After having discussions with
@lysander and playing around with my tappable humbucker idea, I've decided to try the impossible(?) and design the most versatile humbucker set ever - combining P90, Tele bridge, vintage Strat single, hot humbucker and hot PAF in one!
The idea is to make a tappable humbucker with two very different magnetic designs in each coil. One coil will have steel screws in it, powered by a bar magnet underneath the bobbins. This coil will be the P90 when split in full output mode, a split PAF when split in lower output mode (no one likes those though, so I'm ignoring that), it'll be a hot PAF when combined with the other coil in low output mode, and finally it'll be a hot humbucker when combined with the other coil in full output mode.
The other coil will be loaded with alnico rod magnets. When split in low output mode, vintage Strat, when split in full output mode, Tele bridge and when combined with the other coil, see above.
The first prototypes are ready and awaiting testing!
I'll show the ridiculously long winded and difficult production process on the next prototypes.
Should this prove successful, you'll never need more than one guitar! Don't tell your wife.
Edit: I'm doing a several part blog of this build on my website at
https://www.alegree.co.uk/blogs/news I'll keep this thread updated with pictures and brief outlines of where I'm up to - for more in depth info you'll need to go to my website where I'm sure I'll be writing multiple essays on this fun project.
Alegree pickups & guitar supplies - www.alegree.co.uk
Comments
Will the nickel covers stay ? Funnily enough I was thinking about these yesterday and was hoping they would be covered, purely for the look.
The coils are absolutely bulging, so they need the protection.
Plus I like to get the pickup as close to what I'm after before I start contemplating filtering.
Can't have distrust ruining my business! Not much to look at mind you.
That's an absolute mess. I devised a very complex wiring for switching the modes (sadly I can't quite get them all on tap with 4 push/pulls)
I can get a shot of it if that's what you're after.
I'm not so sure that the alnico rods increase treble as significantly as I first thought. They seem to bring a big, bright, percussive feel that keeps everything feeling more open and clear - I've been loving how my drop C metal material sounds through them so far.
Expect updates soon!
I've devised a way to have all 6 modes accessible by a 3 way 4 pole rotary and a push/pull pot per pickup.
The pots will switch between full and tapped outputs, and the rotary switch will switch between humbucker/screw side/alnico rod side.
I'll be selling rotary switches, and push/pulls pots as additional add ons.
Further prototyping is on hold until I get some special wire in that I've decided I need to proceed. Should be worth the wait though!