A push-pull coil split is a popular guitar wiring modification that uses a push-pull potentiometer (pot) to allow a humbucking pickup to mimic the sound of a single-coil pickup, significantly expanding the instrument's tonal versatility.
Understanding Coil Splitting
At its core, coil splitting is the process of deactivating one of the two coils within a humbucker. As the provided reference explains, you can use coil splitting to turn a Humbucker into a Single Coil by sending one of its coils to ground. This effectively transforms the humbucker's dual-coil operation into a single-coil one.
Humbuckers vs. Single Coils
To appreciate coil splitting, it's important to understand the fundamental differences between these two pickup types:
- Humbuckers: These pickups feature two coils wound in opposite directions and wired out of phase. This design effectively "bucks the hum" (cancels electromagnetic interference), producing a thicker, warmer, higher-output tone often associated with rock and jazz.
- Single Coils: Comprising a single coil of wire, these pickups typically offer a brighter, clearer, and more articulate tone with lower output. They are known for their chime and twang but can be susceptible to 60-cycle hum.
How a Push-Pull Pot Facilitates Coil Splitting
A push-pull potentiometer is essentially a standard pot (used for volume or tone control) combined with a built-in DPDT (Double Pole, Double Throw) switch. This integrated switch is activated by pulling the pot shaft outwards or pushing it inwards.
- Mechanism: When the push-pull pot is in one position (e.g., pushed down), the humbucker operates normally, utilizing both coils.
- Activation: When the shaft is pulled up, the internal switch engages. This action sends the signal from one of the humbucker's coils directly to ground, effectively "splitting" it. Only the remaining active coil then sends its signal to the amplifier, producing a single-coil sound.
Benefits and Tonal Impact
The primary advantage of a push-pull coil split is the expanded tonal palette it offers guitarists without needing to switch guitars or use complex pedal setups.
- Enhanced Versatility: Players can seamlessly switch between the full, robust sound of a humbucker and the bright, articulate sound of a single coil. This makes the guitar adaptable to a wider range of musical genres and playing styles.
- Tonal Shades: While a split humbucker may not sound exactly like a dedicated single-coil pickup (such as those found in a Fender Stratocaster), it provides a very convincing approximation. It offers a thinner, less powerful, and often brighter tone compared to the full humbucker.
- Noise Considerations: When split, the hum-cancelling benefit of the humbucker is lost, and the pickup will behave more like a traditional single coil in terms of noise susceptibility.
Tonal Comparison
| Feature | Humbucker (Full) | Single Coil (Split) |
|---|---|---|
| Output | Higher, Stronger | Lower, Moderate |
| Tone | Thick, Warm, Full, Sustained | Bright, Clear, Articulate, Chimey |
| Noise | Hum-Cancelling | Prone to 60-cycle Hum |
| Application | Rock, Metal, Jazz, Blues | Funk, Country, Pop, Blues |
A push-pull coil split is a practical and highly effective modification for guitarists seeking to maximize their instrument's sonic capabilities.
