Anyone else a single-coil convert?

[moog1000]

I've mostly run my guitars through pre-amps or digital modellers in the past, and always found that my humbuckers sound much thicker and defined than when tapped.

However, I have had an epithany!

I was running my Soldano HR50 flatout and found the buckers to be a bit muddy. Clicked on the tap and wow! So much definition and bite!

I can see how humbuckers are important if you need to drive the front end of the amp, but if don't i.e. the amps doing all the work, then it's single coils for me all the way!!

Hmmmm, I feel a poll coming on......... :burnout:

 

[xerxes]

Re: Anyone else a single-coil convert?

i like both singles and humbuckers. i have a humbucker guitar, and a single coil guitar. they each give me different sound, and i like the sounds equal....


my next guitar will be a soapbar guitar.....

 

[kevlar3000]

Re: Anyone else a single-coil convert?

I love single coils for their clarity, but for the Plexi and friends( Traynor and Carlsbro) I need a bit more oomph in the bridge. I now use low output buckers with SC still in the neck. I actually can't stand high output pickups anymore they just add too much color and my non master amps show it dramatically. I am happiest with pickups with an 8.0 wind or slightly higher . I still get all the clarity but have the added sustain. In the neck I just can't find a bucker I love, I really dig single coils.

 

[HHB]

Re: Anyone else a single-coil convert?

I prefer single coils, I like the fact that you can play more complex chords w/ overdrive and still hear every note

 

[That90'sGuy]

Re: Anyone else a single-coil convert?

I am now getting into single coils and want a Strat. I'm looking to sell my Gibson Les Paul Standard if anyone is interested.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Anyone else a single-coil convert?

HBs for me...I rarely play single coil guitars anymore - although I like the sound when outher people play them, just not when I do!

 

[some_dude]

Re: Anyone else a single-coil convert?

I like single coils. They sound so warm and thick compaired to the humbuckers I've played.

I like humbuckers. The have much more edge and sound great with high gain.

I don't really like tapped humbuckers. The sound thin and weak when compared to full humbuckers, and sound pathetic when it comes to a true single coil. That said, I sometimes use the coil tap to cut the output on my bridge and clean up my gain a little.

 

[touch]

Re: Anyone else a single-coil convert?

i'm really starting to feel the p90 sound. it seems to be a good compromise between singles and hb's.

my most recent purchase is a '73 ovation viper (with the big singles). and i was setting up a friends guitar last night, a peavey t15. they both have this cool, honky, quacking sound. plus a lot of full body and warmth.

 

[B2D]

Re: Anyone else a single-coil convert?

I'm jus beginning to really delve into humbuckers... I tend to go towards buckers with lotsa bite and clarity but round bass at the same time.

But single coils will always be an integral part of my tone, especially for clean stuff.

 

[Hot _Grits]

Re: Anyone else a single-coil convert?

I'm a single coil guy mostly, and I don't like overwound pickups, with the exception of some strat bridge pickups.

but I like humbuckers, too. I'm getting into them a bit more nowadays. Again, I stay away from overwound buckers.

As for p90s, I love them. I will definitely own a p90 guitar one of these days...

 

[Young Angus]

Re: Anyone else a single-coil convert?

I couldnt get by without humbuckers, but i love singles too, hence why i use both types.

And i love p90's just because they're cool

 

[Humphrey Bear]

Re: Anyone else a single-coil convert?

Never tried single coils or passives. All my guitars have actives humbuckers.

 

[Gamera]

Re: Anyone else a single-coil convert?

My first guitar was a Strat copy that I quickly customized for a bridge bucker. The bucker gave me more fat crunch than I could ever get with singles.

But as I grow older I still can appreciate a good, thick, overdriven crunch but I find that a good single coil can sing like no other pickup. It cuts through the mix much better than buckers, and has a rounded tone that sounds beautiful and soulful. I've heard humbuckers compared to a male voice while single coil a female voice. I don't think I could listen to a mix of just cackling, chatty, gossipy single coils forever. But a constant onslaught of testosterone heavy bucker's isn't my preference either. There's a time and a place for both.

 

[Fatty]

Re: Anyone else a single-coil convert?

Never been a fan of the Strat single coil sound, but I love the Tele bridge sound. Lately, I've been picking up my Custom P-90 equipped strat more than my C-5/'59 doublecut. I just love how the notes seem to leap off the fretboard.

 

[Stevo]

Re: Anyone else a single-coil convert?

I mostly use my Les Paul with humbuckers, but I miss the strat single coil neck tone. I am getting a phat cat for the neck position. Hopefully that will get more of a single coil vibe.

 

[Vasshu the humanoid typhoon]

Re: Anyone else a single-coil convert?

I use both, two has H-S-S configs and one H-H.

 

[Pandemonium]

Re: Anyone else a single-coil convert?

I prefer humbuckers overall.

 

[LesStrat]

Re: Anyone else a single-coil convert?

How about s/c sized HB's?

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Then again, I also play a Parker Nitefly with Dimarzio designed single-coils.

 

[Hellion]

Re: Anyone else a single-coil convert?

I like humbuckers, but there are great advantages to single coils. It's been my experience that they respond a bit better to heavy processing, but it's hard to beat the HB power.

 

[Ocifer]

Re: Anyone else a single-coil convert?

I had an HSS guitar as my first and only guitar for a while, and I still maintain it's the most versatile pickup combo I've tried. My JV strat is getting new noiseless singles and an HB in the bridge...

Both sound amazing to me, but having both just offers more versatility. I'm going to hold on to the stock tex-mex p'ups, but I think I'd like SCs even more once I got some nice aftermarket ones. Noise issues aside, single coils are very responsive and very toneful. No better or worse than humbuckers, just different.