Under the cover: Z-coil pickup

[Craig]

Have you ever wondered what the Z-coil looks like under the cover?

Here are some photos:













Hope this helps.

[meowmix]

Thanks Craig.

It looks easily modifiable for the lefties.

[louis cyfer]

Thanks Craig.

It looks easily modifiable for the lefties.

indeed.

[Miles Smiles]

indeed.

Lefty Comanches do exist.

[Elwood]

Lefty Comanches do exist.

Yeah, but they all have right handed z-coils ...having lefty z-coils instead of right-handed would allow the PuP's to 'see' more harmonic content on the higher strings, something I would want if I was a Lefty with a Comanche...especially at the bridge.

[SouthpawGuy]

Lefty Comanches do exist.

Yeah, but they all have right handed z-coils ...having lefty z-coils instead of right-handed would allow the PuP's to 'see' more harmonic content on the higher strings, something I would want if I was a Lefty with a Comanche...especially at the bridge.

+1

never seen a true lefty Comanche.

[Lefty]

Lefty Comanches do exist.

Yeah, but they all have right handed z-coils ...having lefty z-coils instead of right-handed would allow the PuP's to 'see' more harmonic content on the higher strings, something I would want if I was a Lefty with a Comanche...especially at the bridge.

+1

never seen a true lefty Comanche.

+2

I have a Lefty Comanche with right handed pickups - that gives me more harmonic content on the lower strings. I also have an ASAT Special with a right-handed saddle lock bridge. What can I do about it?
When you're a lefty, you take what you can get in a right handed world.

[willross]

+3

[Craig]

Lefty Comanches do exist.

Yeah, but they all have right handed z-coils ...having lefty z-coils instead of right-handed would allow the PuP's to 'see' more harmonic content on the higher strings, something I would want if I was a Lefty with a Comanche...especially at the bridge.

And IF they built lefty z-coils, they would need to call them "s-coils".

[louis cyfer]

Lefty Comanches do exist.

Yeah, but they all have right handed z-coils ...having lefty z-coils instead of right-handed would allow the PuP's to 'see' more harmonic content on the higher strings, something I would want if I was a Lefty with a Comanche...especially at the bridge.

on one of my strats i have a reverse angled bridge pup (like a righty z coil on a lefty guitar) and it sounds the best out of all my strats. just saying.

[NickHorne]

Like a Jorgenson strat, with its "P-bass" type split pairs, in fact. I totally agree with Louis' thought on this.
I do believe that some great things will become possible when someone splits a Z-coil into a P-bass type, separated pair (or did Leo sign that concept away to CBS-to-become-FMIC all those decades ago?)
Leo found this great concept of a humbucking single-coil, that would also volume-balance a 4-string instrument; it only became relevant to the guitar when it had later developed into its modern form of three plain strings and three wound. From that point on, the split pair concept concept works for guitar. CLF never seemed to be able to put that great idea down, though he just didn't incorporate that last development.
But perhaps we're hung up on the shrill Fender XII, when that's not relevant, plus all the vintage / history marketing that's all around, so split-pair guitar pups aren't saleable?
An MFD, polepiece-adjustable, coil-height-adjustable, 1-coil-per-3-strings pair pickup promises fantastic adjustability, so that tone would never have to be compromised for up-and-down-the-neck volume balance, nor any compromise the other way round. Humbucking, and single-coil sounding. The final refinement, and lefthandable too.

Or is this just a marketing mountain that ordinary folk can't ever hope to see over? Maybe I'll go try a low-impedance Les Paul, for a crankiness comparison.......

[Craig]

Like a Jorgenson strat, with its "P-bass" type split pairs, in fact. I totally agree with Louis' thought on this.
I do believe that some great things will become possible when someone splits a Z-coil into a P-bass type, separated pair (or did Leo sign that concept away to CBS-to-become-FMIC all those decades ago?)
Leo found this great concept of a humbucking single-coil, that would also volume-balance a 4-string instrument; it only became relevant to the guitar when it had later developed into its modern form of three plain strings and three wound. From that point on, the split pair concept concept works for guitar. CLF never seemed to be able to put that great idea down, though he just didn't incorporate that last development.
But perhaps we're hung up on the shrill Fender XII, when that's not relevant, plus all the vintage / history marketing that's all around, so split-pair guitar pups aren't saleable?
An MFD, polepiece-adjustable, coil-height-adjustable, 1-coil-per-3-strings pair pickup promises fantastic adjustability, so that tone would never have to be compromised for up-and-down-the-neck volume balance, nor any compromise the other way round. Humbucking, and single-coil sounding. The final refinement, and lefthandable too.

Or is this just a marketing mountain that ordinary folk can't ever hope to see over? Maybe I'll go try a low-impedance Les Paul, for a crankiness comparison.......

See this post: An interesting snapshot taken in Dale Hyatt's office .... Gabe mentions this "The Z-Coil was something Leo wanted to evolve but never finished developing."
We will never know what else Leo had in mind with this pickup.

[Elwood]

We will never know what else Leo had in mind with this pickup.

It has alot of possibilities
I've wired some for series/parallel switching per pickup ( to get that airy Comanche VI sound ). A stereo set-up is something else I've been thinking about.

Elwood

[JagInTheBag]

Perhaps instead of reissuing the HG pup covers for LEII, we ask G&L to do some true lefty Z's...

[Elwood]

Perhaps instead of reissuing the HG pup covers for LEII, we ask G&L to do some true lefty Z's...

A lefty Z-coil at the neck and a righty Z-coil at the bridge (body-mounted);
and just the opposite for a left handed guitar...would be an eye catching tone machine.

[louis cyfer]

Perhaps instead of reissuing the HG pup covers for LEII, we ask G&L to do some true lefty Z's...

A lefty Z-coil at the neck and a righty Z-coil at the bridge (body-mounted);
and just the opposite for a left handed guitar...would be an eye catching tone machine.

i would do it the other way.

[Elwood]

Perhaps instead of reissuing the HG pup covers for LEII, we ask G&L to do some true lefty Z's...

A lefty Z-coil at the neck and a righty Z-coil at the bridge (body-mounted);
and just the opposite for a left handed guitar...would be an eye catching tone machine.

i would do it the other way.

I'd like that, especially with a parallel switching option for each pickup.
The Z-coils in series (humbucking) mode lacks that upper end sparkle .

G&L makes it easy to mod with the twisted wires just below the pickup plate.

[darwinohm]

I am getting cranked on this Z-coil build for the new GBLII. Three of them split and reverse with each other on the SC would be awesome. Now lets put the six pack switching arrangement on it. This would be so unique and cool. I had only given up on them because I wanted the new guitar to be available to lefties. I would suggest calling it the GBLII Sixpack. -- Darwin

[Lefty]

Perhaps instead of reissuing the HG pup covers for LEII, we ask G&L to do some true lefty Z's...

A lefty Z-coil at the neck and a righty Z-coil at the bridge (body-mounted);
and just the opposite for a left handed guitar...would be an eye catching tone machine.

i would do it the other way.

+1

[Uberjam87]

I just want to make sure I'm understanding what I'm seeing here... The twisted wires between the 2 coils can be separated to wire a traditional Comanche up like a Comanche Studio VI?

[Craig]

I just want to make sure I'm understanding what I'm seeing here... The twisted wires between the 2 coils can be separated to wire a traditional Comanche up like a Comanche Studio VI?

Yes, that is correct. For wiring diagrams, see this in our Gallery: Album: Wiring diagram for the Comanche VI and Comanche Studio VI.

Hope this helps.

[Uberjam87]

That's perfect! Thank you for confirming!

I want a Comanche Studio VI without having to FIND a Comanche Studio VI!

[Craig]

That's perfect! Thank you for confirming!

I want a Comanche Studio VI without having to FIND a Comanche Studio VI!

When you do it, please post your project in The Project Page, with pics and video, too!

[Uberjam87]

It's a promise

[Craig]

While searching for some past GbL photos I came across these two Z-coil photos from Gabe Dellevigne
showing differences of the Z-coils which were built at the G&L factory (both Leo era and BBE era):




Here is a snapshot of the entry for the MFD Z-coil pickup in our List of pickups used in G&L guitars post located in the G&L Knowledgebase:

Pickup	Impedance	Found In These Models
G&L Magnetic Field Design™ "Z-coils"	4.5K-4.7K; 7.5K-8.3K (Will Ray Signature Model Bridge pickup)	Comanche V, Comanche VI, Comanche reissue, Comanche Semi-Hollow, ASAT Z-3, ASAT Z-3 Semi-Hollow, Will Ray Signature Model, Tribute Will Ray Signature Model, Tribute Comanche
	This is a split-coil type single coil pickup based on Leo's venerable post-1957 P-Bass pickup. The two halves have opposite charges that are hum cancelling. Yet the Z-coil produces a very familiar bell-tone single coil sound with a very flat, neutral response. These pickups allow the player great flexibility for "coloring" the sound with effects, amps or playing style. As with all MFD type pickups, the Z-coils are high output. The bridge pickup on the Will Ray Signature Model is over-wound with 1400 extra windings using extended length pole pieces for wider bobbin aperture.