Splitting coils in an Axis

[Stratty316]

Just wondering what my options are if I wanted to be able to split the humbuckers in an Axis so has the same pickup config as a Super Sport. (Bridge, "Single", Both, "Single", Neck) The catch is that I don't want to modify the guitar in a manner in which I can't bring it back to stock if I don't like it.

 

[V_S]

Replace the tone and/or volume pot with a push pull pot. Invisible and reversible mod.

 

[DrGonzo5150]

Replace the tone and/or volume pot with a push pull pot. Invisible and reversible mod.

+1

 

[joe web]

i did the coilsplitting on my EVHs, would do it again. the SC sound is very nice. i replaced the volumepot for a push-pull one.

 

[mikeller]

I have thought about that myself - thanks. Did that alter the HB tones at all?

 

[joe web]

no

 

[V_S]

Maybe this will work, too, if the you exchange the 3-way-switch for the rotary switch.

http://www.dimarzio.com//media/diagrams/F.pdf

 

[Astrofreq]

Push pull for sure.

 

[Stratty316]

cool, thats how I thought I would do it... I was really worried about altering the tone of the guitar since the one I want to tap has such a sweet sound to begin with.

 

[doesitmtter]

I split the humbuckers in ALL my guitars. No reason not to.

 

[beej]

Except that they hum when you do that. So if you play with some amount of gain, sometimes series/parallel wiring is useful.

 

[Adamr]

i would also like to do this. is it something that i should have a guitar tech do . or is it something that can be done pretty easily with a decent set of instructions.
also what push pull pot do i buy ? can it be anyone i can find.
i just want to be able to split each humbucker seperatly im not to bothered about pickup combinations like the dimarzio instructions above.
im a guitar fiddling noob so dont laugh to much at my inane questions.

 

[doesitmtter]

Except that they hum when you do that. So if you play with some amount of gain, sometimes series/parallel wiring is useful.

Sure, in single coil mode. But that's the price you pay for the increased high end. When you go back to humbucker it's the same as it always was. I like having the option and it doesn't rob the humbucker of its original tone.

And Adam, it's really easy to split the humbucker, as long as it's four conductor. Just buy a new push-pull pot (about 5 bucks on ebay) And wire the other two wires to the switch. Like so:

http://blueguitar.org/new/articles/blue_gtr/gtr/coil_cut.pdf

 

[V_S]

Depends on how good your soldering skills are.. but it defintitly isn't rocket science. I do all my wiring myself. You need a soldering iron with around 35 to 50 Watts. Less watts don't produce enough heat for soldering the ground to the pot housing.

The pots are easy to find:
It's either a 250 k-audio taper
250K DPDT Pot | Allparts.com
or a 500 k audio taper
500K A DPDT Pot | Allparts.com

You can use linear taper for the tone pot.

i would also like to do this. is it something that i should have a guitar tech do . or is it something that can be done pretty easily with a decent set of instructions.
also what push pull pot do i buy ? can it be anyone i can find.
i just want to be able to split each humbucker seperatly im not to bothered about pickup combinations like the dimarzio instructions above.
im a guitar fiddling noob so dont laugh to much at my inane questions.

 

[rickjohns]

I've done this on my Axis, and it is awesome. One thing I ended up doing though, is putting a resistor in the circuit, I think I used a 100k. Circuit goes like this: center two wires of each pickup to seperste poles on a double throw double pole switch, the out of the switch thru the 150k resistor to ground. I felt that shorting half of the pickup to ground sounded too thin, however, playing with different values of resistors I came up with a lot of different tones. Right now it sounds in between being tapped and not, twangy but with balls. More p90 ish, rather than thin spilt sound. I'm not totally sure of the 150k value, I'll have to check my guitar. I used a pot with the switch, as I didn't want to alter the guitar anymore than I already did (I put a off/on toggle beside the pickup switch). This Axis is the most versatile guitar I have ever owned now. I can make almost any tone. Try different resistors, or use a trimmer pot until you dial in the right sound.

 

[rickjohns]

Boy I was way off. It was a 15k resistor. I used a 150k for the treble bleed mod.

 

[Adamr]

cheers ill look into soon.

 

[Jack FFR1846]

I used 6 position double pole rotary switches in my Sublhouette mod. Each humbucker is separately controlled by one rotary switch.......positions as follows....

1: hum
2: single coil (the screws)
3: single coil (the magnets)
4: single coil reverse phase (magnets)
5: single coil reverse phase (screws)
6: hum reverse phase

and to answer your questions.....yes, I'm a carried away EE.....and yes, I'm a little whacked.

I plan to do a push/pull on the volume knob of my Axis.