Coil splitting and coil tapping

Webslinger · 09-24-2009, 12:23 PM

We're seeing alot of discussion lately about mods that split or cut-out one coil of a Humbucker, and it's a cool feature. Many people refer to this as "coil-tapping".....but I dont think thats really the correct term, but should be coil-splitting or coil-cutting.

I could be wrong, but I seem to remember, quite a few years back the term coil-tapping meant tapping some point into the amount of turns of a coil.
In other words, say a standard issue pickup coil has 5000 turns of wire, and a hot coil has 7000, and a super heavy-metal PU might have close to 10,000.
But maybe you dont want to be that hot all the time, so you might want to bypass a few thousand turns, for a cleaner sound. So didnt some PU brands make just such models with a tap mid-way into the coil itself (both coils for humbucker). with a lead that ran to a toggle switch?
This is what actual coil tapping really is, correct? And it is a very different thing electronically than simply cutting off one coil of a dual-coil pickup, as well as producing a different change in tone. Does anyone agree?

watchtheskies · 09-24-2009, 05:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Webslinger

We're seeing alot of discussion lately about mods that split or cut-out one coil of a Humbucker, and it's a cool feature. Many people refer to this as "coil-tapping".....but I dont think thats really the correct term, but should be coil-splitting or coil-cutting.

I could be wrong, but I seem to remember, quite a few years back the term coil-tapping meant tapping some point into the amount of turns of a coil.
In other words, say a standard issue pickup coil has 5000 turns of wire, and a hot coil has 7000, and a super heavy-metal PU might have close to 10,000.
But maybe you dont want to be that hot all the time, so you might want to bypass a few thousand turns, for a cleaner sound. So didnt some PU brands make just such models with a tap mid-way into the coil itself (both coils for humbucker). with a lead that ran to a toggle switch?
This is what actual coil tapping really is, correct? And it is a very different thing electronically than simply cutting off one coil of a dual-coil pickup, as well as producing a different change in tone. Does anyone agree?

I think you have something there, it makes sense that tapping would mean accessing different points on the coil, couldn't say for sure that this is the accepted definition?, but it makes sense to me

one of the new pickup mods at the moment seems to be to reverse the direction of current on one coil of a humbucker to create a dual single coil effect with the current in both coils moving in the same direction, I don't know what that sounds like compared to a standard split where one coil is bypassed, but I imagine you would get a lot of hum

pinto79 · 09-24-2009, 09:04 PM

To the OP:

You are absolutely correct. The term Coil-Tapping has been used incorrectly to describe Coil-Splitting. I don't know of any coil-tapped humbuckers, it seems to be a practice done mostly on Single Coil pickups.

Webslinger · 09-25-2009, 11:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by watchtheskies

one of the new pickup mods at the moment seems to be to reverse the direction of current on one coil of a humbucker to create a dual single coil effect with the current in both coils moving in the same direction, I don't know what that sounds like compared to a standard split where one coil is bypassed, but I imagine you would get a lot of hum

It's not really a new mod, just havent seen it in awhile. My 1982 Ibanez AR300 has 4-lead PUs with mini switches that offer this feature. I think its called "in-phase", since standard HB coils are wired out-of-phase (with eachother in the same pickup). It does not sound like two in-phase single coils like an old Fender, or two P90s on a Gibson. No, the tone is just a cleaner HB sound, with just a slight amount of hum, but not as noisey as a regular single coil.

Benito · 10-26-2009, 04:26 PM

Is that Parallel wiring you are talking about on Humbuckers? My modifications have included slapping a series/parallel switch on a bridge humbucker loaded Tele, series was true humbucker and parallel was reduced output single coil tele twang land, but no hum, worked a treat for me. One of my current fave mods is to wire one of the tone controls of my Les Paul to split the coils of my pickups, it acts as a volume for one of the coils so I can go from 100% humbucker to 100% single coil and anywhere in between.

steelhorse · 10-26-2009, 07:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pinto79

To the OP:

You are absolutely correct. The term Coil-Tapping has been used incorrectly to describe Coil-Splitting. I don't know of any coil-tapped humbuckers, it seems to be a practice done mostly on Single Coil pickups.

They do have quite a few buckers that are split, even actives.

09-24-2009, 12:23 PM	#1 (permalink)
Webslinger Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Sopranoland, NJ Posts: 308	Coil splitting and coil tapping We're seeing alot of discussion lately about mods that split or cut-out one coil of a Humbucker, and it's a cool feature. Many people refer to this as "coil-tapping".....but I dont think thats really the correct term, but should be coil-splitting or coil-cutting. I could be wrong, but I seem to remember, quite a few years back the term coil-tapping meant tapping some point into the amount of turns of a coil. In other words, say a standard issue pickup coil has 5000 turns of wire, and a hot coil has 7000, and a super heavy-metal PU might have close to 10,000. But maybe you dont want to be that hot all the time, so you might want to bypass a few thousand turns, for a cleaner sound. So didnt some PU brands make just such models with a tap mid-way into the coil itself (both coils for humbucker). with a lead that ran to a toggle switch? This is what actual coil tapping really is, correct? And it is a very different thing electronically than simply cutting off one coil of a dual-coil pickup, as well as producing a different change in tone. Does anyone agree?

09-24-2009, 09:04 PM	#3 (permalink)
pinto79 Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Delta, B.C., Canada Posts: 131	Re: Coil splitting and coil tapping To the OP: You are absolutely correct. The term Coil-Tapping has been used incorrectly to describe Coil-Splitting. I don't know of any coil-tapped humbuckers, it seems to be a practice done mostly on Single Coil pickups. __________________ My Marshall Gear: 1983 JCM800 2203 1986 5210 1x12 Combo loaded with a G12M-70 1992 Anniversary Series 6100 1992 6960A Cabinet loaded with G12T-75s 2008 JMP 1959RR Old, beaten 1960A loaded with G12M-25 Greenbacks Ed the Compressor Regenerator

10-26-2009, 04:26 PM	#5 (permalink)
Benito Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 21	Re: Coil splitting and coil tapping Is that Parallel wiring you are talking about on Humbuckers? My modifications have included slapping a series/parallel switch on a bridge humbucker loaded Tele, series was true humbucker and parallel was reduced output single coil tele twang land, but no hum, worked a treat for me. One of my current fave mods is to wire one of the tone controls of my Les Paul to split the coils of my pickups, it acts as a volume for one of the coils so I can go from 100% humbucker to 100% single coil and anywhere in between. __________________ I love it when a plan comes together.......... 1981 JCM 800 4010 Vox Valvetronix LE Gibson LP Studio..tweeked Gibson Nighthawk Special Last edited by Benito; 10-26-2009 at 04:29 PM. Reason: Misspelling

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