Pickup simulators

[RobA]

...

The parallel humbucker setting is a very nice bright sounding HB though and the two rails in series make for a very nice humbucker. Both of the single coil settings on both neck and bridge are really nice.

So a simple on/on/on toggle per pu would be enough.
I've heard some people use them with the blades outside and P90s inside to bring forward the strat/tele single coil sound.

The bridge P-90 with volume bypassed is a monster.

But you're not using the Hot model? No toggle switch for the vol bypasss?

Yeah, a single on/on/on SPDT per pickup should work. And I'd do that over their suggested way of getting P90, rails, and series HB. If you don't mind always switching the two pickups together, you can do two on/on DPDT and have all four configurations on just two toggles. That really isn't much of a loss either because they really do work best in their respective pairs.

I didn't try out the flipped orientation idea. I could see that working well if your primary goal was the rails. To me though, the single best tone from them is the P90.

My bridge is the normal version. I don't think the hot model was out when I bought them. I would consider it now though -- not sure which one I'd actually choose.

I use a switched volume pot. I have it set up so that I have to pull it out to activate it. So, the normal position is bypassed.

[kothoma]

So a simple on/on/on toggle per pu would be enough.

Yeah, a single on/on/on SPDT per pickup should work. [...] you can do two on/on DPDT and have all four configurations on just two toggles. That really isn't much of a loss either because they really do work best in their respective pairs.

I was thinking of a on/on/on DPDT working like a tele switch. There are no on/on/on 4PDT toggle switches, are there?
But yes, mixing them up probably only makes sense in out-of-phase configurations (yes, another switch).

[RobA]

This is the wiring I was thinking of when I said two on/on DPDT will get you all four. Mine is basically set up the same way but I broke the two DPDT's out into four on/on SPDT and each pickup is then independent.
http://www.seymourduncan.com/support/wiring-diagrams/schematics.php?schematic=2_prails_1v_1t_tspp

One good thing about having them set up as independent switching is that you can have the neck on the rails and the bridge on the P90 and flip from neck to bridge is a really nice tonal switch with just one control change.

[kothoma]

One good thing about having them set up as independent switching is that you can have the neck on the rails and the bridge on the P90 and flip from neck to bridge is a really nice tonal switch with just one control change.

Yeah, that would require switching three switches (including the pu selector). Now add switching a few pedals...

I still try to work out what could be done using a 5 way super switch. Too many possibilities.

[RobA]

...
I still try to work out what could be done using a 5 way super switch. Too many possibilities.

This is the setup I had when they were in my Les Paul. Each pickup has the four different modes and then I used a six-way rotary set up to do:
1) Neck
2) Neck and Bridge, parallel
3) Neck and Bridge, parallel and phase reversed
4) Bridge
5) Neck and Bridge, series
6) Neck and Bridge, series and phase reversed

It's a bit of an understatement to say the it was too complex. It was really just silly. It was fun though.

http://www.musicunfolding.com/graphics/LP_Wiring_Complete.svg

[kothoma]

It's a bit of an understatement to say the it was too complex. It was really just silly. It was fun though.

Just let the roady do the switching...

[RobA]

It's a bit of an understatement to say the it was too complex. It was really just silly. It was fun though.

Just let the roady do the switching...

. Roadies with PhD's in topology are expensive.

[kothoma]

It's a bit of an understatement to say the it was too complex. It was really just silly. It was fun though.

Just let the roady do the switching...

. Roadies with PhD's in topology are expensive.

Yeah, they are better off driving taxies.

[RobA]

...
Yeah, they are better off driving taxies.

[kothoma]

Back to pickup simulators. Has anybody tried these?

http://www.ehx.com/products/knockout

"Its secret...the Knockout has a 7 pole filter for sculpting the low end of your mids and a 6 pole filter to shape the top end of the mids."
The second video states: LP at 85 Hz. HP at 6.5 kHz. (Top end of the mids?)

Schematics:
http://www.freeinfosociety.com/media/images/4117.gif
http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x12/Henrik_J_album/ATTACKEQ.jpg

And some history:
http://electroharmonix.vintageusaguitars.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=15:the-attack-eq-fact-and-fiction&catid=13:electro-harmonix-articles&Itemid=45
"If I were to redo it, I'd certainly improve those PRIMITIVE low pass and high pass filters!"


Edit: I'm a bit reminded of the Sonic Stomp (not a pickup simulator per se) that works at 50Hz and 10kHz with 2 pole filters.
And I imagine it's again the phase shift that's the real secret.

[jtn191]

I'd like to revive this topic just to add some info I've just been experimenting with...passive components
In this article http://www.muzique.com/lab/pickups.htm, he talks about resonant peaks based on the L,C,and R values.

I played around with LTSpice for a little bit and found this:
Small value caps (in the pf to nf range) going from signal ("hot") to ground lowers the frequency of the resonant peak. A value of 1.5nf made my strat sound more ES335-like. Resistors going from signal to ground reduce the "height" or intensity of the resonant peak. I tried something like 220k in parallel with the 1.5nf. This effect of resistors is the reason why 500k volume pots sound brighter than 250ks.

It's best to put these components right after the pickup and before volume controls because of the interaction, but I've been playing around with them post-volume

More info at this page:
http://www.buildyourguitar.com/resources/lemme/

[kothoma]

Yup, a few caps and resistors (or even coils) can do wonders. As you said you need to have them right after the pu.

And despite being passive, lowering the resonance frequency can even result in a bit higher output level. At least it can feel like that.

But I always have a hard time to decide on specific values, and although it would give more flexibility, I don't like a rotary switch on my guitar.