Coil Cutting

Editor's Note: This feature is reprinted with the exclusive permission of Stewart McDonald's Guitar Shop Supply, a respected, professional source of luthier tools, supplies, and expertise. Please click here for a glossary of terms or here to visit Stewart McDonald's Guitar Shop Supply.

A "coil cut" is an easy way to get a very useful sound. It has the drawback of being non-humbucking, of course. As I mentioned in my last installment, a coil cut can be accomplished by applying a ground to the "series link." Try these switching arrangements:

Major pickup manufacturer's wiring color codes:
Basic coil cut Humbucker wiring schematics:
5-way wiring diagram for Stew-Mac Lever-action Pickup Switches - (catalog item #3192):
All pickup ground connections go to the volume pot casing. I hope these diagrams spark your interest in coil cuts.