Clean, clear, bright single coil tone from a humbucker?

[Blueboner]

If I have a dual humbucker guitar, but I want clear, clean, bright single coil tone (Strattish, Teleish...you know), am I out of luck? Or will a humbucker sized P-90 possibly fill the bill? I've only had experience with maybe one or two P-90 guitars, and I found the tone to be way too middy and a bit honky to pull of the clean, clear, bright single coil tone?

 

How are those GFS Mean 90's for this tone?

 

Obviously, I'm not going to be able to get a Tele or Strat sound out of a mahogany guitar with hum-sized P-90's. But something close would be cool.

[lowbrow]

Cheap thing to try first would be coil splitting...some buckers do it better than others, but a push/pull pot is something like $5, some solder and a bit of time...

[orourke]

Duncan Alnico II are a bit brighter than your average humbucker and clean up beautifully. They're still going to sound like humbuckers, but not as muddy.

 

Another idea is TV Jones, TV Classics. I havent tried them, but you should look into them.

[sk8centilli]

Bryan from BG-Pups just created a P-90 in humbucker size, as opposed to a P-94 or H-90.

[goldsparkletop]

Despite the misleading name, Dimarzio's "Humbucker from Hell" pickup is designed to do EXACTLY what you are asking for: produce clean, clear, single coil tones from a humbucker package.

 

I have never used one personally, but would recommend you look into it.

[Karma1]

As mentioned above, coil-splitting (single/humbucker) is one way to go. I have that on my dual humbucker Telecaster and it works great. Another possibility is to to wire it with a push/pull for switching between series/parallel. I have that on a Les Paul with a Duncan Jazz in the neck and I can get close to single coil or P90 sounds out of it. As far as pickups, the Duncan Seth Lover is a bit brighter sounding than most humbuckers.

[Burningleaves]

Despite the misleading name, Dimarzio's "Humbucker from Hell" pickup is designed to do EXACTLY what you are asking for: produce clean, clear, single coil tones from a humbucker package. I have never used one personally, but would recommend you look into it.

 

 

 

 

 

[Mel Cooley]

You probably are out of luck. In the end I haven't heard any regular HB tapped or otherwise that sounds like a proper Fender pickup. That said I do like the relatively bright clear sound of a weakish PAF style pickup cranked up high near the strings.

[mrbrown49]

I think you are only going to get so close with gibby scale guitar. Alot of that clear bell tone from fenders is due to the larger scale, and higher string tension. That said, p90s are a great clear punchy tone, but still a totally different animal than fender SCs.

 

I would take the money you are about to spend on new pups and put it towards one of the new "standard" mexican strats. They are about 500 and well worth the price.

['s mel gibson]

Go and try out a Les Paul Deluxe with the mini HB's. They are clean and don't break up as early as the rest.

[The Eristic]

Unbuckers.

[DracoAran]

Dimarzio Humbucker From Hell

Dimarzio EJ Custom

Dimarzio Bluesbucker

Fralin Unbucker

 

Those are humbuckers that have single coil character.

 

For humbuckers that are actually 2 singles that split, or just really good at splitting:

 

Anderson H Series

Duncan Stag Mag

Rio Grande Tallboy

SK Specialties Dualtones

Dimarzio Bluesbucker

 

And humbucker sized single coils (no hum cancelling here):

 

Vintage Vibe HP-90

Gibson P94

Duncan Phat Cat

GFS

[voneville]

I'm amazed at the difference coil tapped humbuckers make. I just got my first coil tapable guitar, and I'm sold, I'm actually thinking about upgrading the pups in my Tele Custom so I can coil tap them as well. I like my new guitar with the coil taps so much that I got rid of my MIM Tele becuase it was literally like having 2 guitars in one.

[mnhhngbfs]

just get single coils?

http://guitarheads.net/productpages/Conversion.htm

[metalheadUK]

I think the EMG 89 does the best single coil tone of any 'bucker I have used.

 

I've got one in the neck of my Heritage CM150 (LP alike) and I think it sounds great.

 

Hers a short clip:

 

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/songInfo.cfm?bandID=484650&songID=5346132

 

And heres the guitar:

 

 

[StompBoxLover]

DUESENBERG V-Caster

 

[CGord]

 

Bryan from BG-Pups just created a P-90 in humbucker size, as opposed to a P-94 or H-90.

 

 

Sounds killer for the neck of my Dean ZX...

[Fender Picker]

Seymour Duncan SH-4 JB Humbucker.

[shaun126]

You should check these out.

 

http://store.guitarfetish.com/visphuclfest.html

 

I dropped these into my Fender Toronado, they sound sweet and clear.

[Dom1412]

 

I think the EMG 89 does the best single coil tone of any 'bucker I have used. I've got one in the neck of my Heritage CM150 (LP alike) and I think it sounds great. Hers a short clip:

 

 

Can you do a clean clip?

[CMcKenzie]

Check out Rio Grande's. I think the Muy Grande might fit your bill.

[Brewski]

IMHO - Humbuckers pickups sounds great at what they do. Don;t try to tap them and expect them to sound like clean singl coils.

 

Just buy another guitar (Tele or Strat type) and play it for your single coil sound.

[metalheadUK]

 

Can you do a clean clip?

 

 

I'll try and sort one out.

[Rand-O-Monium]

http://cgi.ebay.com/SEYMOUR-DUNCAN-SH-3-STAG-MAG-HUMBUCKER-PICKUP-NEW_W0QQitemZ150172766305QQihZ005QQcategoryZ41430QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

:poke:

[metalheadUK]

Can you do a clean clip?

 

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/songInfo.cfm?bandID=484650&songID=5889337

 

I'll give it it's own thread as well..gives you more chance of hearing it!