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The Pickup Place / Re: Rail Strat humbuckers: splitting or parallel?

« Last post by Lelik on June 19, 2026, 01:47:28 AM »

I find partial splitting useful only when combining a more powerful rail pickup with a weaker single coil. Otherwise I was disappointed with alternate wiring schemes (parallel, split or partial split*). This goes for the Fast Track 1, Satch Track, The Chopper, BC-1, BC-2 and Fast Track 2 (as well as some Seymour Duncan offerings).

The next person to contribute to the discussion will likely have a different opinion. The only way to know for sure is to experiment for yourself. The BC-1 is a good candidate for this, as is The Chopper. As with full-sized humbuckers you will get better performance with hotter models. The problem with the single-sized humbuckers is the coils lack top end chime, even with the weaker models.

(*) My partial splits typically involve two resistors and a capacitor in order to coax a little extra single coil voicing without sacrificing body. I’ve gone as far as three resistors and two capacitors in an attempt to get extra chime out of the Satch Track but it was like getting blood from a stone. Even the brighter Fast Track 1 lacked top end to the point that I could only weaken the duller of the two coils by a small amount with a single resistor and then reduce body further with a shelf. Again this was just to combine it with a middle singe coil. That scenario was with the Fast Track 1 in the bridge. I have another guitar with a Fast Track 1 in the neck and resorted to using only a shelf for a skinnier single coil tonality. I also have an HSH with a Fast Track 1 in the middle and have a position where I am running one coil in series with one coil from the neck humbucker and then shelving that combination for a position 4-style quack. It would have worked very well if it weren’t for the fact that it’s a 24-fret Music Man Silhouette with the intonation adjustment at the base, forcing the neck pickup to be far away from the optimal position. The Satch Track in parallel in the neck position wasn’t terrible as it is the only way to get any chime, but that is at the expense of body and wasn’t worth it. Combining that with a middle single coil sounded pretty good but three active coils didn’t produce the familiar Strat quack that I was looking for.

Ugh, Gregr... you're tempting me!
Alright, it's decided: the experiment is happening.

My favorite guitar has a BC-1 in the bridge position and a Cruiser Bridge in the neck position.

Using a Super Switch, I've already worked out the wiring to get these options:
1) Bridge in series
2) Bridge in parallel
3) Bridge partial split with a 2.2k resistor
4) Partial split bridge with a 1.2k resistor + (full) neck in parallel
5) Neck in series

In the next few days I will try!

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The Pickup Place / Re: Rail Strat humbuckers: splitting or parallel?

« Last post by gregr on June 19, 2026, 12:20:39 AM »

I like a simple cap treble bleed circuit and turning down.   It thins the lows just a bit.

Me too, but also with a series resistor and a 1 Meg pot so it doesn’t also load down the pickup as much when you turn it down. What value do you like?

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The Pickup Place / Re: Rail Strat humbuckers: splitting or parallel?

« Last post by HeyNorton! on June 18, 2026, 09:13:07 PM »

I like a simple cap treble bleed circuit and turning down.   It thins the lows just a bit.

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The Pickup Place / Re: Rail Strat humbuckers: splitting or parallel?

« Last post by gregr on June 17, 2026, 05:13:39 PM »

I find partial splitting useful only when combining a more powerful rail pickup with a weaker single coil. Otherwise I was disappointed with alternate wiring schemes (parallel, split or partial split*). This goes for the Fast Track 1, Satch Track, The Chopper, BC-1, BC-2 and Fast Track 2 (as well as some Seymour Duncan offerings).

The next person to contribute to the discussion will likely have a different opinion. The only way to know for sure is to experiment for yourself. The BC-1 is a good candidate for this, as is The Chopper. As with full-sized humbuckers you will get better performance with hotter models. The problem with the single-sized humbuckers is the coils lack top end chime, even with the weaker models.

(*) My partial splits typically involve two resistors and a capacitor in order to coax a little extra single coil voicing without sacrificing body. I’ve gone as far as three resistors and two capacitors in an attempt to get extra chime out of the Satch Track but it was like getting blood from a stone. Even the brighter Fast Track 1 lacked top end to the point that I could only weaken the duller of the two coils by a small amount with a single resistor and then reduce body further with a shelf. Again this was just to combine it with a middle singe coil. That scenario was with the Fast Track 1 in the bridge. I have another guitar with a Fast Track 1 in the neck and resorted to using only a shelf for a skinnier single coil tonality. I also have an HSH with a Fast Track 1 in the middle and have a position where I am running one coil in series with one coil from the neck humbucker and then shelving that combination for a position 4-style quack. It would have worked very well if it weren’t for the fact that it’s a 24-fret Music Man Silhouette with the intonation adjustment at the base, forcing the neck pickup to be far away from the optimal position. The Satch Track in parallel in the neck position wasn’t terrible as it is the only way to get any chime, but that is at the expense of body and wasn’t worth it. Combining that with a middle single coil sounded pretty good but three active coils didn’t produce the familiar Strat quack that I was looking for.

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The Pickup Place / Rail Strat humbuckers: splitting or parallel?

« Last post by Lelik on June 17, 2026, 03:46:23 PM »

I'm familiar with partial coil splitting (like PRS uses), where a simple resistor is added to avoid a full split. With full-sized humbuckers, I generally find that this produces a more convincing single-coil-like sound than wiring the coils in parallel.

What I'm wondering is how this translates to single-coil-sized rail humbuckers, especially medium-output models such as the Air Norton S or Mirage Neck.
In your experience, would a partial coil split be more useful than running the two coils in parallel if the goal is to get a distinctly different sound from these pickups?

I'm asking because I'm planning a custom Jaguar-style build and would like to maximize versatility. The idea is to use a Super Switch (DiMarzio EP1112) and experiment with a few alternative wiring options both in the neck and in the bridge positions.

At the moment I don't own either of the pickups mentioned above, so this is mostly theoretical. I'd be interested in hearing from anyone who has tried these wiring schemes with the small rail humbuckers.

I do have a BC-1 in the bridge position of another guitar, but I never wired it for coil splitting or parallel operation. Since it's my main guitar and favorite instrument, I'm a bit reluctant to start rewiring it just for experimentation. Maybe one day I'll give it a try, though.

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The Pickup Place / My review of the Pre-36th PAF DP103

« Last post by nienturi on June 15, 2026, 04:49:01 AM »

Hi.

I've recently published a review about the PAF DP103 but made before the 36th annv release.

https://www.tonejourney.com/post/dimarzio-paf-dp103-review-1990s-version

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Guitar Lounge / Simple but Effective Wiring for Guitars with one Humbucker

« Last post by darkbluemurder on June 11, 2026, 03:52:19 AM »

https://www.premierguitar.com/mod-garage-the-triple-threat-solo-humbucker-wiring

Recently I set up two guitars with just a bridge humbucker (one strat with a Breed Bridge, one Esquire with a Chopper T).
The wiring uses a standard 3-way toggle (as common in an tele type guitar with two pickups), one volume and one tone control, and allows the coils to be put in series (fat humbucker tone), parallel (leaner humbucker tone) and single coil. Very simple but very versatile given that there is only one pickup.

Cheers Stephan

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The Pickup Place / Re: Creating a Fatter Humbucker-Like Voice from a 2-Pickup Noiseless Setup

« Last post by darkbluemurder on June 09, 2026, 11:45:41 AM »

(1) does work to some extent. With single coils in the bridge, a cap of 0.0015uf (= 1.5nf or 1500pf) is a good starting point. Go higher if it is not enough and go lower if it is too much.

I never tried (2) so I cannot provide any useful insights here.

Cheers Stephan

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The Pickup Place / Re: Creating a Fatter Humbucker-Like Voice from a 2-Pickup Noiseless Setup

« Last post by gregr on June 07, 2026, 01:59:10 AM »

I should really document my values but I never do. They vary a little depending on the guitar. I don’t know your specific switching scheme so you may or may not be able to implement everything. I can usually manage just about everything with a 5-way super switch. I’ve never done work on a Jaguar.

In fat humbucker mode you want the pickup to see a 250k volume and a 250k tone with a 33nF or 39nF capacitor. Choose the value that works best with the tone rolled back just above the point where the top end is swallowed up. To smooth out the top end you want to try like 1nF in series with about 220k to ground from the hot lead of the pickup. It’s subtle and subtle is all that you want. You don’t want the pickup to sound lifeless and dull and especially not nasal. It ought to be just enough when juxtaposed against the single coil voicing.

For the single coil voicing I’d really only be guessing at values because I really don’t remember. I’ve done it for the FT1 in both the bridge and neck positions in different guitars and the values are probably also different. Volume and tone at 500k or possibly even 1M volume when I use a treble bleed. The bass shelf is a resistor in parallel with a capacitor that is between the pickup and the switch. Choose values that reduce bass and midrange and give a frequency characteristic that is similar to a single coil.

Keep the pickup wired as a standard humbucker. The Fast Track 1 is not going to provide a worthwhile sound in either split or parallel modes. Also, the wire colors between DiMarzio humbuckers and single coils need to be reversed for them to work together in phase. It’s most straight forward to wire the Fast Track as red to the switch, green and bare to ground, black and white soldered together and taped off. For the Area 58, green to the switch and red to ground.

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The Pickup Place / Re: Creating a Fatter Humbucker-Like Voice from a 2-Pickup Noiseless Setup

« Last post by Lelik on June 06, 2026, 06:28:34 PM »

Your best solution is to come from the other direction with a Fast Track 1 combined with a bass shelving filter and reduced loading.

Thank you for your suggestions!
Just to make sure I understand correctly: are you suggesting the RC network as an additional "fatter / humbucker-like" switching option for the bridge pickup, or as a way to make a hotter pickup (such as a Fast Track 1) sound more like a single coil? Could you possibly sketch the circuit or suggest component values?