Guitar Pickups - Series vs Parallel Explored

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[@aidanmcguigan1724]

Awesome us usual. I've researched this before but never found a good "portrayal" of tonal difference, this shows it perfectly man, you do an incredible job of making things relevant. Appreciate the time you take to do this, in a little pocket of the guitarist world you have made my little brain very satisfied!

[@LeonTodd]

My pleasure, that's exactly what I was going for so I'm glad it helped!

[@AndyDion]

That 4 way switch is a must have mod for all Teles! I love mine!

[@vonicrimson3619]

I took the tone knob out of mine and put this random humbucker I had in the neck

[@vonicrimson3619]

I wired the neck in series because I play metal

[@MusicOfDreamweaver]

I modded one of my guitars with a Full - Split - Parallell switch. I almost always use the neck in parallell and bridge in series. This was informative. Thanks Leon.

[@LeonTodd]

I had a guitar with the neck in parallel that was awesome! Thanks for reminding me about that, might have to revisit it on a guitar or two

[@MusicOfDreamweaver]

@@LeonTodd It is a really nice combo, that. You get that little extra bite that do so much. I love it.

[@mspeedm5849]

yep par is best for humbucker in neck if you are looking for strat pos 4 tones

[@UncleTodMusic]

I was reading the one page manual that came with my PRS and was wondering about outside, inside, series, and parallel. Now because of you I know! Thanks for making this and for keeping the playing relevant to the discussion and for the crisp editing.

[@LeonTodd]

Glad I could help!

[@Brandontsmith85]

Great video and one of the better that exist on the differences between the wiring methodologies. I have a Strandberg that I've set up both humbuckers for push/pull series/parallel switching. I love parallel on the neck as it tames the low end and gives sparkle to the highs but I've had l less success with using parallel on the bridge. I haven't really explored tones with it much, yet, but I'm going to do that soon.

[@czito]

Great video! This helps me understand my hsh guitar! I was wondering why the two in between positions on my 5 way switch gave me that really clean non humbucking tone. Now I know that they are parallel positions. Its a really versatile guitar.

[@Jinnuksuk]

I did not have to watch 10 different videos to decide how I'll wire up my guitar. Better so, it helped me to understand better without having to do extensive research to get a basic understanding. Thanks so much!

[@cameronjohnsonaudio]

This was such a well explained video, for me at least. I loved your closing statement about learning what you can do with your ACTUAL guitar, rather than buying more equipment. Nice work. 👍🤘

[@LeonTodd]

"Love the one you're with" right?

[@cameronjohnsonaudio]

Leon Todd Yes Sir! 👍

[@x-STORMXX-x]

Wow great info and if anything gives me a door to look more into this. Thank you so much for the video!

[@sadwingsraging3044]

Leon laying down the String Theory! MOAR TELECASTER!

[@seventhsealhere]

Now this was something cool & different. I never really put much focus on the connection method of the pickup for tone shaping but more on the pickup choice itself. Interesting! 👍

[@LeonTodd]

That resonant peak really makes things interesting

[@JasonECI]

Great demonstration for the differences!!!

[@jasonbiggs603]

Thank you for showing so many different sounds. Thanks!

[@LeonTodd]

My pleasure!

[@mr.fenderb.bender512]

I bought a new Telecaster Ultra recently and it has a push button on the volume knob that takes it between series and Parallel when the toggle is in center position. I enjoy it but the classic tele sounds are hard to beat in my opinion. I thought you explained the difference well, thank you.

[@unmike19]

Great video man. Made a ton of sense and stellar playing

[@LeonTodd]

Thanks mate!

[@robertstephanek7063]

Leon Todd, you teaching God! The first rapid fire, tonal changing, able to compare riffs at settings video. EXTREMELY useful! One of the best explanations followed by a flawless demonstration that I have seen. You helped simplify and reinforce my decision. Thank you! Some guys seem like it's an audition. I know you can play, please answer the question. We'll, you did the best job I've seen!

[@LeonTodd]

Much appreciated mate!

[@bjorn_bennett]

Dang, the PRS sounds wicked and the parallel configuration is fiya.

[@larrylowemusic8748]

Great vid man!

[@threedog8164]

thats a beautiful hamer, you dont see too many, I found a V used in a GC and had to pick it up

[@inzanestrings]

a cool sound when using pickups in parallel is rolling back the tone knob, it gives more of a cocked wah kind of sound than it does on series wired pickups, and can get you pretty close to the dire straights money for nothing guitar sound, without even having to dial in a wah to the exact right position

[@MusicWithMarky]

I never knew about any of this even after playing 30 years. Thanks for a great explanation, brotha!

[@LeonTodd]

My pleasure!

[@mistreated]

That was brilliant! Thanks so much for that

[@stevenmgyori3826]

That's Great Leon! Very helpful to many! Thank you so much for using the Tele, That was so Sweet and Lovely! Be Well Brother! Be Well All!

[@LeonTodd]

I need to use it more, killer Axe

[@markmekailian]

phenomenal video, you are a great teacher I can tell just by the way you explain things. thank you!

[@LeonTodd]

You're very welcome!

[@peterschmidt9942]

Pretty good explanation there Leon. I'd probably just add that the reason series/parallel sound different is in parallel, the frequencies are actually cancelling themselves out and in series, they're adding frequencies together so you get a relatively higher output. When I first started playing guitar in the early 90's, I mucked around with guitar wiring. I was fascinated with the way Brian May wired his guitar (3 singles in series with on off's) so I wired my first strat similarly. I modified mine even further with a DP3T slider switch to basically turn pickups on/off in/out of phase and added a 4PDT switch to put all pickups in series or parallel. Fun times. I think the traditional pickup wiring's are best suited for rhythm and the extra setting are more suited for lead tone's.

[@LeonTodd]

That's a good point and something I definitely missed talking about!

[@altmaster3288]

I know this is a little late (!), but I wanted to clarify for someone who might read this in the future. It's sort of true that in parallel there are frequencies cancelling each other, but that's not the primary reason for the output difference (which might lead to confusion which effects like in and out of phase). As Peter says, in series the output of the humbucker coils are indeed summed together. In parallel they are averaged, so output is roughly the same as a single coil. Frequency cancellation (and boosting) occurs because the two coils are in slightly different positions and have different sensing points. This slight difference leads to different results (different frequencies cancelled or boosted) depending on whether you are summing the waves (series) or averaging them (parallel), resulting in a different sound aside from the output level.

[@surfrby8876]

Great simple explanation Leon, I just picked up a used Charvel DK 24 HH , Chlorine Bleach ,( Very impressive guitar for a MIM ) with a 5 way switch that has a toggle that switches between series and parallel , 10 tones,, I don’t like gimmicks nor do I need all those tones, I never use more than a few but they’re all pretty useable without HUM ! I’ve been looking around for a PRS 24, and that rotary model really is impressive , maybe that’s the model for me ,take care my friend 🙏

[@racron88]

I have a Fender tele with humbuckers and a push/pull love it and an Adrian Smith Jackson with Lukather EMGs cant get enough of either guitar

[@mspeedm5849]

Different resonant peaks for sure! Even with both pots on 10 and no other variations in capacitance . Great vid

[@rangerdoc1029]

I put a N series - parallel - S series switch on my Mustang. Love it. Like P90s on tap.

[@LeonTodd]

An offset guitar is high on my GAS list. That sounds like a really fun addition to the 'stang

[@Corpsecrank]

Best explanation because seeing it and hearing it is all you need really.

[@LeonTodd]

🙌

[@blackforestbeamer]

great job, thanks!

[@NeoRichardBlake]

Just started learning about this, so still generally a little confused by it, but I love the examples. Thanks so much. This sounds like some really good stuff to know for modding a couple of single-humbucker guitars that I have. Adding a couple of push-pull knobs to get series/parallel and coil-split would add quite a bit of versatility to these guys. I bought them as cheap mod learning guitars. $75 each after shipping, so I'm not too worried if my learning goes sideways. ;) The physical stuff like fret work doesn't worry me nearly as much as all this wiring stuff. I've never soldered before, but it's the kind of knowledge that piques my interest.

[@KP-vr6ft]

Great video. Learned something new today

[@LeonTodd]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@Brennosguitarsandgear]

I love the chopper T pickup in a tele , with a push pull for parallel/ series.

[@LeonTodd]

Best stacked humbucker ever!

[@SergeiVlassov]

Hi! Do you have sound examples? I am trying to decide how to wite Chopper in a tele.

[@REDKLOK_-_The_Original]

I tried a switch from those metal selector boxes used for mechanically selecting BNC, VGA and Parallel ports manually back in the day, and now I got only 2 positions for my 2 humbucker setup. My bridge humbucker having both coils in series in position #1 and in position #2: a neck humbucker alone in a parallel circuit within it's two colis. Those switches inside those things usually are able to be resized and customized. I figured to let anyone else who likes simple use while able to have their entire circuit to become totally "re-wired" with one switch/position, like me, look for those beige metal boxes that sometimes say "data selector".. Just trying to help anyone else out there. there's multiple switches found on Mouser's site and Amazon as well. I got what I wanted wired in parallel and series, but in complete separate circuits on the same guitar.

[@rommelnatera4083]

Awesome explanation!

[@Lalairu]

I am planning on building an Esquire partcaster with a humbucker, so I can make some parallel and in series thing... thanks for this :D

[@TheStratSound]

Great Video!!

[@andrewbecker3700]

The tricky part is keeping individual coils or multiple pickups in phase with a superswitch. Between parallel, series, and phases, there's alot of different ways to get the wires mixed up. A recent build of mine proved to be a little more complex than I'd initially thought. Ended up with 2 of the switch positions out of phase and a super thin sound. That's why they make some middle position single coils reverse wound.

[@zezuntxiduntxi]

great video!

[@Finom1]

Help, can someone provide a link on the wiring diagram and the selector switch wiring? Thank you.

[@carlitoscuba16]

Amazing thank you so much for the video

[@LeonTodd]

My pleasure!

[@spaceavenger54]

Leon, I had a dual hamburger guitar it had 3 weeks I will switch on it and it had a coil tap switch, I replaced the bridge and hook the wires up at least the way I thought exactly the way he went back and all the sudden when the tiger switch was on the bridge position the next pick up sounded exactly the same, but when I put both pickups on with the switch in the middle position I got this funky what I guess is out of phase tone my drummer called it the quack switch it really was awesome for some stuff and I don't know how I did it I'd like to wire my guitars like that again so that they're only out of fees when I put them on together in the middle pick up selector position. Again I don't know what I did because I just ran what wires and it said to run where and I hooked up pick up so a lot of times and never had that, I'm not going to say problem because I licked the end result LOL. Do you have any idea how I did this or tell me how I can do it again the only other thing that I remember possibly doing was taking the coil tap switch off of the bridge pickup and only hooking it up to the neck pickup. Thanks for any help! Rick

[@misterg7043]

a good review. As a bass player I wonder why the hell typical jazz basses are not equipped with push pulls. Gonna try it right now, since I preferred series sound all the way in this video. I assume parallel is only good for the second guitar if any.

[@flatfingertuning727]

It would be good to demonstrate how the tone control interacts with series and parallel modes. In general, the tone knob will have a greater effect in series mode than in parallel mode. An aspect of guitar electronics I've not seen discussed as much as it should be is that the passive electronics in a guitar can affect sound in ways that can't be modeled by a pedal, since a pedal only gets a "composite" signal, while the electronics in a guitar can shape the portions of the sound coming from different pickups differently.

[@samclements8246]

I put two dpdt switches on a duel humbucker guitar. Along with a three way switch I have a lot of fun combinations. So then I added a phase switch too...

[@LeonTodd]

Yum! That's a great combo

[@musicJRF]

Not the pickup information I was looking for, but informative nonetheless. Really, I just had to say love your Hamer! Don't see a lot of them online.

[@fabianaust292]

Yo Leon, is this the original parallel axis or the hotter PA distortion? Got the Distortion myself and absolutely love it...and yeah it splits and does parallel absolutely beautifully. I usually have humbuckers on a 4-way switch, in the bridge, it really makes a huge difference whether you split to the south or the north coil

[@ianyoung8392]

I've been thinking about guitar wiring for a long while. I think that parallel wiring with a middle pickup is great as they're lower down, decreasing the output already but maxing chime. The parallel wiring is output is 30% less than series. So a rail in the middle in parallel has less power and more chime giving positions 2+4 less out put, more chime retained and a lot clearer on cleans and low gain settings. So I like to go: 1. Bridge humbucker Series 2. Bridge + Middle together 3. Middle Rail Parallel (push pull to out of phase) 4. Neck and Middle together 5. Neck series Then to give extra tones on top of these with different EQ and output on the preamp I have a push pull on the volume pot to put position 3 of the middle pup out of phase affecting positions 2, 3 and 4. This drastically affects tones for clean when going "retro". Then 1meg volume and 500k shadow kill pot for the tone Then choose pickups that love 1meg volume pots and you'll have a guitar with unmatched clarity/body that really is somewhere between a strat and a les paul. As for pups my favourite so far with this are Dimarzio D Activator X, Fast Track 1 and Chopper. Funk, metal, grunge, rock, thrash, neoclassical, jazz etc. One guitar to rule them all...

[@leonardofazzilani8329]

Once I heard that a humbucker in parallel wiring would sound like a P90 pickup, but as you said, it's not only a matter of DC resistance comparison... what's your opinion about that statement?

[@NudnikShpilkus]

6:49 - my SE24 Standard came with a 3-way lever and a pull-up tone pot to get single coil tones. I accidentally pulled out the switch pot's shaft trying to remove the knob to line the knobs up. I replaced it with a regular pot and a pair of DPDT series/parallel switches. Might replace the pull pot for phase some day, but it's an awesome guitar with a nice palette of tones. Both pickups on with neck in parallel but bridge in series gets a similar upper-mid thing to a Tele going on. The output imbalance and loading from the neck pickup is apparently a key part of that sound....

[@NudnikShpilkus]

Great job explaining this stuff, BTW.

[@NudnikShpilkus]

Oh, also, I have a Strat wiring that switches the #2 and #4 switch positions from parallel to series but leaves the switch choices in the same positions so you don't have to think too hard about it. Bridge + Middle in series is awesome....

[@cafesociety8525]

I spent £20 on my prs se put a couple of alpha push pulls for coil tap and phase reverse plus a couple of micro switches for series/parallel and .22/.47 tone caps. Awesome bang for buck.

[@djhogan65]

I am modifying a multi-scale guitar (God help me!😵‍💫), about to install 2 guyker brand humbuckers, twin hotrails in each coil (4 hotrails per humbucker), I expect these pickups will have a hot, heavy metal sound...maybe TOO hot👹). Do you think it will have similar effects using series and parallell wiring on hotrail style humbuckers? (Maybe I can tame the beast a little bit when I want to😬).

[@michaelinglis8516]

If your parallel position sounds a little lifeless a 1000pf cap across the north and south finish lugs (center positions on the dpdt) will make a huge difference and bring the frequency response back to where it should be. You'll end up with a parallel position that sounds as balanced as series but with the sound an feel of parallel.

[@Finom1]

Hi Michael, could you provide a wiring diagram of this guitar with your cap mod in it?

[@personalfreedom2700]

Have you tried humbuckers in series in each pickup and then in series from both pickups from neck to bridge?

[@89ji76]

I’m about to build an HSS guitar so this is great info. Thanks!

[@LeonTodd]

Partscaster or a full DIY job?

[@89ji76]

Leon Todd Warmoth Soloist, so I guess you’d call that full DIY. Still deciding on the pickup configuration. Way too many options 🤯

[@josephballew]

I have my Strat humbucker wired with a three way mini toggle giving me series, parallel, and coil split. I never use the parallel because it has frequencies I don't like. I also have a Paul Reed Smith SE Custom 24 with Floyd rose. It has the series parallel and I hate the tone and never use it. I just bought that guitar and will modify it take the push pull out, installing two three way mini toggles and a treble bleed capacitor. This will give me 15 different coil splits. Splitting coils sounds so much better and you have a gate for high gain sound if you get a little hum. One word describes parallel to me, nasally. Coil splits are bright and warm at the same time. I have that wiring diagram if you would like to have it.

[@danswon]

'nasal' not 'nasally'

[@starultima7672]

i would love that wiring diagram lol

[@nathanabraham3979]

lincoln chrzan LoL same

[@d-mack7053]

@Leon Todd. I asked the other day on your Q & A if we could here the military plane looking guitar. Thanks!!! I'd love to have that.

[@d-mack7053]

*Hear.

[@nefariouspreludev2.046]

Dude what pedal/s are you using to get that awesome high gain tone. I have to know.

[@nacoapestoso]

Hello there, Hope you're doing well and safe in these strange times. I'm currently researching for a guitar upgrade; I want to replace a p90 pickup on a Les Paul for a mini humbucker and want to have it setup to change between series/parallel, so my question (might be silly): Is there a wiring to have the push-pull pot installed in the Tone knob or must it be in the Volume pot?

[@brainstewX]

It can be volume or tone

[@joshboydguitar]

great explanation, thanks! Where are you from?

[@KyleCanessa]

Thank you!

[@LeonTodd]

Welcome!

[@YoureNowOnTV]

Nice one 👍😀

[@binface9]

Great description of series vs "para-lelle" wiring LT!

[@binface9]

I promise that is the last time

[@LeonTodd]

Hahaha these actually make me chuckle every time I read them, I'll miss it if you stop!

[@binface9]

@@LeonTodd Thanks man, you're such a good sport. I didn't want you to think I was in any way trolling you. I'm from the north of England so I speak even more ridiculously. The parallel axis is in interesting looking pickup. I'm guessing that by having the magnets orientated like that, there's no influence of the magnetism on the string at rest - only in motion? How do you find its performance?

[@TheAtheistworld]

Cool vid. So any pickups with 4wires can be made toggled into series/parallel ? Right? Thnxx brother ❤

[@LeonTodd]

Yep

[@guydolev5914]

This is a really nice demo! With the Hamer, is the coil split mode activating the inner coil or the outer coil? I’m thinking of doing this with a guitar, which is how I found this video and I’m unsure if I’ll get more usability out of coil splitting with the inner or outer coils, or parallel wiring. It’s a H-H guitar with 1 Vol/1 Tone knob and a 3-way switch. I plan to use push/pull pots to get a few more options. I’m wondering if the neck pickup will sound better for lead guitar playing with coil split or parallel. I’ll probably use parallel for the bridge pickup. With the middle position on the toggle, it should get some interesting sounds!

[@LeonTodd]

The Duncan switching ring has 4 positions - series humbucker, parallel humbucker or each coil individually!

[@guydolev5914]

@@LeonTodd that’s brilliant! Unfortunately the guitar I want to do this to is a 7-string and I guess that Seymour Duncan doesn’t have a 7-string switching ring, but I’ll have some fun using this on another 6-string I’ve got! Any suggestions for the 7-string?

[@TheStratSound]

The best way to explain series/parallel is to think of an example of two overdrive pedals. To further explain this, think of two different gain, EQ, or character sound pedals, pedal 1 and 2. Now put the pedal 1 trougt the 2. The sound will be compressed, and can be a little louder. What's going on here? The gain of the first pedal is added to the second pedal and the sound is more compressed. The only function of the first pedal is to add gain to the second, and maybe more body, but you can't hear the character of 1, because this signal is now going through 2, overloading it and the sound is compressed, but the character is still of pedal 2. This is what happens when your humbucker is in series, the sound from the first coil goes to the second, and the signal from the first is lost in a "blender" of sound, and its only mission is to overload the second coil, and you can't hear the sound of the first, the sound is compressed and overloaded. In this case, you're not hearing the best of your guitar, the sound isn't clear, and you start feeding the signal to your pedals and effects with an "overloaded pre-processed signal", and not the real sound of your guitar. In my opinion, the true mission of a coil is to capture and transmit the best and true sound of your guitar, to capture the texture of your playing, the attack of the pick, the dynamics, the resonance of the wood, the pressure of your fingers. , etc. If you capture this sound with one first coil and put it into the other, the signal is not only lost in detail, but the second one is now overloaded and compressed and the signal is not pure. Now in parallel... Now think about the example of 2 pedals for a better understanding. In a parallel context, think of an example now with the same 2 pedals, but I route the signal to a Y conductor (or an A>AB pedal). One signal goes to pedal 1 and runs to one amp (amp 1), and one signal goes to pedal 2 and runs to another amp (amp 2). Now you can here a combination of the two pedals, you can hear the character of both, maybe if one of your pedals is brighter, low gain and sharp sounding, and the other is lower and high gain sounding, now you can here a sound that is low end and high gain, but strangely with brightness and defined sound, and the overall sound is more open and the feel is like your signal was passed for a "mastering process" and pass for a HI-FI amp.. That is the feeling when you put your mics in parallel.. The sound now is open and "hi-fi" feeling.. This happen because you are now whit an individual signal of each coil, and the gain is low but the sound is more true, this is the true sound of your guitar in a "masterized kind proccess" (is not masterized of course, but is the feeling).. The sound is amazing, hi-fi, open and uncompressed, and more senssitive to your playing, more shimmer in the trebble, but less gain and volume.. But now.. WARNING.. You can say ok, clear and open sound, but I need more gain and volume, and/or is too spark to me! The very fail in the trying of the parallel/series thing, is the "put and pull" button experience.. Because when you put a button and instantanly pass of the series to parallel, you will experience a fall into the sound, gain and volume ofcourse, and you can say "the sound now is weak, or trebble, I don't like".. But if you raise this parallel sound with an add in volume and gain, adjusted the eq to you requeriments, you really feel the parallel sound.. To compensate this volume and gain lost witout loss the clarity, may be you can think in a clear boost pedal than not only add volume but gain too, and bost/cut bass and trebble, like the "xotic RC booster" pedal by example, setting to compense the volume, gain and bass, and cut the trebble if you want..

[@allanosvemos77]

This beauty is a Chaparral Elite? Fantastic sound and play

[@LeonTodd]

Correct!

[@ophiuchus1970]

What amp are you using on the demo. The tomes are really great. I totally agree with the versatility of the PRS rotary wiring.

[@LeonTodd]

It's all Fractal FM3 - Bassman for the clean stuff, Plexi for the crunch and Mark IV for the high gain stuff.

[@ophiuchus1970]

Thanks

[@hoosierdaddy2308]

Cool nerdy stuff. Love this stuff. Almost as much as I love ballistics, but I'm a geek. 😂😜 I think I read on Dimarzios web site that paul gilbert used to use 3 super distortions in series which would be soooo ballsy.. That tele 4 way switch is too cool.. I really need a super strat with 3 or 4 humbuckers of different flavors in series with the option for parallel.. I'm telling ya my genius brother, you need to try one of the Rio Grande bbq buckers... Killer pups... Love that Hamer. What great guitars. Who ever owned it though, with the communists hamer and cycle has bad logic in that communism would never support such a nicely made guitar..😂 Reminds me of the guys I debate with that believe in Determinism. They tell me there is no freewill, yet the definition of free will is being able to compare two possible outcomes and choosing the best. They try to tell me by their argument determinism is a better argument and belief over free will by using free will. There logic is horrible. Like sending me a letter using the post offuce saying letters via the post office never work..lol.. Sorry. On a role this am with my coffee. 😂😜😋

[@animeguitarguy]

Most underappreciated guitar channel on KZbin. Leon always seems to have answer when I start questioning something

[@raulacevedo-esteves9493]

What resistance are in the pots?

[@efrainmeza9872]

Which mode has less noise? Parallel vs coil split?? And which one cut through in a live band mix better?

[@LeonTodd]

Parallel will still be hum canceling

[@TheTwangKings]

Hi, do you need 4-conductor pickups to setup the parallel/serial wiring? Thx.

[@LeonTodd]

Yes

[@tanguydelooz2881]

I'd like to see a series/parallel comparison where the series is connected to 500K pots and where the parallel is connected to 250K volume and tone pots (or just resistors, without the pots being connected).

[@danswon]

That PRS sounds awesome. What model humbuckers do you have in that?

[@LeonTodd]

It's a Duncan JB/Jazz set

[@Anshul1614]

I got a newbie question, after I did this mod I found out both north coils were split, which is not the middle position tone i was going for. I wanted both outer coils. How do i go about doing it? I did it on the volume put with alligator wires and I just connected the one I wanted to change, to the hot of the volume. I just don't understand how to do the same on the tone pot.

[@Anshul1614]

@Ned Steinberger those people charge too much in my place.

[@Anshul1614]

@Ned Steinberger I don’t think you understood my question sir. I change the pickups in all my guitars. The only problem is the slug to screw conversion.

[@tremoverb1]

What happened to your locking nut pieces?

[@orestes877]

Yesss 🤘

[@vonicrimson3619]

A cool idea that I have is having one pickup in parallel and one in series or something

[@LeonTodd]

Parallel neck/series bridge is a nice combo IMO

[@aleksandrnestrato]

The ultimate combination is two SD Triple Shots on bridge and neck humbuckers PLUS a four way blade switch. Additionally, if it is something as Gibson with 2 volumes and 2 tones, all of this gives you insane versatility from a fairly simple and widespread layout with two humbuckers.

[@LeonTodd]

That's brilliant. Have you tried this in a guitar?

[@aleksandrnestrato]

​@@LeonTodd All of my HH guitars have that layout. For 2 volumes 2 tones configuration I almost always have to use two concentric pots. Except for a couple of Gibsons. All my 3-pickup guitars use the same 4-way switch for neck and bridge pickups (you already know how it works) and the middle pickup is added to those two via a separate volume with a push-pull. Using that push-pull I add the middle pickup to the bridge one or/and to the neck one either in parallel or in series. Thus I can get Strat positions 2 and 4 in parallel or in series, or even I can turn on all the 3 pickups in parallel or in series. You can simplify and use one shared volume for bridge&neck pickups and a separate volume for the mid pickup. Or you can go for it and put three individual volumes for each pickup. I tried both and stopped on the latter one. I use Triple Shots with all the humbucker style pickups: on humbuckers obviously, on filtertrons, on mini humbukers, firebirds... I just love to get that versatility. Assuming all this, imagine how killer turns to be, say, an HSH guitar with all this?:) P. S. Too quirky for concert playing-it's not enough time there to switch, good for studio work-time is there, mind blowing for home playing-all the time is yours. For concert work an HH, HS or SS guitar with those features is a nice balance between versatility and complexity.

[@LeonTodd]

@@aleksandrnestrato dude I love this. Might have to order some triple shots

[@steveedmondson9651]

That's a sick Hamer dude.

[@LeonTodd]

They made some really great guitars back in the day hey

[@davewestner]

Thanks for doing this demo.....well done. EDIT: why don't more guitars come with switching like the PRS has? Wouldn't guitarists want to have as wide of a variety of tone choices as possible on their guitars?

[@LeonTodd]

A lot of 'superstrat" style guitars with a middle pickup will often give you a split bridge humbucker in parallel with the middle single coil. Aside from that I'm stumped.

[@davewestner]

@@LeonTodd The Les Paul Classic has a wide variety too (individual coil splits, phase and I think seires), but I can't think of any others. I would think that the option to access as wide a variety of tones as possible would be default for guitars, not a rarity. Maybe people just like their pedals too much to care?

[@LimewaterMusic]

Isn’t this the case for most Ibanez’s? I’m pretty sure even some of their budget guitars have 5 way switches with just two humbuckers.

[@CapnCrnch330]

@@LimewaterMusic my Ibanez bass has dual humbuckers and both coil tap and split coil option. I don’t think it has option for series or parallel but again that’s bass

[@kuzWich]

Thanks, Leon👍🏻 That was quite educational, though I consider myself a wiring enthusiast))) Subbed to you for a while already, didn’t know you were that much into this stuff. Never actually taken in account the resonance frequency change with parallel wiring- definitely checking out the links you shared. I have an HSS with a forced parallel single coil (south coil closer to the bridge) of the humbucker engaging via the push-pull. I see why you enjoy somewhat similar prs’s outer coils sound. My neck single coil is rather high output and a tad dark (bareknuckle cobra) so those outer coils supplement each other really well especially with cleans. I recently been really enjoying another wiring with my lp-styled 2 humbucker (JB+59), 2v2t. Assuming I rarely get any use of tone controls (being low-pass filters), I rewired them to function as high-pass filters per humbucker. That has some nice low freq control. One caveat (which eventually I found really usable) is that with 3-way in middle position, you get 2 hpf circuits in parallel (parallel capacitors) and that messes up with how you’d expect the low rolloff working with each pickup, but is delivering really clear (even more than regular parallel humbuckers do) character. It’s like the neck humbucker has rolled off lows, while bridge isn’t- and that’s with the knobs at initial position (10)). Also recently found JB being a great neck pickup, full of fluidity and dynamics response, with one of the most convincing split (north coil engaged) sounds I’ve ever heard. To save the aesthetics (the darn logo)), the north coil ended up at the south side though, with slugs being oriented the Peter Green way (not the magnet though))

[@LeonTodd]

That's a great mod - what value capacitor and pot are you doing that with?

[@kuzWich]

Leon Todd, after some experiments with bunch of caps I had laying around (I tend to keep broken stuff like 💡 toys and other electronics)), I ended up using ~2nF (202) for the bridge pot, and 102 1nF for the neck. The pots are 500k-ish all round. Just a thing to keep in mind is that now (unlike with regular ‘Tone’ control) the pots (Volume+Tone) are in series. That might be brighter than what’s one used to, though I personally love bright - even the JB does fine through that almost 1Meg circuit Tested at a rehearsal volume, not just home use, and it simply cutZ in a 2 guitar band. Guess gotta add that jb-59 combo are at their normal places. That’s just a temporary experiment with jb in the neck I mentioned earlier. Though I loved it (AND ‘59n especially for high gain in bridge position. Love low output PUs with high gain - dry, clean and full of control) - they were hard dealing with balance wise.

[@mu_danshh3282]

I have a hss strat.can I wire my humbucker in parallel without adding any switch or mini toggle.I want it parallel..just parallel not series

[@brainstewX]

Yes

[@mu_danshh3282]

@@brainstewX how

[@brainstewX]

@@mu_danshh3282 As I recall you solder North Start(+) and South End(+) to the pickup selector; solder North End(-) and and South Start(-) and the bare wire to ground. I can't give you wire colors because they vary between companies.

[@mu_danshh3282]

@@brainstewX thank! Bro

[@MrMariodraiby1]

U should check the Revv g20 😄

[@jonathanstrand2474]

The 3rd way is an ON-On-ON mini switch

[@scottpeters4401]

Can you series /parallel switch any Humbucker?

[@LeonTodd]

Provided the manufacturer provides all 4 conductors on the pickup output wire then yes. Seems to be standard practice for everything except vintage replica PAF's anyway.

[@scottpeters4401]

Leon Todd gotcha...I was wondering because you said you were using a Parallel Axis pup,so I didn’t know if it was specific to that one....I am not very literate when it comes to stuff like this....I really like the option though...the parallel split would come in handy..

[@wakjob961]

I'm getting old and don't care for the sledgehammer metal pickups I have, so I've wired them up parallel, and I'll be damned if that doesn't make for some nice twangy faux P90 type tones. Saved me a LOT of money not going down the boutique PAF road.

[@danswon]

All those PRS sounds are really cool

[@MPAROR]

What is this "I.T. VASSILIOU" wiritten on your guitar? It's a Greek last name!

[@LeonTodd]

yep, pretty sure the previous owner (who had this custom painted) was Greek

[@tomvice]

Perhaps if I watch it 3 or 4 more times I'll start to understand 🤔

[@enriquekikzdelapazbichain1126]

so parallel cancels hum?

[@LeonTodd]

if the coils are reverse polarity, yes

[@natureandphysics403]

Parallel sounds tinny. Bet you a BLT that Hendrix wired his PUs in series.

[@pwrmac7600]

Do You Like it? :)

[@tsikoutsikou]

Dude, you're Greek!! I thought your face kinda looked familiar!!! Thanks for all the info!!!

[@LeonTodd]

Almost! The previous owner had it painted, hence the "Vasilliou" name. My Dad was born in Yugoslavia though so there's probably a close connection anyway.

[@georgefromgreece4119]

@@LeonTodd being Greek I thought the same too. Yes there is this balkan/ eastern European connection. Excellent demonstration, by the way! Many cheers from Greece!

[@Αδιάφθορος]

Hey is your father Greek! Γεια σου ορέ γίγαντα!

[@Runark79]

Series all day long...and all night.

[@rufez431]

Forgive me for being ignorant but isn’t this just like a coil split ?

[@NastyAnubis]

There is no DC resistance. Resistance is resistance. Electric guitars put out a signal by vibrating metal strings over a magnet and coil of wire which generates an AC voltage. Please just say resistance. From your guitar to the input of your amp, there is no DC anything.