NOOB: Wire humbucker pickup to simultaneous single coil / humbucker output?

taoubt · 23rd August 2011

Greetings,

As a relative novice to guitar pickup wiring (I've completed a few standard projects) I was wondering if anyone had any insight as to whether or not it would be possible to wire up a humbucker pickup to two separate outputs, one would be the normal humbucking output and the other would be a "coil-split" single coil output. The pickup is a standard DiMarzio 4 wire pickup.

The only theoretical method I've come up with yet would be normal humbucker wiring (North Finish and South Finish wired together, North Start to output 1 and South Start to ground 1) while simultaneously wiring North Start to output 2 and the North/South Finish (wired together already) to ground 2.

I have a feeling this wouldn't work and I haven't had a chance to try it yet, but can anyone give any insight into whether any setup like this would even be possible? Are there issues with grounding between the two outputs, or is the impedance going to get messed up? Thanks in advance.

allphourus · 23rd August 2011

Everything except a single coil sound from the north coil is grounded out in this diagram, this wiring scheme will not produce a hum-bucking tone as both sides of the south coil are grounded. the only coil here that will function is the north coil, the south coil is dead.

taoubt · 23rd August 2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by allphourus

Everything except a single coil sound from the north coil is grounded out in this diagram, this wiring scheme will not produce a hum-bucking tone as both sides of the south coil are grounded. the only coil here that will function is the north coil, the south coil is dead.

Does it not matter that the ground for output 1 is completely separate from the ground for output 2? The intention is to have two completely separate and independent outputs sharing no grounding or circuitry outside of the pickup itself. I had a feeling this wouldn't work, but I just want to make sure I understand why so I can try to figure out if there is any way to get it to work. Thank you!

allphourus · 23rd August 2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by taoubt

Does it not matter that the ground for output 1 is completely separate from the ground for output 2? The intention is to have two completely separate and independent outputs sharing no grounding or circuitry outside of the pickup itself. I had a feeling this wouldn't work, but I just want to make sure I understand why so I can try to figure out if there is any way to get it to work. Thank you!

Ground is ground, quite literally Earth, all grounds go to earth.

I'm going to assume that by separate and independent you mean two separate amps? Take a VOM and check continuity between ground the on the amps, you'll see continuity between your two amps unless one or both have no ground then you have bigger fish to fry, quite possibly you will fry yourself, as in electrocute.

taoubt · 23rd August 2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by allphourus

Ground is ground, quite literally Earth, all grounds go to earth.

Right. But that's only if plugged into either the same equipment or if all equipment is running on AC power, correct? For instance, I just tried pluggin a 1/4" cable into channel 1 of a recorder, another 1/4" cable into channel 2 of the recorder. Once both cables are plugged in, the grounds are connected. However, when I plug one 1/4" cable into channel 1 of the recorder and the other 1/4" cable into channel 1 of a different recorder running on batteries, the grounds are not connected (checked with a multimeter). Granted, this is a very limiting solution, but just trying to understand.

nedorama · 23rd August 2011

Bigger question is why? Is this for live or recording use?

Push pull pot wired to said pickup will give you humbucker or single coil, but not both at the same time. Works for me great.

taoubt · 23rd August 2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by nedorama

Bigger question is why? Is this for live or recording use?

Push pull pot wired to said pickup will give you humbucker or single coil, but not both at the same time. Works for me great.

Yeah, sorry. The unusual wiring concept is for the purposes of recording as many pickup configurations as possible without re-recording the same part.

nedorama · 24th August 2011

But that's part of what makes recordings sound better/real - doubling up with different settings and practicing to make them work breathes life into songs. Plus, the ability to not only tweak the sound, but the level, panning, etc. for recording make this idea odd - you're not going to get a bigger/better sound out of it.

23rd August 2011	#1
taoubt Gear interested Joined: Aug 2011 Posts: 4 Thread Starter	NOOB: Wire humbucker pickup to simultaneous single coil / humbucker output? Greetings, As a relative novice to guitar pickup wiring (I've completed a few standard projects) I was wondering if anyone had any insight as to whether or not it would be possible to wire up a humbucker pickup to two separate outputs, one would be the normal humbucking output and the other would be a "coil-split" single coil output. The pickup is a standard DiMarzio 4 wire pickup. The only theoretical method I've come up with yet would be normal humbucker wiring (North Finish and South Finish wired together, North Start to output 1 and South Start to ground 1) while simultaneously wiring North Start to output 2 and the North/South Finish (wired together already) to ground 2. I have a feeling this wouldn't work and I haven't had a chance to try it yet, but can anyone give any insight into whether any setup like this would even be possible? Are there issues with grounding between the two outputs, or is the impedance going to get messed up? Thanks in advance.

23rd August 2011	#2
allphourus Gear maniac Joined: Jan 2007 Location: Vancouver, WA Posts: 260	Everything except a single coil sound from the north coil is grounded out in this diagram, this wiring scheme will not produce a hum-bucking tone as both sides of the south coil are grounded. the only coil here that will function is the north coil, the south coil is dead. __________________ Peace and Blessings The Allphourus Phandango "What comes from the heart lands on the heart"

23rd August 2011	#6
nedorama Lives for gear Joined: Jan 2008 Posts: 1,242	Bigger question is why? Is this for live or recording use? Push pull pot wired to said pickup will give you humbucker or single coil, but not both at the same time. Works for me great. __________________ nedorama Monkey Boy Studios Summit 2BA-221, TLA-50 mBox Pro 3, Pro Tools 10.1.3 Radial JDI x 2, ProD2, ProRMP '65 Bandmaster 2x12 combo with Dr. Z Brake Lite, '65 Showman, '74 Princeton, '77 Princeton Reverb, Dr. Z. Mini Z Head, Dr. Z 1x12 Cab, pedals, George L's cabling

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24th August 2011	#8
nedorama Lives for gear Joined: Jan 2008 Posts: 1,242	But that's part of what makes recordings sound better/real - doubling up with different settings and practicing to make them work breathes life into songs. Plus, the ability to not only tweak the sound, but the level, panning, etc. for recording make this idea odd - you're not going to get a bigger/better sound out of it.