Singles & Humbuckers

[Medicine Melancholy]

It's a classic line of discussion, but I didn't see an active thread on it.

I wanted to post this because lately, I've mostly been about the single coils. I've been looking at Humbucking guitars, but only if they also have single coils and coil splits. Humbucking guitar seem more common, less characteristic, at least outside of bl00zak and what have you, which isn't what I play. Strats and Teles are pretty popular, but you generally won't see people trying to use them for Hard rock, and I think that's where Teles can actually be pretty interesting.

Tonight I saw a pretty cool local band, Altered Hours. Their guitarist was using some kind of Hollowbody, didn't check what it was, red, with humbuckers. When I think humbuckers and hollowbody, I generally think of the Epiphone Dot I got my Dad, which sounds very different of course. The sound of this hollow body was glassy & jangly, almost reminiscant of a Rickenbacker or Jazzmaster through gain.

My main axe at the moment is an el cheapo First Act Sheena, which I like specifically because it has a bit more Jangle in it's pickups than average. But I think I had written off a lot of humbuckers as being unfairly flat by comparison - the ones in the Sheena are nice, but still a bit muddy at times.

I'm not sure what amp this guy was using, if he even was using one. But it just wasn't the typical mid gain humbucker rock tone I'm used to.

Unless I end up getting the HH Jag, which I probably won't since I prefer the sound of the SS and I'd probably have to swap the pickups anyway, I might think about putting better HBs in my Sheena. I guess it's just tough to have a "do it all" guitar, but when you have even 2 guitars it becomes a lot easier. However seeing a humbucking guitar deliver a tone I'd forgotten humbuckers can do under the right circumstances was refreshing.

I often wonder how much difference there is between singles and doubles, and how easy it is to have one emulate the other. I'd rather deal with Humbuckers in a sense so I don't have to deal with noise and get the extra output when I need it, but generally I prefer the character of single coils and find a lot of "In between" sounds boring.

Have other people had "eye opening" moments where a type of guitar or pickup delivered a tone you didn't expect?

[Will]

A neighbor in college had an '80s Ibanez S series that sounded like the best strat ever. He bought it at a pawn shop for $120 and spent another $100 on a fret-dress and setup, but it was dead stock. Played amazing and sounded beautiful - that was my big surprise.

Most HBs now are too hot. A nice, covered HB in the 8-9k range will have plenty of treble in it. And keeping the bass low on the amp helps too. And maybe using thinner strings.

Is it necessary to get specifically HB or SC sounds? Or are you just seeking a more open, bright HB?

[johnnyseven]

You could try some Fender Wide Range Humbucker Style pickups, not the modern Fender version though.

[Dave]

If you have a spare million dollars anyway.

[johnnyseven]

If you have a spare million dollars anyway.

I said Fender WRHB style pickups, meaning he could try some similar ones but not neccessarily vintage or super mojo expensive boutique ones. Such as the Catswhisker Ranger DLX.

[Dave]

Intorweb for you innit, read it differently!

[johnnyseven]

No probs Dave.

[Dave]

No probs Dave.

xx

[blacktaxi]

I have this MIM Tele '72 reissue, that has "modern" WRHBs, and to me they sound great. Trebley, clear and what not. I hated humbuckers before I got this tele. But this, it even can sound a bit of like strat resemblence in the neck position, especially if the amp is driven to the "crunch" sound.

[johnnyseven]

I have this MIM Tele '72 reissue, that has "modern" WRHBs, and to me they sound great. Trebley, clear and what not. I hated humbuckers before I got this tele. But this, it even can sound a bit of like strat resemblence in the neck position, especially if the amp is driven to the "crunch" sound.

They may sound great but they are very different to the original WRHB's, they are just regualar HB's bulked out with wax and fitted into a bigger chassis. There was a long thread a while ago about WRHB's, if you want to know more search it out.

[Mike]

Literally noone has played a real WRHB, and yet everyone is constantly posting about them and lusting after them. It's completely bizarre.

[Fran]

Have other people had "eye opening" moments where a type of guitar or pickup delivered a tone you didn't expect?

The humbuckers in the old Yamaha SG's.
Of course, other factors like the build quality and electronics are a factor but them 'buckers are really versatile. Almost single coil with the treble up full but they also cover all the usual PAF duties.

This makes me wonder. In the case of a guitar like the CIJ Jaguar HH, are the humbuckers really that bad or is it the rest of the electronics, or both?

Like Will said, a nice traditional humbucker measuring around 9K will cover a lot of tonal ground.

[mezzio13]

Literally noone has played a real WRHB, and yet everyone is constantly posting about them and lusting after them. It's completely bizarre.

I went and tried out a '72 re-issue Tele Custom with two new WRHB's in it. I talked to the guy and asked how they stacked up to the originals, to which he replied he never played one. So I did a little thinking, the purpose of those was to be able to get a quality humbucker sound and yet dial it in to a nice strat single sound. That is what the new pup did. Was it 100% authentid? No idea, but it did do what they said it was designed to, and more so, it was a very pleasing pup in both positions. In fact, I can speak highly enough about them, and still really want that guitar.

[stewart]

from experiences round here, the few people that have played original WRHBs seem reluctant to actually describe what they sound like. as if they don't have that much of a characteristic sound...? who knows. i don't.

[hotrodperlmutter]

Literally noone has played a real WRHB, and yet everyone is constantly posting about them and lusting after them. It's completely bizarre.

i've have played the real deal, and tbh, i can't tell a difference between the vintage ones and the new ones. i think the new ones sound great, adn don't get what all the wunderlust is about. can't wait to load up my jagblaster project with 'em and 500k pots.

[Medicine Melancholy]

Have other people had "eye opening" moments where a type of guitar or pickup delivered a tone you didn't expect?

The humbuckers in the old Yamaha SG's.
Of course, other factors like the build quality and electronics are a factor but them 'buckers are really versatile. Almost single coil with the treble up full but they also cover all the usual PAF duties.

This makes me wonder. In the case of a guitar like the CIJ Jaguar HH, are the humbuckers really that bad or is it the rest of the electronics, or both?

Like Will said, a nice traditional humbucker measuring around 9K will cover a lot of tonal ground.

I thought people liked the CIJ HHs? It's the pickups in the Classic Player HH people are iffy about, which is a shame since the coil splitter is neat. If I knew it had decent pickups, I'd get it, otherwise it'll end up too costly for me when the SS is good out of the box. If I had more money to dick around with I'd probably get both and experiment with the HH.

[awfurby]

Filtertrons will get you what you need.

[Fran]

Have other people had "eye opening" moments where a type of guitar or pickup delivered a tone you didn't expect?

The humbuckers in the old Yamaha SG's.
Of course, other factors like the build quality and electronics are a factor but them 'buckers are really versatile. Almost single coil with the treble up full but they also cover all the usual PAF duties.

This makes me wonder. In the case of a guitar like the CIJ Jaguar HH, are the humbuckers really that bad or is it the rest of the electronics, or both?

Like Will said, a nice traditional humbucker measuring around 9K will cover a lot of tonal ground.

I thought people liked the CIJ HHs? It's the pickups in the Classic Player HH people are iffy about, which is a shame since the coil splitter is neat. If I knew it had decent pickups, I'd get it, otherwise it'll end up too costly for me when the SS is good out of the box. If I had more money to dick around with I'd probably get both and experiment with the HH.

A few do, fuck knows why. I modified mine to take standard singles it was that lifeless.

[gaybear]

I like both types of pickups, but given a choice, will usually opt for humbuckers. i prefer clean sounds on them.
My shecter has coil spliting humbuckers. duncan designed. they're great. duncan designed stuff is hit or miss though. i got a hit.
i put a mighty mite humbucker in my alvarez electric and it sounds totally like a single coil (w/o hum of course). Totes like a strat.
it used to have a pickup from my old peavey 15 in it. the peavey 15 pickup was great for distortion, but a lil tinny for cleans.

[Fran]

My shecter

From that point on i stopped reading.