Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Hip Bone Bellaire on March 16, 2013 at 3:48pm

Bump

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Skeesix on March 17, 2013 at 9:05am

I think it might work, or at least get you in the ballpark. The coil that you take the screws out of would become like a dummy coil. Gibson Blueshawks are an example of guitars which have a dummy coil. The coil is wound reverse to the main coil, so it helps with hum.

The main coil would act sort of like a P-90 except it's not as wide and flat. The presence of the dummy coil should add to the resistance possibly making the resistance similar to a P-90. On the Blueshawk, the dummy coil is several inches away. On your humbucker experiment, it will be right next to the main coil. That should make a different sound from the Blueshawk, but I'm not sure what to expect there.

As with all things associated with pickups, the best thing is to build one and see what it sounds like. You can get sort of an idea by thinking about it, but there's no substitute for actual hands on experimentation.

If you do build it, post a video so we can see and hear it!

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Hip Bone Bellaire on March 17, 2013 at 1:47pm

Great Thanks

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by The Phrygian Kid on March 17, 2013 at 3:00pm

I agree. The best way to get a noise cancelling soapbar will be to wire in series with a second one which is identical but rwrp (bust the magnet off and flip it over, reverse the 2 wires) and with the second removed from the strings ( so it only 'picks up' the hum and noise)

This is what skee6 means by 'dummy coil' and what you're aiming for by removing those screws. Usually a dummy coil is stacked beneath the real one, that's how most 'noiseless' singles work. I said in series, it'll actually work in parallel too, but probably with significantly less grunt. You could add a dpdt switch and have both if you liked..

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by BrianQ. on March 19, 2013 at 5:03am

What you're looking for is  called a P100, it's a P90 sized pickup W/ another coil stacked underneath it(stacked humbucker) if U take the screws out of a humbucker,yer basically taking the sensitivity to vibration out of it,U can do do it much easier by lowering the height of the pickup to get the same effect. IMO it's a waste of a humbucker? when U can just install a single coil? I've never had noise problems from P90's, I use Gibson & Seymour Duncan brands. if U use cheaper non american made pickups then yer gonna have noise problems. especially if they're not wax potted,wich is an easy fix. another thought: if U take the tendency for howl due to pickup vibration by either wax potting or a simple piece of foam sandwiched between pickup & body this will quiet them down.the easiest way to amplify yer guitar is to not think too much about it,just do it.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by The Phrygian Kid on January 27, 2015 at 4:25pm

no, you're only removing this 'sensitivity to vibration' from one of the two coils, the other has fixed pole pieces.  So it's hardly the same thing as lowering two poles.

The noise we are talking about cancelling out with this is a different thing entirely from microphonics which can be beaten with potting or with a more expensive coil.  Even the most boutique single coil will be susceptible to hum.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by BrianQ. on March 19, 2013 at 5:31am

Also I forgot to mention the Lindy Fralin P90 is actually better sounding than the Gibson made pickup & not noisy @ all.   don't over think yer choice of pickups,you'll get caught up in pro's & con's so much yer judgement will become too indecisive and you'll end up stifling yerself. in short, don't use cheap pickups & install them properly & you'll be fine. all pickups become noisy when yer playing @ higher volume W/ high gain.it's just that way?   

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Hip Bone Bellaire on March 19, 2013 at 8:03am

Great, thanks

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by The Phrygian Kid on January 27, 2015 at 4:27pm

its a 'noiseless' soapbar.

for less noise from a bar of soap

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Cause the Blue rat on January 27, 2015 at 4:37pm

Keep the screws in and try this;

http://www.jpbourgeois.org/guitar/microsbis.htm#twist

It sounds GREAT. The down side of using a humbucker as a single coil is they're not wound to be used that way. They don't sound as good as a single coil pickup. Being variable you can beef up the single coil sound by turning the knob back up a bit. All the way from twangy single to humbucker.

• ▶ Reply