Ibanez Jetking - change coil splitting switches to something else? Easy mod?

Creed_Clicks

I have an Ibanez Jetking 1. Nice guitar but I don't use the coil splitting option. Could I change the switching to do something else? Such as series/parallel or in phase/out of phase. I'm not 100% sure of the small differences. Perhaps one switch could do one thing, and the other switch another thing.
I wouldn't install a kill switch.

steamabacus

I've not found many humbuckers sound good in parallel configuration - kind of similar to the split sound but 'duller' or 'blander' (though still hum cancelling which might be useful). Two humbuckers out of phase can get you into that Peter Green territory but again, I've never found it the most useful of sounds.

My suggestion would be to add some resistors to the split coil sound to get 'partial' splits (often called the PRS method although they weren't the first to use this method I don't think). Simply add a resistor between the split point on the switch and ground. You could experiment with values to tune in the sound to your liking.

The value for the resistor is generally different for the bridge and neck humbuckers. The PRS values were 1.1k for the neck and 2.2k for the bridge and I've found that what works best (certainly for more vintage output humbuckers) is usually pretty close to that. My Ibanez Artist has 1.0k neck and 2.2k Bridge (Seymour Duncan Alnico II Pros). I once used a 1.8k resistor for a bridge position SD Screamin' Demon in an HSS guitar.

steamabacus

If the two switches are double-pole you could put coil splits for both pickups on one and in- / out-of-phase on the second.

Creed_Clicks

@steamabacus thanks for the detailed advice! The switches are redundant at the moment, as I don't like the sound of the pickups when using the coil split. They just sound weak... so looking for options!

steamabacus

Looking at the spec - is yours one of the ones with Super 58 pickups? If so, they are likely to sound pretty weak with a basic coil split (like all vintage output pickups). Putting in a resistor can make a world of difference. Basically, the higher the value of the resistor, the less of the second coil is shunted to ground and so the nearer to the full dual-coil sound it will be. It's a very good way to get some 'body' back into a split coil sound.

Creed_Clicks

Yep, they have super 58 pickups. I have a set of Toneriders waiting to be installed... but your suggestion is interesting!

steamabacus

It's a very cheap mod - the price of a few resistors - so I'd definitely give it a go.

I'm a big fan of Tonerider pickups although I've never tried their humbuckers. I have a tele set installed on one guitar and a split Precision pickup in a Squier bass.

Winny_Pooh

Put a 5k resistor in the coil split, you'll be amazed how much better it sounds, particularly if you use fuzz pedals on the bridge or the neck pickup clean.

Creed_Clicks

Winny_Pooh said:

Put a 5k resistor in the coil split, you'll be amazed how much better it sounds, particularly if you use fuzz pedals on the bridge or the neck pickup clean.

There’s a switch for each pickup. Which resistors should I buy ? Any particular brand are not much of a muchness ?

steamabacus

Any old resistor will do. Buy a range centred around those values and experiment to see what works for you.

You could buy a couple of those minipots (adjusted with a small crosshead screwdriver) and tweak it until it sounds right. For robustness, I'd then measure what value you've decided on with the pot and replace with a suitable single resistor.

ICBM

You could use them for preset tone switches, either one for each pickup, or master ones with different cap values - different from the normal tone control, if you use smaller caps you get much more of a midrange 'cocked wah' sound. Or one as a preset treble cut and one as a bass cut.

Funkfingers

Similarly, the switches could engage/disengage high pass filtering à la Joe Satriani. (Essentially, a .033uF cap to ground.)