Members dcindc Posted July 13, 2007 Members Share Posted July 13, 2007 apples and oranges. Most HBs are less "lively" than most single coils. For chugga chugga, and singing sustaining Santana single notes, nuthin but HBs will do. For jangley rythyms, SCs are it. Exercise your tone controls on yer amp. There is a whole world to discover. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members fabstrat Posted July 13, 2007 Members Share Posted July 13, 2007 this is exactly what i was talking about when i posted the thread about watching session players live with big name artist and how i could feel the single coil players but the HB players just didn't excite me.... And also i think single coils obviously sound better clean but IMO they also sound better distorted....i think a humbucker almost makes me sound like im on the "high-gain" setting on a line six tone-port and just sounds like a generic model the whole time....but with single-coils they bite, they sing, they bark....its like a relationship with a girl that always stays interesting....all....IMO lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members niceguy Posted July 13, 2007 Members Share Posted July 13, 2007 well, what kind of music do ya play? strictly clean? My LP has burstbuckers, and the middle pos sounds great for clean chords---very thudding and punchy, but still clear. Not better or worse than my strat, but DIFFERENT. Distortion, of course, is where the humbuckers shine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Brian May Posted July 13, 2007 Members Share Posted July 13, 2007 Single Coils have a lovely chime to 'em on clean stuff, but can sound screechy thin (well in the bridge position at least) to the point of annoying on a dirty sound. A HSS strat is a good all round guitar IMO as you can rock out with the bridge 'bucker and still have all the snap and twang from the 2 single coils. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Ferdinandstrat Posted July 13, 2007 Members Share Posted July 13, 2007 The BB King signature guitar has 490R Alnico HB Neck and 490T Alnico HB Bridge. I thought these are ceramic pickups? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mnhhngbfs Posted July 13, 2007 Members Share Posted July 13, 2007 they're the alnico versions. hence the added "alnico" to the model names. i hated single coils until a few months ago. i had 4 or 5 electrics and every one was h-h. i sold 2 of them, traded one for a new acoustic and now i'm left with a busted ass schecter that my friend wound up breaking by sitting on it (i don't know. i wasnt in the room at the time and it sounded like a weak excuse. i don't care, i got it for free.) and my bc rich bich that has been waiting for me to rewire it for months now. the only guitars i have that aren't in a state of being repaired have single coils. to the OP invest in push pull pots and 4 wire conducter pickups. wire up the coil splits and the phase options and then tell me that humbuckers are bland. there's a ton of options with buckers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members zerkalo Posted July 13, 2007 Members Share Posted July 13, 2007 I play my Squier 51 almost exclusively at the SC position. Also, I have a GFS Dream 180 Bridge pup in my OE30 and it sounds great. So creamy, rich and full. Try that! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members metallica_00 Posted July 13, 2007 Members Share Posted July 13, 2007 I generally prefer single coils as most of my playing is clean - medium gain. I like the clarity and complexity. In most of those situations, I've found humbuckers to be too "boomy" on the low end when more delicate and refined sounds are trying to be obtained. They break up an amp earlier too because of the greater output. One spot where I do really enjoy a HB though is a nice low output bucker in the neck spot on a Tele. Sounds really sweet, best of both worlds. However, when you crank up the gain and want to rock out a bit more the thickness and sustain of a humbucker is definitely nice to have! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members FUBTAG Posted July 13, 2007 Author Members Share Posted July 13, 2007 yeah -- I know I can go the split coil route. I am just curious because of the BIG difference I find. If I go split coil, I might as well just play SC..... Both sounds have their place -- I was just wondering if there are 'articulate' HBs. Not that I want an HB to sound like a SC (or vice versa)... just an HB that has the same breath of sonic response to nuance but still an HB. eh.. I am beginning to sound like a 'brick wall' hahahahaha Thanks for all the repsonses though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 6942 Posted July 13, 2007 Members Share Posted July 13, 2007 I've played single coils and HB's for XX years.I like P-90 SC's as I find strat and tele SC's too thin sounding.I like PAF HB's as HB's with too much gain sounds muddy.I know...picky....picky....picky. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members LaXu Posted July 13, 2007 Members Share Posted July 13, 2007 yeah -- I know I can go the split coil route. I am just curious because of the BIG difference I find. If I go split coil, I might as well just play SC..... Both sounds have their place -- I was just wondering if there are 'articulate' HBs. Not that I want an HB to sound like a SC (or vice versa)... just an HB that has the same breath of sonic response to nuance but still an HB. eh.. I am beginning to sound like a 'brick wall' hahahahaha Thanks for all the repsonses though. Split humbuckers don't really sound exactly like singlecoils usually. I think it's yet another tonal option and I do like it. I think humbuckers can be very articulate and not muddy at all. Yes, they do have a thicker tone and that requires different amp settings. I usually end up cutting the bass a bit whereas I turn it up when using single coils. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members warriorpoet Posted July 13, 2007 Members Share Posted July 13, 2007 Is it possible that it was wired so that the middle position was for a split coil? Yes it is Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Alanfc Posted July 13, 2007 Members Share Posted July 13, 2007 The challenge is getting a pickup that is lively to the touch yet not shear off peoples' faces of the front row. Live & recording, a gillion times different.... either HB or SC. I'm on the hunt myself for the perfect Single coils! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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