2 wires or 4 wires What's the advantage/disadvantage?

[Hbom]

So what's the Pros & Cons of having 4 conductor lead wire rather than vintage push-back braid? I understand the idea of splitting coils somewhat but phase shifting and a lot of that I'm not sure I understand the advantage.

I'm talking about warmed up PAF style pickups, not EMGs or real hot stuff. 8-10 or 12k. 2 humbuckers in a hog body. Mostly playing Blues, 60's rock and country.

Thank you all in advance

D

[Victor (Fret Friend)]

Huge advanatage IMO. I just put a single-coil sized humbucker (hot rail) in my Fender American Standard Telecaster (along with 4-way switching + push-push tone pot for coil splitting) and it has transformed by tone options. I can now use the guitar as normal Tele (humbucker in split-coil mode) but when I really want to rock out, I can go to full humbucker mode. My Tele does anything from cleans to balls-to-the-wall metal all without touching my amp. It's all in the new switching and pickup options! These options have transformed my Tele fromn a really good guitar to an amazing guitar (actually my favourite right now)...

Video...

 

[gorch]

Advantage are the open wiring capabilities. That’s all. 

[bubs_42]

Yep, if you don't need the extra tones then go with the push back lead. If you have one guitar and want multiple tones then get the 4 conductor and have some fun. In my Les Paul its just standard braided leads, but I used 4 conductor in my old PRS Mira to get a mixture of tones in one guitar. What you will find is you won't use every tone, but you may find a few you like that you didn't know you liked.   

[hamerhead]

Four is better. It's 2 more.

[scottcald]

On 1/22/2019 at 7:23 AM, hamerhead said:

Four is better. It's 2 more.

It's like one louder, isn't it?

[HamerDave]

Its all about options. 4 wire pickups do all the same things 2 wire pickups do AND more.