Best single-coil sized humbucker for coil tap?

[scarabunga]

Hi everyone,

Newbie here, just thinking of souping up my maple-necked Strat. Like everyone else, I want to have my cake and eat it, keeping all my existing tones and adding a humbucker as well. I know this isn't possible, but in your opinions, which single-coil sized humbucker gives the most impressive sound when split/ coil tapped?

Cheers!

 

[Jester700]

Re: Best single-coil sized humbucker for coil tap?

Don't do it. You may get passable sound with combo positions, but IMO the single split pickup won't sound very stratty. Of course, if you're DYING for a bucker sound and refuse to mod your strat, have at it. You can always pull it if you don't like it.

If you want splitability, the hotter the better - a JB jr. or mega-kick-your-ass-rails type.

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Best single-coil sized humbucker for coil tap?

The best might be the new Stack Plus. If you split it, you get the top coil only and from what Evan told us at NAMM, the top coil is basically a normal vintage style Strat pickup. I'd go for one of those. Best Noiseless Strat pickup I've ever used and split its supposed to sound just like a stock Strat pickup, hum and all! Lew

 

[Jester700]

Re: Best single-coil sized humbucker for coil tap?

Lew's right if by "adding a humbucking" you mean get rid of noise. But if you mean "add a bridge humbucker sound" (which is what I thought you meant), the stack won't do that.