Yet another single-sized humbucker recommendation request

[scotofil]

First topic, so please be gentle and constructive! I have already read through the single-sized topics here, but I believe none of them were chasing tones which I am after.

The short question is this: which single-sized humbucker would get me closest to the SH-5 bridge sound and what would be its best single-sized, (ideally noiseless P90ish, but more realistically) modern, but warm humbucker companion at the neck?

The longer story:

I intend to misuse a Yamaha SC 600, an alder wing/body, maple-mahogany-maple neck-through, SSS guitar, by modding it reversibly to a modern rock/metal rhythm-oriented HH setup. The stock guitar is kind of a beefed up, less spanky strat thing, and tone-wise I wish to go with it towards heavier, but creamier, “thickly woven” territory, without scooping.

Were I to fully bastardize it, I would route it to fit a Gristle-Tone P90 to the neck and a KSE Fluence to the bridge (using its passive voice 2 as homebase), but for the sake of reversibility, SC-sized humbuckers would be used. It is clearly not the smartest idea, but I simply cannot help my attraction to that shape, even to the point that I am happy to make tonal compromises (at least initially, I might go all-in with routing etc. eventually).

Although my mainstay is thick distortion, the chosen pickups would see significant clean, and some crunch use as well, which made me exclude e.g. the Hot Rails and the Super Distortion S (I am a bit puzzled about the Strat blackouts, but since their description on the SD site advertises them more like noiseless super loud strat pickups, I did not consider them either); I can be convinced though.

I have a TB-5 in a ’00 basswood RG, which (with some minor tweaks) does the job for me for heavy, but barely down-tuned (typically Eb standard/Drop Db) rock & metal played through Orange Rockerverb, and boosted Bogner Shiva simulations with P50E IRs (the least bad reference I could come up with would be Burning Bright's Domesday, minus the down-tuning), so I was hoping I could get reasonably close to at least that with some SC-sized humbuckers. So far the JB Jr seems like the safest bet, but hopefully you have some additional hints for me.

The trickier part is the neck. I am aware of the Kinman Big-Nine-O, which costs a fortune on its own, and getting it to central Europe would do so too (and according to some self-acclaimed owners on the interwebs, its tone has not a lot to do with a P90). I see that SD CS has the Stra-Bro 90, but that is not noiseless. So to be more realistic, I would be looking for some SC-sized humbucker with a rather warm, but not muffled and muddy tone that has also top end (and thus the Lil' 59 is out as well). Again, according to the interwebs, the Lil’ Screamin Demon neck is more of a misnomer, and would fit this job, and perhaps even the JB Jr neck or perhaps a JB Jr bridge dropped down for some level difference could be a good choice, but again, I am here for your opinions.

Switching would be 3 way blade (N-NB-B) + 1 volume + 1 killswitch, and coil split is nice to have at best.

One last remark: I am fully aware of where I am posting this, yet, I would be absolutely happy also for non-SD recommendations (today I am at 3 SD from a total of 7 actively used pickups).

Thanks a lot in advance!

[Mikelamury]

First topic here, so please be gentle and constructive! I have already read through the single-sized topics here, but I believe none of them were chasing tones which I am after.

The short question is this: which single-sized humbucker would get me closest to the SH-5 bridge sound and what would be its best single-sized, (ideally noiseless P90ish, but more realistically) modern, but warm humbucker pair?

The longer story:

I intend to misuse a Yamaha SC 600, an alder wing/body, maple-mahogany-maple neck-through, SSS guitar, by modding it reversibly to a modern rock/metal rhythm-oriented HH setup. The stock guitar is kind of a beefed up, less spanky strat thing, and tone-wise I wish to go with it towards heavier, but creamier, “thickly woven” territory, without scooping.

Were I to fully bastardize it, I would route it to fit a Gristle-Tone P90 to the neck and a KSE Fluence to the bridge (using its passive voice 2 as homebase), but for the sake of reversibility, SC-sized humbuckers would be used. It is clearly not the smartest idea, but I simply cannot help my attraction to that shape, even to the point that I am happy to make tonal compromises (at least initially, I might go all-in with routing etc. eventually).

Although my mainstay is thick distortion, the chosen pickups would see significant clean, and some crunch use as well, which made me exclude e.g. the Hot Rails and the Super Distortion S (I am a bit puzzled about the Strat blackouts, but since their description on the SD site advertises them more like noiseless super loud strat pickups, I did not consider them either); I can be convinced though.

I have a TB-5 in a ’00 basswood RG, which (with some minor tweaks) does the job for me for heavy, but barely down-tuned (typically Eb standard/Drop Db) rock & metal played through Orange Rockerverb, and boosted Bogner Shiva simulations with P50E IRs (the least bad reference I could come up with would be Burning Bright's Domesday, minus the down-tuning), so I was hoping I could get reasonably close to at least that with some SC-sized humbuckers. So far the JB Jr seems like the safest bet, but hopefully you have some additional hints for me.

The trickier part is the neck. I am aware of the Kinman Big-Nine-O, which costs a fortune on its own, and getting it to central Europe would do so too (and according to some self-acclaimed owners on the interwebs, its tone has not a lot to do with a P90). I see that SD CS has the Stra-Bro 90, but that is not noiseless. So to be more realistic, I would be looking for some SC-sized humbucker with a rather warm, but not muffled and muddy tone that has also top end (and thus the Lil' 59 is out as well). Again, according to the interwebs, the Lil’ Screamin Demon neck is more of a misnomer, and would fit this job, and perhaps even the JB Jr neck or perhaps a JB Jr bridge dropped down for some level difference could be a good choice, but again, I am here for your opinions.

Switching would be 3 way blade (N-NB-B) + 1 volume + 1 killswitch, and coil split is nice to have at best.

One last remark: I am fully aware of where I am posting this, yet, I would be absolutely happy also for non-SD recommendations (today I am at 3 SD from a total of 7 actively used pickups).

Thanks a lot in advance!

The only SC Sized HBs I've tried are DiMarzio and the super distortion S that you mentioned is actually pretty good at clean tones IMO. I know it's mainly a dirty pickup and it's not as good as a pickup that's made to be played clean but I was surprised how well it gets along with clean tones in my ska verses.

[ArtieToo]

Start with Cool Rails. They have "spank" that full-size humbuckers can't do. They have "punch" that single coils can't do. IMHO, they're the best of both worlds. At worst, a good starting point to try alternate pups.

[Mincer]

Start with Cool Rails. They have "spank" that full-size humbuckers can't do. They have "punch" that single coils can't do. IMHO, they're the best of both worlds. At worst, a good starting point to try alternate pups.

For clean, clear humbuckers, the Cool Rails is about the best out there.

[scotofil]

Would you consider the Cool Rails for the neck?
If so, do you have a contestant for the bridge?
Also, how does the Cool Rails cope with high gain distortion?

[ArtieToo]

Would you consider the Cool Rails for the neck?
If so, do you have a contestant for the bridge?
Also, how does the Cool Rails cope with high gain distortion?

I'm doing a project this week of a Cool Rails in the neck and bridge of an Epiphone S-210 "Strat", with a Vintage Rails in the middle. She'll sound sweet.

I'm not sure about the "high gain" part. I generally play clean, but I don't see why it wouldn't work.

[Mincer]

Cool Rails pretty much acts like a Jazz humbucker, in that it makes pretty clear, open distortion sound. It isn't warm, but that isn't what you buy it for. If you are looking for something warmer and thicker, that would be the Hot Rails neck.

[jeremy]

i dont know of any single coil size bucker that sounds like a sh5 custom. for what you are looking for i think a lil 59 or lil demon neck with a jbjr bridge is a good place to start.

[scotofil]

OK, so to the neck, we seem to be converging to Hot Rails and Lil' Screamin Demon.

Any obvious options to the bridge which have not been mentioned yet?
I will certainly reconsider a Hot Rails pair, and the JB Jr is still in.

I will have another round with the Super Distoration S; for that, what would be a good choice to the neck from the DMZ portfolio?
According to their site, either the Pro Track or The Chopper would be the way to go, but the former's description ("Treble response on the Pro Track™ is smoother than that of typical vintage humbuckers.") makes me concerned about mud and muffle, and that of the latter ("a cross between a single-coil and a full-size humbucker, with more body than the single and more clarity than the HB") makes me concerned whether it will have enough body. I mean, I obviously would need to make compromises here, yet, it would be nice to know some first-hand experience.

[maug2122]

For a bridge stacked humbucker ; SD Hot Rails, Dimarzio Fast Track 2, GFS Lil Killer ( 15k ohms version) or a Over Wound Bill Lawrence L-250 .
Neck wise ; SD Cool Rail, Dragonfire Duo Rail, Dimarzio Chopper, Bill Lawrence L-250.....