General Pickup Sound (location, Type)

[M@_]

Hello,

This is my first post so I would like to say thanks for the great resource. Also I'm in the research stage of a possible build.

I've only owned one electric(Cheap Ibanez SSH), and only recently learned what switch postion went with what pickup or combinationa of pickups. Only been playing 2 years off and on.

My next build is sort of a Zen thing for me to get more intune (pardon the pun) with the electric guitar and its possiblities. So the next guitar will have as many switches and pots as I need to get a very high number of sound options from the guitar. Since I have a SSH now I would like to get a dual humbucker setup on my build.

My question:

Are there any general accepted descriptions of the sound you would get from humbuckers in the bridge(lead), and the neck(rythem), what about parrallel vs series, and doing in phase and out of phase. If there are other general options that I should consider I would really appreciate a heads up.

Thanks

Also if this is too much of a newb question, just ignore it. I'm sure I eventually will find out.

Matt

[Primal]

Doesn't the concept of zen kind of go against complexity? Or at the very least, the electric guitar goes against the concept of zen, originally "chan" in Chinese meaning "silence."

Anyway, in general, the bridge pickup gives a more trebly sound, with a sharper attack, but less sustain (well, the last part is theoretically correct -- YMMV). The neck pickup generally gives a warmer, more mellow tone, with a softer attack than the bridge pickup.

I can't say anything about parallel vs series, or in phase vs out of phase (other than out of phase will probably sound thinner, due to the frequencies that are canceled out). I think 7 switches should be able to get you plenty of options: two phase switches, two coil tap switches, two parallel/series switches, and a 3-position LP-style switch. With that many switches, however, I can't even begin to tell you how to wire it up.

[suicidecustom]

4 pushpull pots, 2 mini switches and a 3 way toggle. 2 volume pots (one for each pup) when pulled activate a coil tap. 2 tone pots when pulled activate reverse phase and 2 mini switches (dpdt ????) for series/parallel and a 3way toggle to switch pickups should do it

[Southpa]

I would say the most effective setup would be the alternate option of running pickups in series. You get a good boost as well as some interesting tones when blending the outputs of different pickups. There are lots of wiring diagram options here:

http://www.deaf-eddie.net/drawings/

I recently rewired my strat using the "strat-series-2" option and am quite happy with the results. I didn't bother with the push/pull pot and instead used a regular on/on DPDT switch as there was already a hole drilled for it in the pickguard. So with the switch in one position I get regular strat sounds and in the other position I get :

1) neck

2) neck

3)mid in series w/ bridge

4) bridge and mid in parallel, in series w/ neck

5)bridge in series w/ neck

Thats about all you really need. Aside from switch positions 1) and 2) being the same the other ones are quite unique.