Welcome to the world of coil taps! - Lets expand our sound variation by remodeling -

Many guitarists have a dream: "I wish I could produce the sound of a humbucker and a single coil with a single guitar ...".

"Coil taps" are recommended for such troubled guitarists.

A coil tap is a magical wiring method that expands the possibilities of humbucker-equipped guitars. Nowadays, many manufacturers sell guitars that use coil tap wiring as a standard, so coil tapping is getting more and more recognition.

This time, I will introduce the points of remodeling starting with "What is a coil tap?"

What kind of effects can a coil tap have?

A coil tap is a wiring method that reproduces a sound similar to a single coil by canceling one of the two humbucker coils.

With a single coil that is crisp for cutting, and a humbucker that is easy to distort for the background, you can get different sounds with a single guitar! The expressions of the guitarist can be expanded.

Which coil should you cancel?

Not surprisingly, you can choose which coil to cancel! You can also select the coil to cancel by installing a switch. With that in mind, it won’t be a Gibson Jimmy Page model, but it's a mod that gives you so many sounds!

Humbuckers that output completely different sounds depending on which coil you choose, such as the Lace Dually series that is familiar with the Lace Sensor, are also available. So if you’re interested, please check it out.

■ Dually list

Is it true that there are humbuckers that can't be tapped! ??

There are two types of humbuckers, "2-core" and "4-core". Of these, the 4-core humbucker is the one with which you can do a coil tap.

[Difference between 2 cores and 4 cores]

■ 2-core type: Both coils of the humbucker share the + and -.

■ 4-core type: Two coils are responsible for + and two coils for -, respectively.

If the humbucker installed on your guitar is a 2-core type, you can modify the pickup. However, be careful as it costs a lot! Unless you really like the sound, we recommend changing to a 4-core humbucker.

Which pot do you choose?

When carrying out a coil tap, it is generally done with an "additional toggle switch" or a "replacement to a switch type pot".

Since the toggle switch requires a hole in the body of the guitar, many people mount the coil tap by replacing the pot with almost no change in appearance. I also changed the pot on my guitar for a coil tap.

The square pot in the image above is a switch-type pot. What’s nice about doing a coil tap modification just by pot modification is that the appearance of the guitar is almost the same as before the modification!

There are two types of switchable pots, "push/push" and "push/pull". Which one is better will depend on how you want to use it!

Push/push

It's hard to convey in a video, but it feels like you're touching it lightly with 100% gentleness. If you have a playing style that changes frequently, this type of pot is definitely recommended!

One thing to keep in mind is that there is a risk of unintended switching. Especially, guitarists who have a lot of live performances need to be careful.

Push/pull

This type requires "pulling/pushing", so you need to get used to it for smooth operation. On the other hand, most models have a clicky switch feeling, so it is easy to prevent unintended switching, which is the disadvantage of push/push pots.

For those who say "I’ll modify myself!", Check out the modification method below! The mechanism of the switch and wiring examples are posted.

▶Guitar remodeling course (wiring) | How to add tap switches

If you want to use the coil tap as a weapon, check the values of the pots and condensers as well!

Do you know the capacity of the pots and condensers on your guitar?

What is of concern here is the value of the guitar pot and condenser that are coil tapped. A coil tap is the same as switching between a humbucker and a single coil, so many people don't know what values to use.

Capacitor capacity

The one with a large capacity tends to cut the high range, so if you say "the high range is a little loud", increase the capacity of the condenser and select it for the sound you are looking for.

However, I could hardly feel the difference in sound with my own ears.

No, the accumulation of small commitments to create my own sound!!

Pot resistance

The big change in the sound came with the replacement of the pot.

Even if you say that you want to do a coil tap, basically there is no problem if you match it with the main humbucker. However, personally, a 300kΩ pot fits nicely with the balance of tap ON-OFF, so give it a try!

Please check Sound House for details on the changes in sound caused by the pot.

▶ Hot POT Lab / Part 2 Pot Resistance

Conclusion - How much is the remodeling cost? -

Are interested in coil taps?

If you frequently operate the pot and toggle switch, people will think "Hey guy’s amazing!", So it is a recommended modification in that respect as well (laugh)

What is worrisome is the cost of remodeling.

It costs 3,000 to 5,000 yen (excluding parts) for one coil tap. Coil taps are also recommended as practice for wiring modifications, so why not try it ◎

Let's make our own sound by trial and error!