Parallel/Split Coil Mini Switch Wiring?

[StarbardGuitar]

Hey,

I just recently completed my first build which uses a seymour duncan music man style p'up in the bridge, with a jazz bass style in the neck. With the bridge, I added a series/parallel switch. I really don't find the series mode useful, it's too hot and too loud compared to the neck pup. If I get rid of the switch, there will be a hole in my bass. So, I'm thinking, maybe I could wire it to be a parallel/split coil thing? However I can't find diagrams for this, they're only series/split. Is it because parallel and split coil sound sort of similar? The reason I'm thinking of doing this is that the coil nearest to the bridge is in the jazz bass position, so I figure if I split it then it will get jazz bass-ish tones.

So basically, is it possible to wire a mini-switch to go between parallel and split coil? If so, how? Do split coil and parallel sound different enough to justify it?

Thanks!

 

[mmbongo]

Use an on/on/on switch instead and you'll have series/single/parallel, or neck coil/parallel/bridge coil which is what Lakland does.

 

[line6man]

 

[StarbardGuitar]

Thanks a ton!

 

[StarbardGuitar]

Use an on/on/on switch instead and you'll have series/single/parallel, or neck coil/parallel/bridge coil which is what Lakland does.

I'd rather not even have the option for series, it's honestly kind of useless because of how hot it makes the pickup. The second option is interesting, but I don't know how useful that would be either. I think I'll still just stick with the parallel/coil tap. Thanks for the help though, it's cool to see how many options there are!

 

[RobbieK]

FWIW, if your bridge pickup is a single coil, you may want to try tapping both coils of the MM and seeing which will hum-cancel with you bridge pickup.

 

[RobbieK]

I really don't find the series mode useful, it's too hot and too loud compared to the neck pup

If that's the only reason, there's another option. Here's how I often wire up series/parallel for a humbucker. You'll need a 4 pole switch, so a push-pull pot is not an option, but since you mentioned a mini toggle, 4PDT mini toggles are easy to find. A rotary switch will work as well.

The two resistors are a voltage divider that attenuates the pickup in series mode. If they are both the same value, you'll get 6dB attenuation. This is usually about right. I'd try 100k resistors. You get a slight treble roll-off by adding them, especially in a passive guitar, but IME, that's actually cool because it makes the series sound slightly warmer and a better contrast to the parallel sound. If it's still not quiet enough in series mode, reduce the resistor that goes to earth to 82K for a 7dB cut, if its too quiet compared to parallel, then reduce the other resistor to 82K for a 5dB cut.

 

[Veeence]

Hey guys! First post ever. Sorry it's a correction. The Series/North Coil / Parallel diagram seems to have the South polarities reversed. This puts them in phase with each other. I wired it up like this and I could hear the electric tram's breaking through my amp up to a kilometer away from my apartment.

I swapped the south leads and bam. Fixed.