High vs low output humbucker

[carvingcode]

Are there tonal benefits to a higher output humbucker vs lower output?

[sgosnell]

Higher output pickups sound better to me with the volume rolled down. That gives a different tone than what volume fully up gives. Whether that's a benefit is a subjective judgement.

[carvingcode]

Higher output pickups sound better to me with the volume rolled down. That gives a different tone than what volume fully up gives. Whether that's a benefit is a subjective judgement.

OK. Thanks. With my Godin, I typically run full up on the guitar volume. Rolling it down quickly affects tone.

[John A.]

If you're looking to push the front end of an amp into distortion higher output pickups are good for that. This is one of the reasons the bridge pickup in a set is often hotter than the neck pickup. Depending on other details of how the pickup is made the tone can be different as well, which can be a good thing depending on what you're looking for in terms of tone.

[nevershouldhavesoldit]

If you're looking to push the front end of an amp into distortion higher output pickups are good for that. This is one of the reasons the bridge pickup in a set is often hotter than the neck pickup. Depending on other details of how the pickup is made the tone can be different as well, which can be a good thing depending on what you're looking for in terms of tone.

And this can be used to advantage on a jazz box. I've used bridge pickups at the neck in several guitars over the years because the higher output made tube amps with moderate power sprout a little hair at gig volumes compared to the neck versions of the same pickups.

My favorite all around guitar before completely switching to 7s in the early '90s was a standard US Tele with bridge SD Hot Rails in both neck and bridge positions. I used p-p pots and minitoggles for phase reversal and coil splitting, and that little guy would be at home on any gig.

Higher output pickups sound better to me with the volume rolled down. That gives a different tone than what volume fully up gives. Whether that's a benefit is a subjective judgement.

The interaction between volume and tone is dependent on how the guitar is wired. "Modern" wiring, with the input running to an end contact on the volume pot and through a cap to the wiper in the tone pot, shunts more highs to ground as the volume is turned down. This darkens the tone as volume is lowered.

"FIfties wiring", with the input running to an end contact on the volume pot and the volume pot's wiper connected to the tone pot's wiper through a cap, leaves the tone unchanged as the volume is reduced at the guitar.

"Sixties" wiring is identical to “standard” wiring except that the cap runs from the volume pot's wiper to an end conctact on the tone pot. The tone pot's wiper is grounded. Just as the '50s scheme does, this darkens tone as volume is lowered. But it does provied more resistance to extraneous noise entering through the pickup and wiring between it and the pots.

I've posted this diagram before - it's a very clear guide when wiring a guitar:

[sgosnell]

And here's yet another wiring method, the way Benedetto does it, and the way I wire mine:

Bravo wiring diagram.pdf

I can't seem to make the diagram show in the post, for some reason. The cap doesn't go between the pots, but from the end post of the tone pot to ground. The tone is little affected by the volume pot.

[nevershouldhavesoldit]

And here's yet another wiring method, the way Benedetto does it, and the way I wire mine:

Bravo wiring diagram.pdf

I can't seem to make the diagram show in the post, for some reason. The cap doesn't go between the pots, but from the end post of the tone pot to ground. The tone is little affected by the volume pot.

That’s really the “fifties” wiring scheme with the cap and signal leads reversed on the tone pot. The voltage of the signal that passes through that cap to ground is determined by the resistance of the pot and the position of the wiper in both. Fully on or off, the flow is the same for both the Benedetto variant and the fifties.

Since Bs are humbuckers, there’s no appreciable effect on noise. And Bs are very very quiet - I love my B7!

[Stefan Eff]

I prefer 50‘s wiring on my Telecasters and I guess it makes sense (to „Jazz“- and Cleanplayers) in every guitar.

Same for the Pickupquestion: a low or medium wound Pickup is besr bet on cleantones/sweetspot.

[burchyk]

I prefer lower output humbucker in the neck position, 8k and higher are too muddy for my taste.

Regarding the tonal change depending on the volume pot position, I add a treble bleed to counter this. Not ideal if you're using fuzz, but for jazz sounds it is just the ticket. Standard circuit, even '50s wiring, has a sudden treble jump when going from 8-9 to 10 on the volume. That does not sound natural to my ear. Get a cheap box of small ceramic capacitors from amazon and experiment with the pots pulled out of the guitar. Don't remember what value I ended up with.

[nevershouldhavesoldit]

Regarding the tonal change depending on the volume pot position, I add a treble bleed to counter this.

Where do you insert it?

[burchyk]

Where do you insert it?

The cap I use is so small in size that it fits neatly into the 2 holes of the volume pot lugs, one into the hot lug, other into the wiper (middle). There is enough friction that you don't have to solder it while experimenting.

[Cunamara]

Where do you insert it?

In my neighborhood, that is not a question you ask.

The above description for placement is right: between the hot lug that the pickup is wired to and the wiper lug of the volume pot. Usually these are very low value capacitors, just sending a little high frequency to the output of the volume pot. Also, the same thing can be set up with a resistor and capacitor wired in parallel, which helps with not changing the taper on the volume pot and seems to keep the added highs from being too shrill. A quick Google will find you lots of examples with good pictures to show exactly how to do it.

It's a worthwhile experiment; I don't have any in my guitars currently, because I like losing a little high frequency with the volume pot instead of having to rely completely on the tone pot for that.

[Alter]

I much prefer lower output pickups for just about anything clean or cleanish. They clean up better and hear your hands better, so playing ends up being more expressive and dynamic. For more volume you can always use a boost or drive pedal.

Higher output pickups I like for more compressed sounds, starting from Larry Carlton fusion type sounds and up. So it depends on what you play. Whenever I play clean on high output pickups I really miss the dynamics.

[Jimmy blue note]

I can't seem to make the diagram show in the post, for some reason. The cap doesn't go between the pots, but from the end post of the tone pot to ground. The tone is little affected by the volume pot.

Here's a little visual aid: