Silent single coil

[mk1]

I just got a idea , in most electronic hardware the use a ferrite toroid to eliminate the 60 cycle hum , why wouldn't it do the same with guitar pickups ?

Anyone tried ?

[korinastratkyle]

I just got a idea , in most electronic hardware the use a ferrite toroid to eliminate the 60 cycle hum , why wouldn't it do the same with guitar pickups ?

Anyone tried ?

Didn't Burns do something like that? What about Lace? I would imagine it would work.

[Mike Sulzer]

I just got a idea , in most electronic hardware the use a ferrite toroid to eliminate the 60 cycle hum , why wouldn't it do the same with guitar pickups ?

Anyone tried ?

Because it would not pickup up the same amount of hum out of phase and cancel it.

[jbforrer]

Hi,

Thought I'd revisit the split-coiled, RWRP version of the SC (Newman?) and see for myself. Attached is a picture of my build.

The windings are made with #42 SPN with a combined DCR=6K, L=2H, Fr=10KHz. This one was made with a StewMac kit cut in half and each section wound separately, then later re-assembled. Takes me about the best of an evening to fabricate one pickup as its somewhat labor-intensive and also needs working under magnification.

Getting the magnets charged to correct levels was tricky, especially the G/D pair, but I sorted that out eventually.

Sure, there is a some artifacts when doing heavy bends over the G/D poles, but thats not my playing style and is a non issue for me. These pickups sound great like my vintage sets and are absolutely quiet --- I can sit in front of my computer CRT with the guitar 12" away and, only when turned in a specific orientation to induce an overload of radiation, will one hear a tiny bit of buzz. In that position my regular SC pickups are unbearable.

Trust this is of interest.

Regards.

JB.

[Old Tele man]

...how does it sound? Strictly SC, HB or something "in between"?

[jbforrer]

Hi,

To my ears sounds much like my Fender CS Fat 50's. Typical Strat nasal sound, no harsh trebles, very nice bright low end. Very little in there that reminds one of a humbucker sound, its a SC sound, no question in my mind.

I have made a full set of these for my Strat; the middle one having opposite winds and polarities than used in the neck and bridge, so in switch position 2 & 4, one get even more noise reduction. Its quite impressive to hear it in action.

I'll shortly post A/B sound clips to compare it with a Fender CS pickup. You'll be able to make your own judgement regarding tone and hum.


JB.

[David Schwab]

Very little in there that reminds one of a humbucker sound, its a SC sound, no question in my mind.

Because it is a single coil as far as what's sensing the strings.

Regular humbuckers sound the way they do because there are two coils sensing each string. That reinforces the lows and mids and cancels some highs.

On a split coil pickup like this, none of the strings are sensed by more than one coil.

There are a lot of bass pickups made like this. Here's a Nordstrand Jazz Bass pickup.

[Possum]

...

Its not a new idea, Curtis Novak makes the same design. Looking at his website it looks like he doesn't sell them anymore, probably weren't a big hit with customers.

[jbforrer]

Hi,

Here's my follow-up attempt on a quiet SC pickup. Split coils similar to my previous posting (i.e., like the Novak design), but this time using Mike Sulzer's composite ferrite magnet-pole idea. Note the coils are slightly offset to increase the distance between the G/D poles. The coils are RWRP, wound to usual Strat specs --- self-resonance is in the 9-12KHz region.

I have made a calibrated set am pleasantly surprised by how good they sound --- similar to Alnico 2 or 3, a little softer on the highs. For some reason. these do not seem to have that soft spot between the G/D like my the Alnico's version has. Not quite sure why? Needless to say that they are dead quiet.

Cheers.

JB.

[Old Tele man]

Split coils similar to my previous posting (i.e., like the Novak design), but this time using Mike Sulzer's composite ferrite magnet-pole idea.

...is that similar to the "Z-coils" that L&G guitars use?

...a "quiet" single coil is the proverbial "holy grail" of twangsville.

[Tele-Cat]

No such thing as a quiet single coil.

[Sock Puppet]

Here's something:

Seymour Duncan STK-S4 Classic Stack Plus for Strat, Bridge Pickup, Single Coil Accessories

A "New Patent Applied For Design"

S.

[greenfingers]

No such thing as a quiet single coil.

Scott Henderson and BB Preamp & RC Booster

[David Schwab]

Here's something:

Seymour Duncan STK-S4 Classic Stack Plus for Strat, Bridge Pickup, Single Coil Accessories

A "New Patent Applied For Design"

S.

I'm assuming it's this patent:

Compact hum-canceling musical ... - Google Patent Search

Unless they have a new one for this pickup.

[Sock Puppet]

I'm assuming it's this patent:

Compact hum-canceling musical ... - Google Patent Search

Unless they have a new one for this pickup.

David, you're fast. Take a holiday and slow down a bit

That might be the one mind, I don't know but I'd have thought Mr.Duncan would have had the pickups bashed out well before now (it's dated Jan. 2007).

Thanks,

Rob.