Coil Split vs Parallel Configuration

[Yamadron]

Hello guys

That question has been revolving into my head and I actually can't get a clear answer about.

Of we said, I have :

Bridge D-A X with coils 1 & 2
Middle Chopper with coils 3 & 4
Neck D-A X with coils 5 & 6

Which would have better cleans having 1 & 2 in parallel or coil splitting and having 2 & 3 which I guess in series. Same for the neck configurations as well.

Or it doesn't matter, as both sounds and tones are almost the same.

Another thing, In the Fender Strat guitars, pos 2 and 4, Are the coils in parallel or series to each other ?

Also, any H S H ibanez.. In pos 3, is the middle single coil connected in series or parallel ?

Thank you

[djohns74]

I'll start with the questions at the end. In a typical SSS Strat configuration, the blended positions (2 & 4) are in parallel with each other. In fact, any time you blend two pickups, they will generally be in parallel with each other. This is not to say that you couldn't make them in series, but that's not generally how it works.

The question about HSH Ibanezes doesn't make sense. Position 3 would be a single coil pickup by itself, it's not in parallel or in series with anything else. Parallel and series describe different ways of combining multiple pickup coils, a single coil is just a single coil.

As for "better cleans", this is a highly subjective question. Personally, I don't use any coils, no matter the configuration, of my bridge humbucker for clean tones, so I don't know if I can really answer the specific question very well. In the case of a neck humbucker, I really like the sound of a humbucker wired in parallel for clean sounds, but you can get a very similar effect from the "inside coil + middle single" that Ibanez typically allows on their HSH guitars in position 2 on the 5-way.

[Yamadron]

Then for the Single pickup in the H S H guitars, the single pickup is parallel to the circuit as It is alone and not combined with another coils.

"In fact, any time you blend two pickups, they will generally be in parallel with each other. This is not to say that you couldn't make them in series, but that's not generally how it works."

If we said that I have a HH guitar, with 3 toggle switch. In the 2nd position, Both neck and bridge HBs are working with each other, Are they connected in parallel or series ? Ibanez says they are connected in series.


Thank you

[djohns74]

Originally Posted by Yamadron

If we said that I have a HH guitar, with 3 toggle switch. In the 2nd position, Both neck and bridge HBs are working with each other, Are they connected in parallel or series ? Ibanez says they are connected in series.

A "normal" 3 way toggle switch results in the individual coils in each pickup being in series with each other (standard full humbucker wiring) and the two pickups being in parallel with each other. Where exactly does Ibanez say otherwise?

[Yamadron]

In an Ibanez XPT700
http://www.ibanez.com/ElectricGuitars/model-XPT700

I understand that each humbucker coils are connected in series locally, but they are in parallel globally ? That confuses me too much.

In the switches diagram as you see. When pickups are connected in parallel, they colourize it in yellow not it that reddish colour.

Does the 3 way toggle differs from the 3 way switch if we are using 2 HBs only ?

What i understand that the pickups are connected in parallel with each other whatever combination it is, but the coils of a humbucker could be either connected in parallel or series with respective to each other, Am I right ?

[djohns74]

Originally Posted by Yamadron

In an Ibanez XPT700
http://www.ibanez.com/ElectricGuitars/model-XPT700

I understand that each humbucker coils are connected in series locally, but they are in parallel globally ? That confuses me too much.

Well, the terminology "locally" and "globally" kind of confuses me. Referencing your original post, an HH guitar essentially has 4 coils. The bridge has coils 1 and 2, the neck has 3 and 4. With a typical 3-way toggle switch, including those used by Ibanez, the middle position has 1+2 in series, 3+4 in series and the combination of the two set of coils in parallel with each other.

In the switches diagram as you see. When pickups are connected in parallel, they colourize it in yellow not it that reddish colour.

I don't see anything on that page that indicates what the reddish color is supposed to represent. Just because they use red to indicate series connections on some other wiring diagram doesn't mean anything in this picture. Besides which, this isn't a technical diagram, it's just marketing material. The color merely indicates which pickup is active in each switch position.

Does the 3 way toggle differs from the 3 way switch if we are using 2 HBs only ?

I don't quite understand the question. There are different kinds of 3 way toggles used for different purposes, for example, DiMarzio makes one, I believe it's the DP1111, that can be used to get John Petrucci's wiring on an HH guitar (full bridge - inner coils - full neck).

What i understand that the pickups are connected in parallel with each other whatever combination it is, but the coils of a humbucker could be either connected in parallel or series with respective to each other, Am I right ?

Absolutely. You could easily wire a 4-conductor humbucker such that the coils are permanently in parallel with each other, if that's the sound you wanted. Or you can add an extra switch to give you both options, which is more typical.

[Yamadron]

I meant by locally, connecting the coils of a humbucker either in series or parallel but globally means connecting coil(s) of a humbucker with another coil(s) of another humbucker or SC

I guess, I was wrong about that. Never mind about that Ibanez stuff.

I just meant that the function of 3 way switch differs from the function of a 3 way toggle. I just figured it about. No problem

yea, that is the project I am willing to do. Having a Push/Pull for Series/Parallel connections.

Thanks a lot for clarifying some concepts for me

Have a nice day