HSS wiring with a coil tap

[dmraco]

I am wiring a HSS setup with one volume and one tone, and a 5 way.  I would like to have one of the knobs push pull to split the humbucker.  Can some of these wiring gurus help??

 

[line6man]

Tapping and splitting are two different things. In any case, what should each position do? Is the standard wiring series, or parallel? Should the split be to the north coil, or the south coil?

 

[dmraco]

Tapping and splitting are two different things. In any case, what should each position do? Is the standard wiring series, or parallel? Should the split be to the north coil, or the south coil?

Sorry for the vagueness.  I want the humbucker to be split.  what is more common?  North or South?  I would think the coil closest to the bridge.  wiring will be a standard set up...like a normal strat without the second tone.

 

[ChristopherG]

No wiring guru but pretty sure it is south on a bridge and north on a neck.

I do know you should do yourself a favor and use a push/push rather than a push/pull if you make frequent while-playing changes.

If you don't ever plan on using the bridge split by itself then you can use this diagram which obviates the need for a splitting pot.

http://www.guitarelectronics.com/product/WDUHSS5L1101/WDU-HSS5L11-01.html

 

[line6man]

Tapping and splitting are two different things. In any case, what should each position do? Is the standard wiring series, or parallel? Should the split be to the north coil, or the south coil?

Sorry for the vagueness.  I want the humbucker to be split.  what is more common?  North or South?  I would think the coil closest to the bridge.  wiring will be a standard set up...like a normal strat without the second tone.

Typically, you would just take the existing wiring and add a switch to shunt the series link to ground. I think that most manufacturers' color codes dictate that the north coil is closer to the hot, and the south coil is closer to ground, so that would give you the north coil for your single coil mode. If you want the south coil, then you swap the order of the coils, to put the north coil closer to ground, and the south coil closer to the hot.

As far as deciding between the two options goes, keep three things in mind. Firstly, it might be advantageous to pick the coil that is RWRP with the middle pickup, since the middle pickup is a single coil. This would allow humcancellation when you use the neck+split bridge setting. Secondly, you probably won't hear too much difference between the two coils if you solo the bridge pickup, but there will be a more pronounced difference when you use the bridge pickup with the middle pickup, due to phase differences. The south coil will have a greater phase difference than the north coil, because it is farther away from the middle pickup. Depending on your preference, you may like one option better than the other. Thirdly, it is very common for humbuckers to have one coil with flat pole pieces, and one coil with adjustable pole pieces. If you have a humbucker like this, and you are particularly concerned about string balance, then the coil with the adjustable pole pieces may give you the better balance.

 

[line6man]

No wiring guru but pretty sure it is south on a bridge and north on a neck.

There is no standard. This is a matter of personal preference.

I do know you should do yourself a favor and use a push/push rather than a push/pull if you make frequent while-playing changes.

I disagree. In my experience, push/push style switches are cheap and flimsy. Push/pull style switches are typically more robust.

 

[Cagey]

I agree. Push-push switch pots have remarkably short lifespans.

 

[dmraco]

OK...I am back to this.  The layout is HSS.  a 5 way blade with a volume and tone.

Position 1: NECK
Position 2: Neck and middle
Position 3: Middle
Position 4: Middle and Humbucker (Bridge)
Position 5: Humbucker

I would like the volume to be a push pull that can turn the hum buckers into a single coil in ANY position.  I would like the coil on the humbucker that is closest to the bridge be active in single coil mode.

Is that more clear?  Thank you all.