2-Wire to 4-Wire Conversion

[Hungerbeast]

Has anyone here ever converted a 2-conductor pickup into a 4 conductor pick up? I ask because I have a Tremonti SE that I’ve upgraded with USA Pickups. I added a push/pull pot the bridge Humbucker and it’s awesome, I love having the versatility of coil splitting.

I want to do it to the neck as well, but the Tremonti neck pickups are vintage wire/2 conductor. I’ve scanned the internet and doing this is possible, although risky.

Has anyone done it? Is it worth the risk?

Or should I just swap it out for a 4-conductor pickup?

Thanks!

https://www.robchapman.tv/forum/threads/how-to-convert-2-conductor-humbuckers-to-4-conductor.28147/

 

[CyFan4036]

You have nothing to lose in trying the conversion. If it doesn't work, go to four conductor .

 

[Hungerbeast]

You have nothing to lose in trying the conversion. If it doesn't work, go to four conductor .

I’m just afraid of messing up my pickup lol. I’ve never done it before and I’d hate to mess something up. PRS pickups are not cheap! Haha

 

[CyFan4036]

I’m just afraid of messing up my pickup lol. I’ve never done it before and I’d hate to mess something up. PRS pickups are not cheap! Haha

To the bold go the spoils! Good luck!

 

[ViperDoc]

I would personally recommend buying a new 4-conductor neck pickup. You can never un-split the wire, so there’s no going back to stock if you convert it, and you may do a great job and you may ruin it.

 

[Big Mike]

I would personally recommend buying a new 4-conductor neck pickup. You can never un-split the wire, so there’s no going back to stock if you convert it, and you may do a great job and you may ruin it.

you can reverse the wiring and go back to 2 conductor (though I don't know why you would).

BUt it's risku..the coil wire you're dealing with is very fine.

Personally I'd call Seymour Duncan custom shop and ask for what's close in they're catalog and 4 conductor.

 

[Hungerbeast]

So what would be a similar sounding pickup in the neck that’s a 4 conductor? The PRS website says that the Tremonti neck pickup is Alnico 4 with 7.3k DC Res.

What would sound similar?

Or what would you guys recommend for a great sounding neck pickup to complement the Tremonti bridge that is splittable and sounds not bad as a single coil?

Thanks!

 

[Hungerbeast]

I would personally recommend buying a new 4-conductor neck pickup. You can never un-split the wire, so there’s no going back to stock if you convert it, and you may do a great job and you may ruin it.

Have you ever heard of anyone successfully doing it?

 

[Hungerbeast]

you can reverse the wiring and go back to 2 conductor (though I don't know why you would).

BUt it's risku..the coil wire you're dealing with is very fine.

Personally I'd call Seymour Duncan custom shop and ask for what's close in they're catalog and 4 conductor.

Have you ever heard of anyone successfully doing it? How much do you think a shop would charge for something like that?

 

[tonytester]

if you can get the cover off safely , and get to the wire that goes between the two bobbins, you should have no problems at all , be sure to use wire colors like white black red and green and remember where you hooked them up.. i'm not a fan of coil splits but i love to do in phase and out of phase.

 

[ViperDoc]

you can reverse the wiring and go back to 2 conductor (though I don't know why you would).

BUt it's risku..the coil wire you're dealing with is very fine.

Personally I'd call Seymour Duncan custom shop and ask for what's close in they're catalog and 4 conductor.

You can't uncut the wire, you can only solder it back together, and that to me sounds like a mess. You screw the job, you buy another pickup. So if I was going to buy another pickup, I'd rather have two than one. That said, you' d definitely learn something by trying it, and that may not be so bad. It just might be more expensive than it has to be.

 

[ViperDoc]

Have you ever heard of anyone successfully doing it?

No.

 

[Big Mike]

You can't uncut the wire, you can only solder it back together, and that to me sounds like a mess. You screw the job, you buy another pickup. So if I was going to buy another pickup, I'd rather have two than one. That said, you' d definitely learn something by trying it, and that may not be so bad. It just might be more expensive than it has to be.

It’s soldered to begin with from the coils end wire. Besides that why go back? Just take the two back together

 

[Big Mike]

Have you ever heard of anyone successfully doing it? How much do you think a shop would charge for something like that?

If you search the Seymour Duncan forum those guys are doing mods like that all the time

Finding someone qualified to do it for you would likely be a trick or two. Might contact one of the companies that offer rewinds and such.