parallel Humbuckers

[hittman7]

I got my RG7620 in 97 and have always wondered what a "parallel humbucker " position is? And why when I go to the fifth switch position, my humbucker hums like a single coil, but not in the forth "parallel humbucker " position. It won't affect my playing, I'm just curious. I wouldn't mind going to a three position switch, kind of like a JPM.

Cheers, James

[BrianH]

Hey dude, I love a 3 way selector switch, they rule for me. Anyway pickups can be wired in series(parallel) and out of series(out of phase). I'm definitely no expert at this but in series is supposed to be humless out of series can give you hum and really funelled type sound. Anyone correct me if I'm wrong... but I think thats the gist.

[JESTER700]

Originally Posted by hittman7

I got my RG7620 in 97 and have always wondered what a "parallel humbucker " position is? And why when I go to the fifth switch position, my humbucker hums like a single coil, but not in the forth "parallel humbucker " position. It won't affect my playing, I'm just curious. I wouldn't mind going to a three position switch, kind of like a JPM.

Cheers, James

Simply that the 2 coils are wired in parallel, not series. + from both coils are connected as one, as well as - from both coils (instead of + from one to - of the other).

Gives a thinner, almost single coil sound, but is still humbucking. BOTH positions should be humbucking; not sure why your series doesn't seem to be.

[Two hands31]

Actually, series is the opposite of parallel.

Think of batteries:

Series is when you connect the batteries one into the other like in a flashlight, where the batteries are physically touching.

Parallel is when you put them next to each other with the wires touching each one on the way by.

Series gives more power (from batteries) but they run out faster, while parallel lets them last longer at less power. (Trust me, we tried three AAs in series into a tiny light bulb and blew the thing out)'

In pickups, it just sounds different.

[darren wilson]

Series is the normal mode for a humbucker. It gives you a more dense, more powerful tone. I have the Duncan JB in one of my guitars wired up with a series/split/parallel switch on it, and its tone in parallel mode is awesome. Not quite as powerful, but more transparent and "glassy" sounding... almost single-coil-like, but still humbucking.

[Two hands31]

Ironically, my physics class is just entering the electric circuits unit, so I'll try to remember to ask my physics teacher for more detail on why this works (probably something similar to the battery thing). Can hardly wait for the electro-magnets section.