):

[garrett]

Parallel wiring will always be considerably quieter than series. It drops the inductance (output) of the pickup to 1/4 of the series value. So especially if you start with a low power humbucker, you're not left with much.

Do take the advice to make sure it's wired correctly, though.

[David Collins]

Step one, as always - ask the meter. The meter knows all. If you don't have one, pick one up on your way home.

[Teleterr]

Off the top of my head:Yeah change the wires.Its a stacked HB not a side by side.So the wiring isn't the same as normal.I'm heading to GFS to have a looksee.Stacked out of phase doesn't have the side by side sound its just thinner like you're hearing.It is side to side I was thinking of a different model

[kthornbloom]

Originally Posted by garrett

So especially if you start with a low power humbucker, you're not left with much.

Hmm. On GFS's website, it says "We wound 'em HOT" but no value is listed. Maybe they're not so hot after all! Well I hope I can get it figured out... otherwise I have a toggle switch for no reason. lol

[David Collins]

For what it's worth, I don't believe you could get accidentally an in-phase signal in one position and out of phase in the other with that wiring. I don't know the GFS color codes, but if you had the wires mixed up you could get parallel in or out of phase in one position and a split/single coil in the other, but you couldn't series/parallel with only one position out of phase.

Again though, if you know how to ask properly, the meter will answer all these questions and more for you.

[kthornbloom]

Thanks for all the replies guys! I do have a meter. I guess I'm not sure which points I would need to check for continuity?

David- GFS uses SD's wiring colors

[LowCaster]

When the two coils of a humbucker are wired in parallel mode, it is said to sound like single coil (with hum cancelling) and a lower output than split mode.
http://www.seymourduncan.com/pdfs/su...matics/ssp.pdf

[Teleterr]

Still, it sounds like you have it out of phase.What does the included in the p/up box diagram show for the 180? I'll go thru my gfs and see what I can find; there's no info on their site (or did I miss it)

[kthornbloom]

Originally Posted by Teleterr

What does the included in the p/up box diagram show for the 180?

GFS uses Seymore Duncan wiring colors. Is that what you were wondering?

[Teleterr]

I agree it seems in or out of phase for ll and series both, not one and one.But the wires may be wrongly coded.

[cband7]

Just a thought (I haven't worked out the circuit) - get a really hot HB and wire it so in series it switches in a small resistor to set the volume close to the parallel mode (without the resistor). That also might work with the coil split mode.

Is this a 'eureka!' moment?


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