How are Ibanez Power Spans wired?

[themickster]

I tapped a pick against the pole pieces with the tap switch up and down. The taps sounded different in each row, and the difference swapped over with the switch. The two sides are either electrically or magnetically different, or maybe being nearer to or further from the bridge is what makes the difference. Does anyone here know what is different about the two sides of the pickups?

 

[Killed_by_Death]

Like other humbuckers, one coil is reverse-wound & reverse-polarity from the other.
Note that PowerSpan only have 3 leads, so you can't wire them in parallel.

 

[themickster]

Yes I know how they cancel hum in the two-coil setting, but how do they sound different in the two one-coil settings?

 

[Crater]

Typically, the single coil mode is brighter (more treble) with less output.

 

[themickster]

Yes, Crater, but Powerspans have two one-coil settings. One is fatter.

 

[Killed_by_Death]

The Power-Tap position is a misnomer, because it's really coil-splitting & using capacitors with both coils to get that boomy sound.

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[sikamikanico]

I never thought about trying it, but if you tap the different coils (of the same humbucker) in the different modes, it might tell you what is going on. Assuming an OMG-type circuit, as per KBD, I'd expect the following:

• Series wiring = taps on both coils should give a similar sound
• Single wiring = tap on one coil should sound bright and tap on the other coil should give (almost) no sound
• OMG wiring = tap on one coil should sound bright and tap on the other coil should sound dark(er)

 

[themickster]

I don't know what OMG wiring is, but I do get different sounds when tapping the pole pieces in the different settings, as you say. The difference swaps sides in the two single coil settings.

 

[sikamikanico]

but I do get different sounds when tapping the pole pieces in the different settings, as you say. The difference swaps sides in the two single coil settings.

I don't know what OMG wiring is

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>> more here <<

 

[David Jayne]

If there are two '2 coil' settings one will be series and the other, parallel. Series is louder and darker.

 

[themickster]

David Jayne, there are two one-coil settings and one two-coil.

 

[themickster]

I don't know if power tap does have both coils working. There is hum in both tap settings that isn't there in the series setting. I get it when my amp is on overdrive. Series is also louder than power tap.