'Tapped' vs Traditional P90s

[drzing]

Whats the main difference? Is it actually split into two coils (the tapped)?

 

Comparing their tone, is the 'tapped' worth?

[Versatile]

I asked this question of a luthier who was doing it with S/C's...not P90's as such

 

He said the tap is about 'halfway along' the windings

 

So it changes the tone a bit

 

But not in the same way as a tapped H/B...

 

V

 

[Ryan H]

Versatile is basically correct.

 

A pickup is effectively copper wire wrapped around a bobbin with some kind of magnetic material in the middle (either magnetic rods or ferrous rods with a magnet underneath). The copper wire is wounds several thousand times around the bobbin. The more "winds", the more output. With "tapping", a wire is attached to the coil at some point along it's length; I've seen 60%, 80%, 40% e.c.t.

 

By shortening the number of windings being used, you effectively lower the output, potentially (depending on the extremity of the tap) changing the character of the pickup.

 

So a "Tapped P90" is no different than a regular P90, it just has an extra wire attached about halfway through the coil, give or take.

 

-Ryan

[drzing]

Thanks for the inputs, I'm not sure if I got it correctly, so it is like a 'stacked' humbucker?

 

Couldn't it be made side by side on the same P90? That could be wicked.

[Ryan H]

Thanks for the inputs, I'm not sure if I got it correctly, so it is like a 'stacked' humbucker?

 

Couldn't it be made side by side on the same P90? That could be wicked.

 

A "tapped" P90 is not a Humbucker. It is a Single Coil pickup. Meaning it will Hum. A "tapped" P90 is a regular P90 pickup with the option to only use a part of the coil. There is only 1 coil. Not 2 as in a Humbucker. Coil Tap and Coil Split are two completely different terms.

 

-Ryan

[bobouz]

Note that the P100 outwardly looks like a P90, but is a stacked humbucker with two coils - a totally different animal.

[drzing]

Oh, thanks C64, now you got me to visualize what you first said.

 

I just wonder what kind of guitarrists really use that feature.

[marvar]

Oh, thanks C64, now you got me to visualize what you first said.

 

I just wonder what kind of guitarrists really use that feature.

I wonder that too~

[Ryan H]

Oh, thanks C64, now you got me to visualize what you first said.

 

I just wonder what kind of guitarrists really use that feature.

 

I've had a guitar with a "tapped" P90, and I found one very good use for it.

 

I would "tap" the P90 for my rhythm work. It lowers the output, amount of gain on a dirty channel and perceived volume. Then by "untapping" the pickup, I get a volume and gain boost for lead work. So basically, the feature is more useful in reverse.

 

-Ryan