Pole Piece Removal and Coil Splitting

Rock_Zorro

Can anyone suggest to me what the differences in sound might be between a high output (15K DCR) bridge humbucker with the adjustable pole pieces removed (the coil closest to the bridge) and the same pickup with a coil split to the slug coil? 

I've removed the adjustable pole pieces on the bridge humbucker of a Jackson guitar I have and I'm surprised to find a very useable sound. Less grunt more snarl, lots of it, better overall string to string clarity plus the hum bucking is unaffected.

This has made me think I should explore other ways to use a humbucker. Does anyone have experience of coil split versus pole piece removal - or would like to speculate on the possible differences in sound? 

 Ta.

WezV

The split coil is acting as a single coil, the second coil is totally removed from the signal path. 

 

The coil with removed polepieces is acting as a dummy coil, its still in the signal path and will still function as a noise cancelling coil

Rock_Zorro

Yep, I understand the basic distinctions. 

I think any differences in sound between a split humbucker and one with half of the pole pieces removed will come from changes in LCR and magnetic field.

In the split coil the inductance, capacitance and resistance of the pickup will be halved assuming both coils have the same number of windings but the magnetic field of the pickup will remain unchanged.

In the humbucker with the pole pieces removed the magnetic field of the pickup will change (more single coil like?) but the LCR of the pickup will not. 

How might this relate to differences in sound? I’m not sure, but I think the split coil would be thinner and brighter sounding compared to the humbucker with pole pieces removed.

normula1

removing the pole pieces would have an effect on the inductance