Hi. Thanks for this video. At the end with the single coil example you call "tap", are you saying the blue wire drawn after the red are actually the same wire? And the tap point is taken somewhere say one the middle of the total wire length or wounds for example?
Pretty much. If you watch again you’ll see that on a traditional coil there is only one wire. The two wires sticking out of the coil are the start and the finish of that one wire. It is important to understand that the start and the finish of that one wire are often referred to as hot and ground wires or positive and negative wires. This creates the false idea that they are different wires and not just the beginning and end of one wire. It works this way for the individual coils of a humbucker as well as a filtertron or even a p90 as a traditional p90 is just a big single coil. With a coil tap you have 2 finish wires. The first one (or tap) is only giving you around half the coils of wire. Then a second wire is attached to that wire by the first finish wire (tap wire) and the coil is continued. So while it can be considered 2 separate wires, from an electronics standpoint it is just a continuation of the first wire. This is why you can’t “coil tap” a humbucker. The single coils of a humbucker aren’t wrapped that way. Not that I’ve ever seen anyway, I’m sure someone has done it before but it is nothing I have ever seen (and I have looked, a lot). Plus a humbucker originally was 2 single coils that had about half the wraps of a single P90 so combined they would be close to the output of a pP90. I have done tapped single coils full output, wired in series like a humbucker and the output is so high (like 24K) that it’s kind of unusable. Full output in parallel however is different (about 6k), but that is a subject for another video. So, technically it is a continuation of the same wire. Being that humbuckers are almost always reverse wound reverse polarity and wired in series they will sound different from a single coil with the same output. This is primarily because they were designed to eliminate or “Buck” the hum created by 60 cycle alternating current that houses in the USA are powered with. That is a very short explanation to a huge story that is fascinating to a guitar nerd such as myself. I will also have sound demonstrations of these coil tappable pickups as well as others in the near future. Tapped they sound like a classic single coil but with full output they sound kind of like a p90. This is kind of tricky to wrap your head around so if you’re having trouble and I can explain it better just let me know.
Also, this set of coil tappable Seymour Duncan pickups are going on an American Fender Strat that Kahler and I are giving away. It will also have Graph Tech ratio locking tuners on it. Subscribe and set notifications to all to qualify. Then await further information.
@REXYLAB yeah dude almost lost his leg to diabetes too from the sugar in those things... next time it's gonna be a yogurt berry smoothie and someone's gonna be keeping an eye on him so the magenta monster doesn't come out.
@@ArturoGarcia-yq9ut you should check this out then and you’ll be way ahead of everyone else. Strandberg Boden Blasphemy! (With the help of Seymour Duncan and Freeway Switch) th-cam.com/video/C1Zg7A8PgyQ/w-d-xo.html
I am happy to help. By the way, a tremolo bar is actually a vibrato bar. Tremolo is volume, vibrato is pitch. But that is a hill I’m not willing to die on. 😉
Damn it ! It’s about time someone explains this to me in a way I can understand. Thanks man !! Now I totally get it and if I have to explain it to someone else I’m confident I could.
That is so awesome! I’m glad I could help. People misuse this term so much and it makes me a little crazy. Please, feel free to share this with people and help spread the word.
@@REXYLAB maybe you could do a similar style video about in / out phase and series / parallel. The drawing you did to show how the coils are wound was perfect and easy. The problem with a lot of videos is they assume you understand all the tech jargon .
@@sk8glassesnmay493 that is a good idea! I’ll think of a way to explain those things in a similar way. For now though you can hear the difference on my latest video that wasn’t supposed to be out until Saturday but I accidentally posted it early. Strandberg Boden Blasphemy! (With the help of Seymour Duncan and Freeway Switch) th-cam.com/video/C1Zg7A8PgyQ/w-d-xo.html
@@sk8glassesnmay493 there are lots of things in this playlist on custom wiring. I know I have explained series and parallel in it on more than one video. Custom Wiring th-cam.com/play/PLrFyjrwqOCJynKE7cob8SSVevAaTsdAcI.html
@@REXYLAB cool, gonna watch it right now. This channel popped up at the right time for me. I’m starting 2 of my first modding projects and having a TH-camr I can click with is helpful with consistency
This is such an amazing and full description from an engineering point of view. Great work! Do you have any suggestions on which pickups or models are properly designed with coil tap option to get a massive sound for riff and also sharp clean?
Well, Seymour Duncan gets it right! They actually gave me these pickups to put in the American Fender Strat that Kahler and I are giving away. That thing is gonna have Graph Tech ratio locking tuners as well and a 10 way freeway switch! It’s gonna be a beast!
So with a humbucker because it’s in series or parallel , basically 2 single coils put together, the feature of push pull is actually cutting the series or parallel wiring ohms load ? And in a single coil pickup tapping is accessing a lower wound coil wire count, that’s gives a lower output vs the final wire coil finish wrap count , which gives a greater ohms output ?
The coil split is eliminating 1 side(coil) of the the humbucker changing it to a defacto single coil. Humbuckers are basically 2 single coils, wired opposite polarity in series to kill the 60hrz hum. Phase changing is usually done with 2 single coils changing the phasing from parallel to series to get a humbucker sound with more output, like changing to a 4 position p'up switch conversion on a Telecaster, or a push/pull volume pot, like I did on my Epi LP Special with P-90s. I have both, an Epi SG JR with a coil split humbucker & an Epi LP Special with P-90s & a push/pull pot. Have also had a Tele with a 4 way p'up switch. Output increases substantially with 2 single coils in series over parallel.
Parallel is not always the series divided by 4. I.E. "The Lindy Fralin Unbucker gives you great split-coil and humbucking tones - all in one. The unbalanced Unbucker’s coils give you a stronger single coil tone when split." . If the resistance of the coils is not equal then you must use the equation RTotal=1/((1/R1)+(1/R2)).
This video is for introducing people to what the difference between split and tap means. It’s an introduction. For much more advanced explanation of more boutique pickups I suggest people check out Dylan talks tone.
@@anthonyoviedo8093 that’s a good question! The tap starts wherever the person winding the pickup puts it, usually about half the winds. You access the tap with a switch of some kind, push pull pots are a switch so they work too.
So question is - is this always true on humbuckers type pickups regardless of manufacturer ? Meaning it’s a pickup design inherent to humbuckers? The proper term is always ‘cutting’ not tapping?
Excellent question, yes… coil cut or coil split are the proper terms. Very few manufacturers make a coil tappable humbucker and they are rare and expensive most people will never see them. Most will have 7 wires coming off them.
I keep everything simple when i want single coil sound i play a Strat , When i want Humbuckers I play a Les Paul. I had a guitar that split the coil I never used it that function it sounded weak .
That is totally understandable because the single coil tone from splitting a humbucker is totally different from a traditional single coil. However, a coil tapped single coil offers two very different usable tones. Also, some people do a modification where instead of splitting a humbucker some people send one coil through resistors (PRS most notably) to make it sound more like a single coil without such a drastic drop out
The output strength is determined by the total resistance so if you started with a hotter wound humbucker, the split would have more output too. Pots can make a difference too. Humbuckers are usually wired with 500k volume & tone pots while Fender single coils are usually wired with 250k volume & 250k tone pots while Gibson wired P-90s with 250k volume & 500k tone pots. My coil split SG JR is wired with 250k/500k pots
![Humbucker vs. Coil Split vs. Coil Tap [No Talking!]](/img/n.gif)
Hi. Thanks for this video. At the end with the single coil example you call "tap", are you saying the blue wire drawn after the red are actually the same wire? And the tap point is taken somewhere say one the middle of the total wire length or wounds for example?
Pretty much.
If you watch again you’ll see that on a traditional coil there is only one wire. The two wires sticking out of the coil are the start and the finish of that one wire.
It is important to understand that the start and the finish of that one wire are often referred to as hot and ground wires or positive and negative wires. This creates the false idea that they are different wires and not just the beginning and end of one wire. It works this way for the individual coils of a humbucker as well as a filtertron or even a p90 as a traditional p90 is just a big single coil.
With a coil tap you have 2 finish wires. The first one (or tap) is only giving you around half the coils of wire. Then a second wire is attached to that wire by the first finish wire (tap wire) and the coil is continued. So while it can be considered 2 separate wires, from an electronics standpoint it is just a continuation of the first wire.
This is why you can’t “coil tap” a humbucker. The single coils of a humbucker aren’t wrapped that way. Not that I’ve ever seen anyway, I’m sure someone has done it before but it is nothing I have ever seen (and I have looked, a lot). Plus a humbucker originally was 2 single coils that had about half the wraps of a single P90 so combined they would be close to the output of a pP90. I have done tapped single coils full output, wired in series like a humbucker and the output is so high (like 24K) that it’s kind of unusable. Full output in parallel however is different (about 6k), but that is a subject for another video.
So, technically it is a continuation of the same wire.
Being that humbuckers are almost always reverse wound reverse polarity and wired in series they will sound different from a single coil with the same output. This is primarily because they were designed to eliminate or “Buck” the hum created by 60 cycle alternating current that houses in the USA are powered with.
That is a very short explanation to a huge story that is fascinating to a guitar nerd such as myself.
I will also have sound demonstrations of these coil tappable pickups as well as others in the near future. Tapped they sound like a classic single coil but with full output they sound kind of like a p90.
This is kind of tricky to wrap your head around so if you’re having trouble and I can explain it better just let me know.
Also, this set of coil tappable Seymour Duncan pickups are going on an American Fender Strat that Kahler and I are giving away. It will also have Graph Tech ratio locking tuners on it.
Subscribe and set notifications to all to qualify. Then await further information.
Another solid addition to the video library. Grimace and me used to argue about this all the time.
Was that back when he used to steal shakes and had 4 arms?
@REXYLAB he's still in recovery from that whole birthday fiasco... dude was straight up dosing shakes left and right thinking he was back at Woodstock
@@MayorMcCheese2000 I’ve known people like that. It’s sad.
@REXYLAB yeah dude almost lost his leg to diabetes too from the sugar in those things... next time it's gonna be a yogurt berry smoothie and someone's gonna be keeping an eye on him so the magenta monster doesn't come out.
@@MayorMcCheese2000 put some roofies in his insulin.
I appreciate you putting this out there. I hope folks actually watch this and correct the misconception. It’s existed for far too long.
When I heard fight the good fight by Triumph I took it to heart!
This was a very informative video. I can't wait to hear what those single coils sound like! That Strat is going to be a beast!
Just wait until you see what happens when they are combined with a 10 way switch!
@@REXYLAB If that guitar disappears from your shop before you get a chance to give it away, i had nothing to do with it! I was never there! 😏
@@stevenpipes1555 I’ll keep that in mind!
Best video I’ve seen explaining this so far.
Thank you! Please share it with people who need to know.
Cool beans. Somethings I'm never to old to learn❤
Every day you don’t learn something is a day wasted.
Awesome explanation that you provided, I'm new at how to learn the push pull guitar knobs 🎸😎.
@@ArturoGarcia-yq9ut you should check this out then and you’ll be way ahead of everyone else.
Strandberg Boden Blasphemy! (With the help of Seymour Duncan and Freeway Switch)
th-cam.com/video/C1Zg7A8PgyQ/w-d-xo.html
thanx for your explanation, makes the mess a bit clearer :)
I am happy to help.
By the way, a tremolo bar is actually a vibrato bar. Tremolo is volume, vibrato is pitch.
But that is a hill I’m not willing to die on. 😉
Thank you, super helpful!
Damn it ! It’s about time someone explains this to me in a way I can understand. Thanks man !! Now I totally get it and if I have to explain it to someone else I’m confident I could.
That is so awesome! I’m glad I could help.
People misuse this term so much and it makes me a little crazy.
Please, feel free to share this with people and help spread the word.
@@REXYLAB maybe you could do a similar style video about in / out phase and series / parallel. The drawing you did to show how the coils are wound was perfect and easy. The problem with a lot of videos is they assume you understand all the tech jargon .
@@sk8glassesnmay493 that is a good idea! I’ll think of a way to explain those things in a similar way.
For now though you can hear the difference on my latest video that wasn’t supposed to be out until Saturday but I accidentally posted it early.
Strandberg Boden Blasphemy! (With the help of Seymour Duncan and Freeway Switch)
th-cam.com/video/C1Zg7A8PgyQ/w-d-xo.html
@@sk8glassesnmay493 there are lots of things in this playlist on custom wiring. I know I have explained series and parallel in it on more than one video.
Custom Wiring
th-cam.com/play/PLrFyjrwqOCJynKE7cob8SSVevAaTsdAcI.html
@@REXYLAB cool, gonna watch it right now. This channel popped up at the right time for me. I’m starting 2 of my first modding projects and having a TH-camr I can click with is helpful with consistency
This is such an amazing and full description from an engineering point of view. Great work! Do you have any suggestions on which pickups or models are properly designed with coil tap option to get a massive sound for riff and also sharp clean?
Thanks! I actually really like the Seymour Duncan Quarter Pounders with the tapp option and they offer it in RWRP (reverse wound, reverse polarity).
@@REXYLAB Amazing! thanks for prompt answer!
Blows my mind is that even people in the pick up making industry don’t even know the difference.. they constantly use the terms interchangeably.
Well, Seymour Duncan gets it right!
They actually gave me these pickups to put in the American Fender Strat that Kahler and I are giving away.
That thing is gonna have Graph Tech ratio locking tuners as well and a 10 way freeway switch!
It’s gonna be a beast!
So with a humbucker because it’s in series or parallel , basically 2 single coils put together, the feature of push pull is actually cutting the series or parallel wiring ohms load ? And in a single coil pickup tapping is accessing a lower wound coil wire count, that’s gives a lower output vs the final wire coil finish wrap count , which gives a greater ohms output ?
Nailed it!
You got it my friend!
The coil split is eliminating 1 side(coil) of the the humbucker changing it to a defacto single coil. Humbuckers are basically 2 single coils, wired opposite polarity in series to kill the 60hrz hum. Phase changing is usually done with 2 single coils changing the phasing from parallel to series to get a humbucker sound with more output, like changing to a 4 position p'up switch conversion on a Telecaster, or a push/pull volume pot, like I did on my Epi LP Special with P-90s. I have both, an Epi SG JR with a coil split humbucker & an Epi LP Special with P-90s & a push/pull pot. Have also had a Tele with a 4 way p'up switch. Output increases substantially with 2 single coils in series over parallel.
Parallel is not always the series divided by 4. I.E. "The Lindy Fralin Unbucker gives you great split-coil and humbucking tones - all in one. The unbalanced Unbucker’s coils give you a stronger single coil tone when split." . If the resistance of the coils is not equal then you must use the equation RTotal=1/((1/R1)+(1/R2)).
This video is for introducing people to what the difference between split and tap means.
It’s an introduction.
For much more advanced explanation of more boutique pickups I suggest people check out Dylan talks tone.
Excellent video. Sorry if it's a dumb question... But, where does the tapped coil start? And how do you engage or disengage that tapped?
@@anthonyoviedo8093 that’s a good question!
The tap starts wherever the person winding the pickup puts it, usually about half the winds.
You access the tap with a switch of some kind, push pull pots are a switch so they work too.
So question is - is this always true on humbuckers type pickups regardless of manufacturer ? Meaning it’s a pickup design inherent to humbuckers? The proper term is always ‘cutting’ not tapping?
Excellent question, yes… coil cut or coil split are the proper terms.
Very few manufacturers make a coil tappable humbucker and they are rare and expensive most people will never see them. Most will have 7 wires coming off them.
Damn! I want that single in my strat! That a custom pup, or something i can get somewheres?
@@Breaker197 Seymour Duncan makes a few coil tappable single coils. They are some of my favorites!
Can I listen that ssl-4 pickup full and coil tapped in a video?👀
Not yet but soon.
God I love those little copper clips.
They are handy, aren’t they?
So cool you got to see this before the premiere! Membership has its privileges.
@@REXYLAB hell yeah 😎
I keep everything simple when i want single coil sound i play a Strat , When i want Humbuckers I play a Les Paul. I had a guitar that split the coil I never used it that function it sounded weak .
That is totally understandable because the single coil tone from splitting a humbucker is totally different from a traditional single coil.
However, a coil tapped single coil offers two very different usable tones.
Also, some people do a modification where instead of splitting a humbucker some people send one coil through resistors (PRS most notably) to make it sound more like a single coil without such a drastic drop out
The output strength is determined by the total resistance so if you started with a hotter wound humbucker, the split would have more output too. Pots can make a difference too. Humbuckers are usually wired with 500k volume & tone pots while Fender single coils are usually wired with 250k volume & 250k tone pots while Gibson wired P-90s with 250k volume & 500k tone pots. My coil split SG JR is wired with 250k/500k pots