Pick-up Output Variation

[michaelomiya]

I have a H/S/H configuration with switcheroo electronics in my DTC.
In the neck position is my favorite H1-, and the middle's an SF1.

For the country/Clarkson/Underwood songs, I like to run the p/up's split.

Here's the question: with the H1- in split mode, why's the output so much lower than the other p/up's (even the SF1). I have the switcheroo set "up" for split, and "down" for series. I'm wondering if one of the internal switches got pushed to parallel....

[tom]

no, the h1- is a weak hb so 1/2 of it makes a weak single coil. stacks work completely different. they actually get louder when split because there is more than hum being canceled with them.

[michaelomiya]

no, the h1- is a weak hb so 1/2 of it makes a weak single coil. stacks work completely different. they actually get louder when split because there is more than hum being canceled with them.
well, there ya go! Thanks SC! ...which why in my S/S/H DT - the "split" position with the neck p/up has "always" been louder - guess I oughta stay in the series mode in the neck:p

...either that or swap out the p/g and go S/S/H! (don't ya just LOVE the possibilities!!) :)

[pipedwho]

why in my S/S/H DT - the "split" position with the neck p/up has "always" been louder
When you split a stacked humbucker (S*) it gets louder because the slave (bottom) coil is no longer cancelling out part of the signal from the top coil. This is true because the stacked coils share both a common magnetic field and string cross section. The coils are combined in a subtractive manner to cancel the hum, thus also subtracting some amount of signal. When you split, you turn off the 'slave' coil and get the full output from the top coil, so it sounds louder because the bottom coil is no longer cancelling any of the signal (or the hum).

With a side-by-side bucker (H*), each coil can be provided its own magnetic field and share an additive signal coupling relative to the string movement, so the total output is increased when both coils are on (assuming things are connected correctly).

(On a side note, you can get further boosted output from a stacked humbucker (S*) if you reverse the connection of the slave coil so it becomes additive. Unfortunately doing that you not only lose humcancelling, but also increase the hum in relative proportion to the difference in output between the split and 'boosted' modes.)

[tom]

you say it so much more technical than me:D

[michaelomiya]

@pipedwho - thank you sir for a very well written explanation!:)

[pipedwho]

It's good to know that people find some of my posts useful. :) I always re-read my posts and just get confused - and then I hit the 'Submit' button anyway. ;)