Dual Coil splitting humbuckers wiring

[BenWA]

can i get some advice from the wiring gurus about a coil splitting humbucker setup?

ive got 2 humbuckers, wanna use 1 volume, 2 tones (one for each pup), and i wanna have each humbucker splittable individually. im not using push pull pots, i just wanna use a couple of small switches, one to split each bucker.

also need some advice on where to get some cheap switches to switch the pups.

this setup is gonna be super cheap and dirty using mostly parts i scavenged from an epi sg i found in a skip several years back, and is really just a learning exercise for me with regards to wiring, and also to play around with some different options and sounds.

its going into my old squier stratocaster, as the standard pots are crackly. with the modular nature of the strat style of guitars, i figured it would be easy to just drop this setup in, and still be able to switch back to the old 3 single coils setup if i want (once ive replaced the old pots)

[Fretworn]

http://www.guitarelectronics.com/product/WD2HH3T12_06/Guitar-Wiring-Diagram-2-Humbuckers3-Way-Toggle-Switch1-Volume2-TonesSeries-Split-Parallel.html

First question, do the scavenged pickups have four wires? If not you can't do what you want with them.

You should be able to find mini-toggles at Jaycar, Altronics or on eBay. Alternatively you can try http://www.guitaraust.com.au/body/electronics/mini-switches.html

[WeirdBits]

So, you want a layout with 1 volume pot, 2 tone pots, a 3(or 5)-way lever switch, plus a separate coil split mini-toggle for each humbucker, right? *Are your Humbuckers 4-wire, or 2-wire? *You'll either need 4-wire (or sometimes 3-wire) pickups to split them, or be willing to try modifying them yourself (http://www.pitbullguitars.com/community/?mingleforumaction=viewtopic&t=962#postid-16663). *

Seymour Duncan has a diagram for 2 Hums, 1 Vol. 2 Tones, with a 5-way lever switch (http://www.seymourduncan.com/support/wiring-diagrams/schematics.php?schematic=2hb_1vol_2tone_5way) that will give you splitting options without the need for separate coil-split toggle switches. *But, this GuitarElectronics diagram is probably closer to what you're aiming for:
http://www.guitarelectronics.com/media/img/guitarelectronics/W650-H550-Bffffff/W/wd2hh3l12_06.jpg *

This layout gives you Series/Split/Parallel options for each Humbucker using On/On/On mini-toggle switches (http://www.realparts.com.au/electronics/mini-switches/on-on-on-dpdt-mini-switch-chrome.html). Prices vary, but typically new mini-toggles retail for $8-12+. If you don't want the Parallel option, then On/On DPDT (http://www.realparts.com.au/electronics/mini-switches/on-on-dpdt-mini-switch-chrome.html) (or SPDT) mini-toggles will be all you need.

Let us know if you need something more specific.

(Ah Frets beat me to it)

[BenWA]

the scavanged pickups will be easy to split-the wire between them is actually two seperate wires joined together and covered with a bit of that shrinking insulation stuff-which i can only assume is intended for if you want to split them.
i was gonna use a 3 way pickup selector cos i already have one in amongst the scavenged bits, although i might end up grabbing a cheap 3 way cos itll fit the strat pickguard easier, not sure yet.

annoyingly those nice cheap mini switches frets posted are out of stock (the on on ons)

im a noob when it comes to electronics (can you tell?), im gonna need to work out what caps to get as well, but that diagram is basically bang on what i was looking for, cheers

[bargeloobs]

Only the 2 wires (-,+)?

I don't think so bro:-(

[wokkaboy]

Ben you will have to post pics of the bottom of the humbuckers and the wires that are connected to see if they are splittable.
Sounds like a good project though and good wiring practice

[Gavin1393]

I'm aligned with Bargie on this one, there needs to be four wires, a north +, North -, south + and South -.

See below...

http://www.pitbullguitars.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/7j5ye-pickup_chart.jpg

[Fretworn]

It sounds like he may have four wires, depending on what he means by "the wire that goes between them"

[BenWA]

ok so apologies both for my crappy explaination, and not replying. i work fifo and was out for 2 weeks. im back now though, heres a pic of the wires on the pickups i was talking about. from what i read about this, im guessing i just spit these white wires, and extend them to allow for coil splitting?

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y35/benyc/IMG_2100_zps36165d0b.jpg

[Fretworn]

I think I'll leave Scott to comment whether this will work or not, but my gut feel is that you still might be a couple of wires short. What's at the other end of the wire? Does it have a single wire and the ground sheath, or multiple wires and the ground sheath?

[wokkaboy]

yes Ben you need 4 wires at the other end to coil split. Scott may be able to help you modify the pickup to be able to coil split it

[WeirdBits]

It looks like those white wires are the series links (that is, the wires that link the two coils), but we need a look at the ends of those red and black wires to be sure.

If you just want to split the coils, rather than do any parallel or phase change shenannigans, then you'll just need to connect a single wire on each of those link joins, you won't need to separate them. But first, post up some pics of the red and black wires, where they connect on the pup and their ends, and then we can work out what you need to do.