EBMM preamp "experts"... wiring question

[ruger9]

I know there are a couple of people here who know their way around the EBMM preamp (mine is a Luke III)

My question is: is there a way to re-wire the neck pickup so that, when the front selector switch position is engaged (neck pickup only), it splits the coils? Essentially making the HH Luke an HSS?

Here's the thing: I have always preferred single coil neck pickups, and humbucker bridge pickups. However, middle pickups always get in my way, so no HSS or SSS for me. Has to be HH. My first thought was to get a Dimarzio Humbucker From Hell, which I have in another HH guitar, it sound ALOT like a single coil... but the Luke's various pickup positions sound so good I don't want to mess that up. So I was hoping I could somehow (maybe by disconnecting one wire from the neck pickup) turn it into a single coil?

Which would give me
1 Bridge HB
2 Bridge single+neck single
3 Bridge HB + neck single
4 Bridge single + neck single
5 Neck SINGLE -the coil nearest the fretboard (so, same as position 2 but with bridge off)

The 3 most important tones I need are: bridge humbucking, neck single, and the bridge/middle strat "in-between". So I just need a way to make the neck a single coil, I guess.

After looking at various options, if the re-wiring isn't going to work, I think I'll try replacing the neck Transition with a Dimarzio EJ Custom. It's the same pickup as the Humbucker From Hell, but I can get it with a nickel cover so it looks right on the Luke. I just hope that doesn't make the other 3 switch positions sound too thin...

 

[beej]

The HH doesn't have a Silent Circuit, so the only issue is that you won't have any hum cancelling when using the single on it's own. If that's an issue, you could aways wire up the neck humbucker to be in parallel. Otherwise, what you want is doable.

Fwiw, I also prefer a single coil in the neck, so on my HH Luke I swapped the tone control with a push/push that splits the neck and bridge pickups in positions 1 and 5. That's a bit different than what you're asking for, but makes it easy to keep the neck humbucker for when you want it.

 

[ruger9]

The HH doesn't have a Silent Circuit, so the only issue is that you won't have any hum cancelling when using the single on it's own. If that's an issue, you could aways wire up the neck humbucker to be in parallel. Otherwise, what you want is doable.

Fwiw, I also prefer a single coil in the neck, so on my HH Luke I swapped the tone control with a push/push that splits the neck and bridge pickups in positions 1 and 5. That's a bit different than what you're asking for, but makes it easy to keep the neck humbucker for when you want it.

I actually have that same setup on my old Charvel/Jackson. That could work... but the tone control is PCB mounted, right? I'm an amateur solder jockey, but I stay away from PCBs whenever possible... a mistake there could be a very big PITA. I'd feel alot more comfortable soldering onto the switch.

And trying the neck in parallel (instead of making it a single coil), is definitely something I would try. I think that's just a wire swap on the switch? Or maybe two? It's been awhile...

 

[beej]

I think it depends on the Luke ... my tone pot isn't PCB mounted. Open it up and have a look. Other than replacing the pot, it was pretty easy wiring to the lever switch.

For parallel, again it depends on the age of the Luke. It'll require a bit of rewiring, but it's not major surgery. I'd be happy to help out where I can.

 

[ruger9]

I think it depends on the Luke ... my tone pot isn't PCB mounted. Open it up and have a look. Other than replacing the pot, it was pretty easy wiring to the lever switch.

For parallel, again it depends on the age of the Luke. It'll require a bit of rewiring, but it's not major surgery. I'd be happy to help out where I can.

Thanks so much. I think you might have helped me before, sending me my wiring diagram. I've attached it here. I think I'd like to try the neck in parallel first.

 

[beej]

So for the Neck, normally Black goes to ground, Red & Green are tied together, and White is hot.

In parallel, you'd want Black & Green tied together and grounded, and Red & White tied together and to the switch.

On the top side of the lever switch in that diagram, I'd first remove the Blue jumper wire (used for the split- you won't need it for parallel), then unsolder the R & G wires. Wire G to ground (wherever is convenient- attach a ground wire to it or solder to the nearest ground point). Then solder R&W together and put back where the W wire was before. Also run a jumper wire to where the R & G wires were before.

I'd probably remove the wires first, clean the lugs, and solder it back. But you could also leave everything in place, clip the Blue wire, remove it, clip the Green wire, ground that, and then run a jumper from the lug with the Red wire to either of the neighboring lugs, etc.

Now you'll have the Neck coils in parallel and active in positions 2, 3, 4, and 5.

 

[ruger9]

So for the Neck, normally Black goes to ground, Red & Green are tied together, and White is hot.

In parallel, you'd want Black & Green tied together and grounded, and Red & White tied together and to the switch.

On the top side of the lever switch in that diagram, I'd first remove the Blue jumper wire (used for the split- you won't need it for parallel), then unsolder the R & G wires. Wire G to ground (wherever is convenient- attach a ground wire to it or solder to the nearest ground point). Then solder R&W together and put back where the W wire was before. Also run a jumper wire to where the R & G wires were before.

I'd probably remove the wires first, clean the lugs, and solder it back. But you could also leave everything in place, clip the Blue wire, remove it, clip the Green wire, ground that, and then run a jumper from the lug with the Red wire to either of the neighboring lugs, etc.

Now you'll have the Neck coils in parallel and active in positions 2, 3, 4, and 5.

Wow! Amazing! Thanks for the help! Much appreciated!

 

[beej]

Ha ha ... let's hope it works

 

[ruger9]

Ha ha ... let's hope it works

It's interesting, I was on YouTube looking for "parallel vs split" videos, I don't really hear much of a difference (I realize it's YouTube)... but at least it's still hum-cancelling.

When you helped me before, what I had done (it's still installed), was to add a de-mud mod to the Transition neck pickup (which is a capacitor on the hot lead, acting as a high-pass filter)... the value of the capacitor determines were the low end is cut off... I've done this on neck humuckers before, to remove some low end and make them not as woofy when using gain; it works pretty well actually. Before I try it in parallel, I think I'll try changing the value of that capacitor, to see if I can remove some more low end from the neck pickup.... not sure how this will affect the in-between positions tho... if at all... when you helped me, I think you said the way we did it, the capacitor would only affect switch position 1, when the neck pickup was in full-humbucker mode.

 

[beej]

It's interesting, I was on YouTube looking for "parallel vs split" videos, I don't really hear much of a difference (I realize it's YouTube)... but at least it's still hum-cancelling.

They're pretty close. Depending on the inductance of the pickup, you might prefer one or the other. I have a guitar with a parallel/split selector for the humbuckers and it's hard to tell the difference sometimes.

If I'm planning to use the split coils for any other kind of combination I'd use a split. If I wanted the humbucker to be more of a single coil all the time, parallel. (On my Y2D, I have the neck wired up in parallel all the time- same deal.)

The capacitor thing does work to take out some of the low end, but doesn't really change the character of the sound. Just another trick to try and get to the same place. Certainly worth playing with. And yeah- if I recall it was only wired to the one switch position.

 

[KenKenobi125]

This is great information! Thank you.

Here's a question, could you use a Freeway 10 position switch and not ruin the circuit, just expand the choices? https://www.freewayswitch.com/products/

If I could do that on my BFR and make sure it was reversible, I would consider it

 

[beej]

You could, but what is it that you want to get? You’d lose the volume compensation in the split positions.

If you want additional coil splitting then an added push/push pot might be easier. If more parallel options then maybe.

 

[ruger9]

Update...

I ended up trying the de-mud mod on the neck, and it's worked really well. But curiosity being a curse and all...LOL...

I now have a Fralin "Alnico Pole P90", which is "noiseless", I'd like to try for the neck position. I'm not looking to split it, it's not designed for that, I think the extra coil is really just there for hum reduction, not for splitting.

So I want to install the neck, so that it's simply "full on" in positions 1(neck), 2, 3, and 4. So treating it like a single coil. The Fralin has only W(hot)/B/G anyway.

I'll also need to trim the pickup's feet, as they are square(normal), so I'll have to trim them to fit the Luke cavity. I've tried a pair of nippers, they won't cut it. I'm trying to avoid using a Dremel due to the "metal dust" that will occur... not sure what tool is sharp/strong enough to cut that metal?

 

[beej]

Haha, you're fully down the rabbit hole! Fwiw, I added a capacitor to the split of my neck humbucker as well to roll-off some low end when split. Definitely helped, but still not perfect.

Not sure what tool to suggest ... I'd use a Dremel, but in front of a vacuum to suck out the debris.

That said ... rather than go to a P90, why not find a single coil in a humbucker package? If you want a single coil there, just go for it.

 

[ruger9]

Haha, you're fully down the rabbit hole! Fwiw, I added a capacitor to the split of my neck humbucker as well to roll-off some low end when split. Definitely helped, but still not perfect.

Not sure what tool to suggest ... I'd use a Dremel, but in front of a vacuum to suck out the debris.

That said ... rather than go to a P90, why not find a single coil in a humbucker package? If you want a single coil there, just go for it.

Well, that's what the "Alnico Pole P90" is. It's not a bar magnet, it's pole magnets like a strat pickup. Except this one is noiseless and fits in a humbucker rout. It doesn't sound like a P90, it's supposed to sound like a fat strat pickup.

Alnico Noiseless P90 Humbucker - Designed by Lindy Fralin

 

[Rbg]

A little bit tangental, but you know that you can lower the middle pickup on LIIIs with EBMM Cutlass single coils?

 

[beej]

Gotcha- I skipped over the "alnico pole" bit and thought this was a noiseless P90.

 

[ruger9]

A little bit tangental, but you know that you can lower the middle pickup on LIIIs with EBMM Cutlass single coils?

No I didn't know that. I looked for that info on forums (including here) but couldn't find anyone who could verify that the wood-mounted single coils could be lowered much, if at all.

 

[Rbg]

I don’t know about HT pickups but previous ones you can pretty much make it flush with the body.

 

[Rbg]

Guys do you know how wire de-mud cap so it’s only active when you are in 5th position on a full HB? Asking for newer L3/L4 boards.