Parallel/Series, but with a 3-way pickup selector.

[Tim Skaggs]

In 8:24 of this video (), he starts to a demo similar system to what I have in mind (ie parallel and series neck pickup only), and there's no tonal difference on fingers - there is, though, on pick and slap when it's what you'd expect. Did he mix up some files or am I crazy?

At 7:20 he says a switch controls series or parallel wiring of the neck pickup. That would require the neck pickup has two separate coils (like a P bass pickup), otherwise, it would not have the option of being in series or parallel by itself. Jazz sized pickups have come in dual coil models for decades. Some have the coils end to end across the strings with one coil under the E & A strings and the other coil under the D & G strings (four string bass). Other types have a top coil under all strings and a “dummy” coil below the top coil. That type was developed as an effort to get a single coil tone without the hum. The dummy coil is reverse wound from the top coil and is wired in series with the top coil. The bottom coil is further from the strings and picks up very little of the string movement, but it’s not dead or disabled, it is very much a part of the circuit.

 

[Tim Skaggs]

It'd be disabled via the DPDT switch. The hot would never reach the pot to begin with. I posted a diagram above.

You can’t wire a pickup in series with another pickup and then disable one of the two. In fact, you can’t wire any type of components in series and disable any of the components without disabling the entire circuit.

Disabling one pickup in a series circuit containing two pickups would disable the single signal path created by the two pickups. You can wire two pickups in parallel to the output jack and disable either with a switch or volume control.

 

[40Hz]

I can have one pickup isolated in series

You still need two coils in order to out them in series or parallel.

As was said earlier, if you’re dealing with one single coil pickup there’s no such thing as series or parallel.

A split coil PB pickup has two coils. Normally the two coils come connected together in series. But you could split the connecting wire have a separate hot and ground lead for each coil. That would allow you to wire it so you could toggle between series and parallel operation.

 

[barlemniscate]

You can’t wire a pickup in series with another pickup and then disable one of the two. In fact, you can’t wire any type of components in series and disable any of the components without disabling the entire circuit.

Disabling one pickup in a series circuit containing two pickups would disable the single signal path created by the two pickups. You can wire two pickups in parallel to the output jack and disable either with a switch or volume control.

Look at the diagram. The signal would never reach the pot. I'd be running one pickup in series to another pot that wouldn't have anything going into it.

 

[Tim Skaggs]

Look at the diagram. The signal would never reach the pot. I'd be running one pickup in series to another pot that wouldn't have anything going into it.

That would be called an open circuit or simply soloing one pickup, depending on whether the pot was turned up or down.

 

[barlemniscate]

That would be called an open circuit or simply soloing one pickup, depending on whether the pot was turned up or down.

Yes, but it should still change the sound vs just soloing a pickup in parallel - right?

 

[Tim Skaggs]

Yes, but it should still change the sound vs just soloing a pickup in parallel - right?

A pot wired in series between a pickup and the output jack is a volume control. A volume control turned wide open can still affect the high end from the pickup depending on the impedance of the pot.

Soloing a pickup “in parallel” would mean you are soloing a pickup that has more than one coil with a pair of leads from each coil. One lead from each coil would be grounded and one lead from each coil would be connected to the “tip” terminal of the output jack. The leads going from each coil to the output jack could also be passing through a volume control or switch along the way.

I’m not sure if anything I wrote answered your question. A signal that never reaches a component means that component is not part of the circuit in which the signal is traveling.

 

[barlemniscate]

A pot wired in series between a pickup and the output jack is a volume control. A volume control turned wide open can still affect the high end from the pickup depending on the impedance of the pot.

Soloing a pickup “in parallel” would mean you are soloing a pickup that has more than one coil with a pair of leads from each coil. One lead from each coil would be grounded and one lead from each coil would be connected to the “tip” terminal of the output jack. The leads going from each coil to the output jack could also be passing through a volume control or switch along the way.

I’m not sure if anything I wrote answered your question. A signal that never reaches a component means that component is not part of the circuit in which the signal is traveling.

OK. Thank you.