[EOSmith98]

Hello all! This is my first time posting on a pickup forum, but it's only because I haven't been able to find what I want to know this time.

Basically what I am wanting is a humbucker that retains its noiseless properties when split, but is more like a real single coil, i.e. not rails.

I am aware of the Lace Sensor Duallys, and was wondering why no one else had done something similar with other stacked humbuckers like the Area series, so I emailed Dimarzio asking if they had considered doing something like this. I was responded to with the statement that they hadn't done it because of "issues with magnetic interaction and hum cancellation." How does this problem occur?

Thanks in advance.

[darkbluemurder]

DiMarzio had the Multibucker but that one is discontinued.

Have you looked at the Barden/JBE TwoTone?

Once I had a strat with HSS routes set up for four single coils, two of them sitting side by side in the humbucker spot. One was a Texas Special, the other was an SDS-1. Bad idea - this sounded completely like crap. The reason was the magnetic interaction between the two pickups - this would probably not be an issue if both pickups had been mounted on the same base plate but apparently when they have their individual base plate the issue is there. I do not know why this is the case or a technical explanation for it but I do know that this was a failed experiment.

Cheers Stephan

[RayBarbeeMusic]

"The reason was the magnetic interaction between the two pickups - this would probably not be an issue if both pickups had been mounted on the same base plate but apparently when they have their individual base plate the issue is there. I do not know why this is the case or a technical explanation for it but I do know that this was a failed experiment. "

I ran into the same issue.  Were the pickups you were mounting next to each other RWRP from each other?  Mine actually sounded good, but tended to give feedback howl in midrange frequencies under much gain.  I've seen this done multiple times with varied results.

To the OP's point:  No one makes a pickup like that currently.  Ibanez used to make one that was a noiseless single coil next to a real single coil in humbucker form, so that when "split", the noiseless single coil was active.  Can't comment on how it sounded as I never heard one. 

You can try running the humbucker in parallel.  It will sound similar to what it would sound like split, though not identical, and still cancel hum.

[darkbluemurder]

I ran into the same issue.  Were the pickups you were mounting next to each other RWRP from each other?  Mine actually sounded good, but tended to give feedback howl in midrange frequencies under much gain.  I've seen this done multiple times with varied results.

I don't think the pickups were RWRP from each other but I cannot tell for sure. If I remember correctly they were a SDS-1 and a Texas Special bridge, the latter I do no longer have. They certainly were not out of phase as they did not sound thin but rather dull like a blanket over the speaker.

Cheers Stephan

[DarthPhineas]

If being hum-free is the priority, have you considered parallel wiring?

[RayBarbeeMusic]

I don't think the pickups were RWRP from each other

That might be the issue.  If they weren't RW/RP, you have two same polarity magnets interfering with each other due to proximity. 

[EOSmith98]

If being hum-free is the priority, have you considered parallel wiring?

I have considered parallel, but when I did try it it sounded way too thin. As well, I would prefer for it to be able to be switched with the same push pull pot.

[DarthPhineas]

If being hum-free is the priority, have you considered parallel wiring?

I have considered parallel, but when I did try it it sounded way too thin. As well, I would prefer for it to be able to be switched with the same push pull pot.

Oddly, I find split to sound a little thinner than parallel.

And yes, series/parallel for one pickup will take up an entire push/pull pots capacity.

[EOSmith98]

If being hum-free is the priority, have you considered parallel wiring?

I have considered parallel, but when I did try it it sounded way too thin. As well, I would prefer for it to be able to be switched with the same push pull pot.

Oddly, I find split to sound a little thinner than parallel.

And yes, series/parallel for one pickup will take up an entire push/pull pots capacity.

It's possible I might have done it wrong, but I don't think so because it was still noiseless.