Post by reTrEaD on Dec 6, 2016 11:57:42 GMT -5
In Version 1 we evaluated a strategy of assigning one pole to each four the inputs to our system Series/Parallel switch. Now it's time to look for ways to free up a pole that we might reassign for greater utility.
We could free up a pole by pre-wiring one end of one or more coils to one of the four inputs to the S/P switch. But which input? Gnd/Gnd will never present a potential for a hanging from hot issue, so that seems a logical choice.
Now, how can we best use that freed up pole? We could add an additional pole to SL/Hot or Hot/Hot which would provide an additional parallel path. This would necessitate having at least two coils tied to Gnd/Gnd. That precludes ever using those two coils in series with each other. Still, the possibility of having three coils in parallel when the S/P switch is in parallel mode is enticing. Or we could assign the pole to the (+) end of one of the coils tied to Gnd/Gnd. that would also add some interesting possibilities including a potential for three coils in parallel.
But for now, let's shelve those ideas for future versions and examine yet another approach. We'll call it the linkable tail.
I've chosen to draw Version 2 as a SSS arrangement because that's where it shines most brightly. Although it isn't capable of all three coils in parallel, nearly all other configurations are possible. I've somewhat arbitrarily chosen to designate the three different roles to the Neck, Middle, and Bridge but this isn't etched in stone. After evaluating the way these three roles interact, one would be free to reassign them.
The Neck coil is in the least flexible role. It can only be in the Foundation group and the phase is fixed. If we want out-of-phase, a coil (or coils) in the Raised group will have to be selected out-of-phase.
The Bridge coils is slightly more flexible. It can only be in the Raised group but we can choose whether it's in or out of phase when selected.
The Middle coil is where the magic happens. Because of the linkable tail, we can connect the (-) to Gnd/Gnd and use it individually in the Foundation group. Or we can link it in series with the Neck coil and that series pair forms the Foundation group. However it is limited being in-phase with the Neck coil when connected that way. Or we can select it as the only coil in the raised group, in either phase. Or we can link it through its tail to whichever end of the Bridge coil we desire. That series pair can be selected in whatever phase relationship we desire, relative the the Neck coil in the Foundation. And of course we can use the Middle alone in the Raised group. The mobility afforded the Middle coil by its tail permits most of the possible combinations of three coils. Two notable omissions are: Three coils in parallel and Middle in parallel with a series pair of Neck and Bridge.
I'm not really a fan of out-of-phase combinations but some people are. This structure allows a few, and includes one of the most sensible ones: Neck and Bridge. The benefits of this pair out-out-phase are the disparity in harmonic content between the two because of the distance separating them, and the inherent hum-cancellation provided by two coils of same magnetic polarity when connected out-of-phase.
The optional fader gives us the ability to access a single coil sound of either Middle or Bridge in positions where one of them is alone in the Raised group. The Neck isn't accessible in this method. But it can be accessed as a forced single. If we use one position to select the Neck with the Hot/Hot, whatever is selected by the SL/Hot and SL Ground pair will be present only in the parallel mode of the S/P switch. In series mode, only the Neck would be present.
If ignore the out-of-phase and consider only the in-phase possibilities, there are exactly five. This completely fills the five positions of our pickup selector.
Neck S/P Middle
Neck S/P Bridge
Middle S/P Bridge
[Neck x Middle] S/P Bridge
Neck S/P [Middle x Bridge]
Since the last two result in the same condition (Neck x Middle x Bridge) in series mode, the natural choice would be to force a single of the Neck in the last combination on the list, when the S/P switch is series mode.
...
All things considered, this structure looks like a rather good choice for three coils (SSS or HS). But how about four coils?
The fourth coil could be left free-floating. That would preclude its use in any selection that included the other free-floating coil. But there would be many combinations possible and never an issue of a coil hanging from hot.
The fourth coil could be pre-wired to Gnd/Gnd. That would preclude it's use in any selection that included the other coil that was pre-wired to Gnd/Gnd ... except in the situation where we have a forced single (or series pair) when the S/P switch is in the series mode. Again, never an issue with a coil hanging from hot.
The fourth coil could be prewired to share the linked tail with the coil currently designated as the Middle coil. This mutant variation might be worth evaluating at some point but I suspect it would bring as many pitfalls as potential benefits.
None of these structures allows for one of the classic must-haves in a HH configuration. System Parallel connection of two local-series HBs. Let's evaluate a structure that does.
I've arranged Version 2.1 to resemble a HH although the Neck pair could be the Neck and Middle on a HSS. When the Bridge is selected as a full series pair, life is good. When the Neck red is linked through its tail to the blue to form the foundation pair that gives us the other series pair needed for the combination we desired when the S/P switch is in the parallel mode. We get all four coils in series when the S/P switch is in the series mode, although I'm not sure how much of a prize that is.
When the bridge is selected as a full series pair with either of the Neck coils, life continues to be good. We get partial hum-cancellation. And no hanging from hot issues have been encountered so far. Out-of-phase combinations have been possible by selecting the Bridge out-of-phase.
By selecting the Neck red in the Raised group, both series and parallel are achieved with the Neck pair. Out-of-phase is possible but in my humble opinion this would result in the weakest possible OoP pair. The harmonic content is very similar in these two coils and the amplitude of the fundamental frequency is nearly identical. there isn't much left when these two coils are OoP.
Thus far, I like what what we've seen. But when we select just one coil from the Bridge pair, warts begin to appear because the Bridge coils can only be used in the Raised group. Selecting the the pre-wired link between the two coils with SL/Gnd allows us to get full hum-canceling when the Bridge red is in the raised group and the Neck blue is in the Foundation group. We also get full hum-canceling when the Bridge blue is OoP with the Neck blue. When the S/P switch is in parallel mode, the unused coil of the Bridge pair is connected to Gnd. But when the S/P switch is in the series mode, the unused coil hangs from the midpoint of the series string. Not ideal, but things could (and will) get worse. When the Neck red and blue are connected as a series pair via the linkable tail, we get similar results with the single (red in-phase or blue OoP) coil we've selected from the Bridge pair. Now the dangling unused coil from the Bridge pair is still at ground when S/P is in parallel mode but 2/3 of the way up in the three-coil series string in series mode. I'm liking this less. And things continue to get worse.
When we select the Neck red alone in the foundation group, we'll want to use the Bridge blue in-phase to get hum-cancellation. But that means we need to use Hot/Hot to select the midpoint of the pre-wired series Bridge pair and SL/Gnd connects to the (-) of Bridge blue. This causes the Bridge red to hang from hot in both positions of the S/P switch. A hanging from hot issue is also present in when Bridge blue is selected OoP. And it exists when the Neck is a full series pair in the foundation group.
This structure is a mixed bag. It allows us to access a desirable combination we previously could not achieve. And it continues to allow some things that were previously possible and do so without any warts. But it does have hanging coil issues in some combinations. And putting the Bridge coils in parallel isn't possible.
Version 2.0 was an unqualified success for 3 coils. Version 2.1 is a somewhat viable option for 4 coils, especially if we don't need the combinations where warts appear. But perhaps we should look for yet another version for 4 coils? Indeed we shall in Part-3.
We could free up a pole by pre-wiring one end of one or more coils to one of the four inputs to the S/P switch. But which input? Gnd/Gnd will never present a potential for a hanging from hot issue, so that seems a logical choice.
Now, how can we best use that freed up pole? We could add an additional pole to SL/Hot or Hot/Hot which would provide an additional parallel path. This would necessitate having at least two coils tied to Gnd/Gnd. That precludes ever using those two coils in series with each other. Still, the possibility of having three coils in parallel when the S/P switch is in parallel mode is enticing. Or we could assign the pole to the (+) end of one of the coils tied to Gnd/Gnd. that would also add some interesting possibilities including a potential for three coils in parallel.
But for now, let's shelve those ideas for future versions and examine yet another approach. We'll call it the linkable tail.
I've chosen to draw Version 2 as a SSS arrangement because that's where it shines most brightly. Although it isn't capable of all three coils in parallel, nearly all other configurations are possible. I've somewhat arbitrarily chosen to designate the three different roles to the Neck, Middle, and Bridge but this isn't etched in stone. After evaluating the way these three roles interact, one would be free to reassign them.
The Neck coil is in the least flexible role. It can only be in the Foundation group and the phase is fixed. If we want out-of-phase, a coil (or coils) in the Raised group will have to be selected out-of-phase.
The Bridge coils is slightly more flexible. It can only be in the Raised group but we can choose whether it's in or out of phase when selected.
The Middle coil is where the magic happens. Because of the linkable tail, we can connect the (-) to Gnd/Gnd and use it individually in the Foundation group. Or we can link it in series with the Neck coil and that series pair forms the Foundation group. However it is limited being in-phase with the Neck coil when connected that way. Or we can select it as the only coil in the raised group, in either phase. Or we can link it through its tail to whichever end of the Bridge coil we desire. That series pair can be selected in whatever phase relationship we desire, relative the the Neck coil in the Foundation. And of course we can use the Middle alone in the Raised group. The mobility afforded the Middle coil by its tail permits most of the possible combinations of three coils. Two notable omissions are: Three coils in parallel and Middle in parallel with a series pair of Neck and Bridge.
I'm not really a fan of out-of-phase combinations but some people are. This structure allows a few, and includes one of the most sensible ones: Neck and Bridge. The benefits of this pair out-out-phase are the disparity in harmonic content between the two because of the distance separating them, and the inherent hum-cancellation provided by two coils of same magnetic polarity when connected out-of-phase.
The optional fader gives us the ability to access a single coil sound of either Middle or Bridge in positions where one of them is alone in the Raised group. The Neck isn't accessible in this method. But it can be accessed as a forced single. If we use one position to select the Neck with the Hot/Hot, whatever is selected by the SL/Hot and SL Ground pair will be present only in the parallel mode of the S/P switch. In series mode, only the Neck would be present.
If ignore the out-of-phase and consider only the in-phase possibilities, there are exactly five. This completely fills the five positions of our pickup selector.
Neck S/P Middle
Neck S/P Bridge
Middle S/P Bridge
[Neck x Middle] S/P Bridge
Neck S/P [Middle x Bridge]
Since the last two result in the same condition (Neck x Middle x Bridge) in series mode, the natural choice would be to force a single of the Neck in the last combination on the list, when the S/P switch is series mode.
...
All things considered, this structure looks like a rather good choice for three coils (SSS or HS). But how about four coils?
The fourth coil could be left free-floating. That would preclude its use in any selection that included the other free-floating coil. But there would be many combinations possible and never an issue of a coil hanging from hot.
The fourth coil could be pre-wired to Gnd/Gnd. That would preclude it's use in any selection that included the other coil that was pre-wired to Gnd/Gnd ... except in the situation where we have a forced single (or series pair) when the S/P switch is in the series mode. Again, never an issue with a coil hanging from hot.
The fourth coil could be prewired to share the linked tail with the coil currently designated as the Middle coil. This mutant variation might be worth evaluating at some point but I suspect it would bring as many pitfalls as potential benefits.
None of these structures allows for one of the classic must-haves in a HH configuration. System Parallel connection of two local-series HBs. Let's evaluate a structure that does.
I've arranged Version 2.1 to resemble a HH although the Neck pair could be the Neck and Middle on a HSS. When the Bridge is selected as a full series pair, life is good. When the Neck red is linked through its tail to the blue to form the foundation pair that gives us the other series pair needed for the combination we desired when the S/P switch is in the parallel mode. We get all four coils in series when the S/P switch is in the series mode, although I'm not sure how much of a prize that is.
When the bridge is selected as a full series pair with either of the Neck coils, life continues to be good. We get partial hum-cancellation. And no hanging from hot issues have been encountered so far. Out-of-phase combinations have been possible by selecting the Bridge out-of-phase.
By selecting the Neck red in the Raised group, both series and parallel are achieved with the Neck pair. Out-of-phase is possible but in my humble opinion this would result in the weakest possible OoP pair. The harmonic content is very similar in these two coils and the amplitude of the fundamental frequency is nearly identical. there isn't much left when these two coils are OoP.
Thus far, I like what what we've seen. But when we select just one coil from the Bridge pair, warts begin to appear because the Bridge coils can only be used in the Raised group. Selecting the the pre-wired link between the two coils with SL/Gnd allows us to get full hum-canceling when the Bridge red is in the raised group and the Neck blue is in the Foundation group. We also get full hum-canceling when the Bridge blue is OoP with the Neck blue. When the S/P switch is in parallel mode, the unused coil of the Bridge pair is connected to Gnd. But when the S/P switch is in the series mode, the unused coil hangs from the midpoint of the series string. Not ideal, but things could (and will) get worse. When the Neck red and blue are connected as a series pair via the linkable tail, we get similar results with the single (red in-phase or blue OoP) coil we've selected from the Bridge pair. Now the dangling unused coil from the Bridge pair is still at ground when S/P is in parallel mode but 2/3 of the way up in the three-coil series string in series mode. I'm liking this less. And things continue to get worse.
When we select the Neck red alone in the foundation group, we'll want to use the Bridge blue in-phase to get hum-cancellation. But that means we need to use Hot/Hot to select the midpoint of the pre-wired series Bridge pair and SL/Gnd connects to the (-) of Bridge blue. This causes the Bridge red to hang from hot in both positions of the S/P switch. A hanging from hot issue is also present in when Bridge blue is selected OoP. And it exists when the Neck is a full series pair in the foundation group.
This structure is a mixed bag. It allows us to access a desirable combination we previously could not achieve. And it continues to allow some things that were previously possible and do so without any warts. But it does have hanging coil issues in some combinations. And putting the Bridge coils in parallel isn't possible.
Version 2.0 was an unqualified success for 3 coils. Version 2.1 is a somewhat viable option for 4 coils, especially if we don't need the combinations where warts appear. But perhaps we should look for yet another version for 4 coils? Indeed we shall in Part-3.