L710 split coil- cool enough to install it??

Dave Stroud · Post by **Dave Stroud** » 11 Aug 2018 3:01 pm

I'm putting a pair of L710s in my Franklin... I'm thinking about using the third lead on each to install split coil switches. Is it a cool enough sound to fuss with it? Looking for the opinions of those who have done this before. Thanks!

James Collett · Post by **James Collett** » 14 Aug 2018 11:41 am

I find the sound kind of thin and trebly for regular playing, but it's nice when you're trying to pull off a 1950s-60s Mooney-esque tone.

ajm · Post by **ajm** » 15 Aug 2018 6:24 am

Disclaimer: I have not done it.
But a couple of things to consider.

You could install the pickups, and instead of hard wiring the leads, you could use wire nuts to make the connections. That way you could easily try out the different sounds for a while to see if it's worth it.

And, not trying to be the vintage police or anything, but if you drill holes and mount switches, you may impact any vintage value or collectability of the guitar. With most other guitars it's not really a huge issue, but a Franklin is not most other guitars.
However, if the guitar already has switches, then it's not an issue.

Does the guitar have any pots on it? If so, you could replace a standard pot with a push-pull or (my preference) a push-push and not need to do any drilling.

Richard Sinkler · Post by **Richard Sinkler** » 15 Aug 2018 6:35 am

As far as mounting the switch, you can take a piece of aluminum angle, mount the switch to it, and secure the switch to the bottom of the guitar. I'm doing that with an XR-16 on my Mullen.

Rich Peterson · Post by **Rich Peterson** » 15 Aug 2018 3:12 pm

In addition to shorting out one coil by connecting the third wire to ground or hot, put a capacitor (0.02) in line to the other conductor. This will produce the clear harmonics of a single coil, but with the power and most of the humcancellation of the humbucker. A tip from Bill Lawrence.

Gibson recently offered this as "Frequency Compensated Coil Tap."

Dave Stroud · Post by **Dave Stroud** » 15 Aug 2018 6:30 pm

Thanks for the responses. I have no intentions of drilling any holes.... if switches are added, it will be minimally intrusive. No screw holes on the underside either. I guess I'll wire it up and see how it goes!

Ron Pruter · Post by **Ron Pruter** » 15 Aug 2018 7:25 pm

Dave, single coil sounds cool but,
1) you'll have hum.
2) you'll have less output. RP

Dave Stroud · Post by **Dave Stroud** » 15 Aug 2018 9:15 pm

I know a hum will be present, but not any more so than other single-coil pickups, right? Like a true tone?

Richard Sinkler · Post by **Richard Sinkler** » 16 Aug 2018 7:48 am

Rich Peterson wrote:In addition to shorting out one coil by connecting the third wire to ground or hot, put a capacitor (0.02) in line to the other conductor. This will produce the clear harmonics of a single coil, but with the power and most of the humcancellation of the humbucker. A tip from Bill Lawrence.

Gibson recently offered this as "Frequency Compensated Coil Tap."

Rich,

Can you give more details. I don't completely understand the line I bolded in your response. The only wiring diagram I could find had the red wire (and a green twisted together with the red that my pickup doesn't have) going to one side of the SPST switch, with the other lug on the switch wired to ground (to the ground lug on the jack?).