Double Single-Coil Pickups

[d_dave_c]

So I know that there a few guitars out there that have double single coil pickups rather than a humbucker (Yamaha Pacifica 904, DiPinto Mach IV).

 

How are these different from traditional humbuckers, and how does that affect their tone? Is it just a strat middle and bridge pickup shoved up together or is is a low output humbucker? What is the rationale?

 

I have a HS guitar and I was going to switch out the bridge pickup (Came with a Dimebucker) and want something that splits well. I already have another guitar with the p-rails pickups, which are great, but I want something different.

[Elias Graves]

I've used a Lace Dually before. Two singles side by side and can be set up with a three way switch. NOT a humbucker. Two singles, both active.

 

EG

[hecticone]

I have stacked single coils in my Anderson. They are huge sounding when you use em like that.

[Rex Machete]

I think the sound would depend on whether they are connected in parallel or series. Two single coils together in series is essentially a humbucker. Two single coils together in parallel should sound like a humbucker wired in parallel.

[Wyatt]

Yeah, in series, they are pretty much a humbucker. The big difference is how the magnets are set up. On traditional Fender PU's the magnets ARE the pole pieces, where as a tradition Gibson style humbucker, uses steel pole pieces touching a bar magnet underneath. These these there are so many PU options, its easy to find SC's with steel pole and humbuckers with magnet poles, so the lines are very blurred.

 

But in series, they should make a rather high output humbucker and magnet pole pieces will probably give it a big upper-midrange push.

 

In parallel, they'll seem more similar to the in-between position on a Strat, but probably a little fuller because of the proximity of the PU's.

[GAS Man]

On guitars like the DiPinto

 

 

They have separate p'up height adjustment screws, so you can alter the tone by raising/lowering one or the other in the series, i.e. a bit more dramatic than just raising and lowering pole pieces on one coil.