Can I install a coil split switch with these pickups?

[ACfireandiceDC]

Hi, everyone,

I am currently modding/restoring a badly abused Ibanez RG170 with a 5-way selector switch. The following are photos of the bridge and neck pickups. I am thinking of adding a coil split switch to the neck and the bridge pickup. Keep in mind that I am relatively new to soldering. But based on these photos, would I be able to install a switch, based on the number of wires here?

Also, I was thinking of adding a tap as well as a split, and was wondering if one switch could be used to activate both pickups or if I would need one coil split switch for each pickup. Pointers would be helpful. Thanks!

 

[bostjan]

It should all be possible, but it depends on how complicated you want to go, and whether it's worth it or not.

You'll want to identify which wire is which, which magnetic pole is which (if you want to combine split coils and still cancel hum), and then find the switches you need.

As I said, it should totally be doable, but are you sure you want to keep these pickups?

 

[jandro]

looks like those pickups have 1 ground 1 hot output 1 bare... you need 4 semi-conductors to do any splitting (each semiconductor represents the start and finish of an individual coil)

you need to change the wire from 2 conductor to 4 conductor.. I wouldn't really recommend it if you're new to soldering but if you want to give it a go, here's a guide:

http://www.robchapman.tv/forum/threads/how-to-convert-2-conductor-humbuckers-to-4-conductor.28147/

For coil splitting/tapping you can look at various wiring schematics. Just google them. You can go with dpdt mini switches, or dpdt push pull pots.

Cheers.

 

[bostjan]

looks like those pickups have 1 ground 1 hot output 1 bare... you need 4 semi-conductors to do any splitting (each semiconductor represents the start and finish of an individual coil)

you need to change the wire from 2 conductor to 4 conductor.. I wouldn't really recommend it if you're new to soldering but if you want to give it a go, here's a guide:

http://www.robchapman.tv/forum/threads/how-to-convert-2-conductor-humbuckers-to-4-conductor.28147/

For coil splitting/tapping you can look at various wiring schematics. Just google them. You can go with dpdt mini switches, or dpdt push pull pots.

Cheers.

Oh pfft, I didn't see the photo somehow.

Absolutely this! You can't do anything with two conductor wiring.

Also, no offense intended to the OP, but those look rusted as hell. They ought to be replaced anyway.

 

[djohns74]

Actually, that's not two conductor wiring. The bare wire is of course ground, the white is hot and the red is a coil cut wire. In fact, the guitar's stock wiring includes an automatic coil cut in positions 2 and 4 on the switch, so adding a coil split switch of some kind is actually simple. You can think of this third wire as being the same as a Dimarzio four conductor pickup with the black and white wires already joined together.

Disclaimer: I have found that occasionally, the white and red wires are actually reversed. The above is based on the official wiring diagrams, but I think it depends on the year of production or possibly which factory produced the instrument.

 

[jandro]

Actually, that's not two conductor wiring. The bare wire is of course ground, the white is hot and the red is a coil cut wire. In fact, the guitar's stock wiring includes an automatic coil cut in positions 2 and 4 on the switch, so adding a coil split switch of some kind is actually simple. You can think of this third wire as being the same as a Dimarzio four conductor pickup with the black and white wires already joined together.

Disclaimer: I have found that occasionally, the white and red wires are actually reversed. The above is based on the official wiring diagrams, but I think it depends on the year of production or possibly which factory produced the instrument.

This! Thanks for clearing that up.