Do you prefer balanced pickup volumes or not?

[zionstrat]

Interesting day-

I read a blog about balancing pickup volumes this morning and had a conversation with one customer who wants balance and one who doesn't. Both are upper intermediate players.

The 'unbalanced volume' musician is a strat guy who uses the notched tones in 2 and 4 for rhythm and has a rather hot neck for leads.

The 'balanced volume' guy is a non-modified 3 position humbucker player who uses pedals, volume and amp channels for leads.

I've probably met an equal number of both over the years but got to thinking about what these customers like and I would really appreciate your thoughts- Of course everyone is different, but I've intentionally built 2 persona buckets and I would like to generalize what kind of folks tend to like balanced vs unbalanced.

Recognizing that there's really a lot of gray area and lots of us have both types of guitar, how would you describe balanced vs unbalanced players?

Here's 2 'strawman' categories- Feel free to rip them up!

1. Unbalanced volume- Tend to like master volume guitars and tend to favor more complex switching. More country, pop, rock, and alternative

2. Balanced volume- Tend to favor a volume per pup and lean on gear as well. Metal, Rock, Blues and Jazz

Appreciate your vote and it would be wonderful if you could provide some background regarding your preferences.

Much peace,
Zion / Mickey

 

[shupe13]

Do you prefer balanced pickup volumes or not?

I prefer a balanced volume no matter the guitar or pickup. I find “spikes” absolutely annoying.
My setups not only balance the volume between pickups but individual strings as well. Some setups are quick. Others... not so much.

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[Chistopher]

Re: Do you prefer balanced pickup volumes or not?

Twin humbuckers, I always balance volume and tend to have dedicated controls. Twin P90s should have be matched as well. If I have three single coils, like a Strat, I prefer having the middle a tad bit lower in output and the neck being the highest output. In Teles I like a noticeably louder bridge. On HSS guitars I like the neck to be a bit higher in output than the middle with a massive kick in the bridge, the split output should match the middle for position 2, but position 1 should be loud. HS and SH guitars I like to have matched volumes with master controls. HHH I like them to all be balanced with a master volume and dedicated tones (usually my modified version of the TBX).

As for complicated switching, I use resistors so that there is minimum volume loss with a split (except HSS as mentioned above) and the only switching I use that offers a notable output loss is when I use a series/parallel switch on HHH Strats or HH Teles.

 

[zionstrat]

Re: Do you prefer balanced pickup volumes or not?

Twin humbuckers, I always balance volume and tend to have dedicated controls. Twin P90s should have be matched as well. If I have three single coils, like a Strat, I prefer having the middle a tad bit lower in output and the neck being the highest output. In Teles I like a noticeably louder bridge. On HSS guitars I like the neck to be a bit higher in output than the middle with a massive kick in the bridge, the split output should match the middle for position 2, but position 1 should be loud. HS and SH guitars I like to have matched volumes with master controls. HHH I like them to all be balanced with a master volume and dedicated tones (usually my modified version of the TBX).

As for complicated switching, I use resistors so that there is minimum volume loss with a split (except HSS as mentioned above) and the only switching I use that offers a notable output loss is when I use a series/parallel switch on HHH Strats or HH Teles.

Wow Chris that was fast! Thanks for a great rundown.

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[zionstrat]

Re: Do you prefer balanced pickup volumes or not?

I prefer a balanced volume no matter the guitar or pickup. I find “spikes” absolutely annoying.
My setups not only balance the volume between pickups but individual strings as well. Some setups are quick. Others... not so much.

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Thanks Shupe!

And I definitely agree on balance accross the fretboard, but there can be a lot of variety as to what that balance sounds like due to the way we hear different frequencies...

Would be an interesting conversation in a different thread.

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[shupe13]

Re: Do you prefer balanced pickup volumes or not?

Thanks Shupe!

And I definitely agree on balance accross the fretboard, but there can be a lot of variety as to what that balance sounds like due to the way we hear different frequencies...

Would be an interesting conversation in a different thread.

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I normally run my guitar tone dimed. My volume at 7-8 or so, depends on pup type, output and so on. Dime the volume for solos, from there, a boost pedal for insanity. My feeling is that everything thing is in stages and the seams should be flawless.


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[JB_From_Hell]

Re: Do you prefer balanced pickup volumes or not?

I like balanced pickups. I’ll go so far as to say I prefer the pickups to sound very similar, with the inherent sounds of where it’s plalced making the difference. I’ve gotten so boring, I don’t even like varying the control setup anymore. Aside from moving the second tone on a Strat to the bridge pickup, I’m happiest with whatever is stock.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Do you prefer balanced pickup volumes or not?

Generally balanced. I don't mind a slightly quieter sound if it is interesting (like inner or outer coils on 2 humbuckers). I try to get a close approximation of most electric guitar sounds out of 1 instrument though, so there are always compromises.

 

[eclecticsynergy]

Re: Do you prefer balanced pickup volumes or not?

Varies for me. Mostly I prefer balance so there isn't a lot of change when switching between bridge and neck.

On HH guitars I like having two volumes so I can tweak the middle position, and I don't mind if the bridge is vintage output though most of mine have the modern arrangement where the bridge has a little extra meat. Or more than a little extra- I do have a number of higher output bridges paired with lighter neck buckers: JBs, a Distortion set, a Chisel, an Alnico Grande, a HolyDiver.

But I also do a lot of playing on PRSs and given a five-way or pull-split I don't really miss having a second volume too much. On these guitars I'm quite used to it.

Also pretty at home with vintage output Fenders despite the discrepancy between pickups- on an old Strat or Tele that's part of the package, and part of their charm. It just feels natural.

On HSH guitars I do like the middle single to be lighter; it gives instant cleaner tone when wanted. That was my preferred configuration during the early 80s when I didn't yet have a programmable rig and needed a wide variety of tones night after night.

 

[zionstrat]

Re: Do you prefer balanced pickup volumes or not?

... I don't mind a slightly quieter sound if it is interesting (like inner or outer coils on 2 humbuckers)...

Yeah there are always variations with coil combos and wonder if you use quieter sounds for rhythm?

 

[zionstrat]

Re: Do you prefer balanced pickup volumes or not?

...
On HSH guitars I do like the middle single to be lighter; it gives instant cleaner tone when wanted. That was my preferred configuration during the early 80s when I didn't yet have a programmable rig and needed a wide variety of tones night after night.

Great run down- Much appreciated!

And I have the same approach to HSH- Great variety.

 

[Aceman]

Re: Do you prefer balanced pickup volumes or not?

And this all just goes to show, there is no 'right way' only what works for you. I have guitars that vary.

There is a certain fairly vocal member here that espouses the importance of not only the volume but the eq and tone being perfectly aligned as if that is how everyone should, dare I say must, play.

There are a few 'general' guidelines in sound/tone/music
- The I then IV, then V chords
- Overdrive and distortion before chorus and reverb
- Slightly hotter bridge pickup

But those are only starting places to find your sound and your way. Learn the 'rules' and then do what feels good and sounds good to you.

 

[AlexR]

Re: Do you prefer balanced pickup volumes or not?

I'm generally a balanced person volume wise. Such that given practically all my pickups being vintage I have a lot of height tweaking to do.

I do however have a few guitars where the bridge is higher output.....I guess if you have a lot you can go for variety

 

[Jeff_H]

Re: Do you prefer balanced pickup volumes or not?

I'm almost exclusively a dual humbucker player, so I prefer balanced volume and a volume control for each pickup. I do have a strat set up very vintage style, but I have never really been able to gel with any strat, despite many attempts.

 

[Nagisa]

Re: Do you prefer balanced pickup volumes or not?

Gotta be balanced for me. I don't want to fiddle with the volume and switch both in the middle of a song. Also need the tone to at least be similar in character. The hyperion set was made this way which I love. I think the hss Fenders tend to also blend them well too

 

[ItsaBass]

Re: Do you prefer balanced pickup volumes or not?

Of course I would prefer similar apparent volumes from all switch positions. But I don't generally like overwound bridge pickups or underwound neck pickups ("calibrated sets") in order to acheive it. That often results in a bridge pickup that is too warm for my taste, or a neck pickup that is too thin, clattery, and well behaved. I usually like using the same wind in all positions, and just balancing the volumes as best as I can using pickup height and/or pole piece adjustments.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Do you prefer balanced pickup volumes or not?

Yeah there are always variations with coil combos and wonder if you use quieter sounds for rhythm?

I do, for cleaner sounds. I use a slight overdrive and a slapback for countryish fast picked solos, too.

 

[Benjy_26]

Re: Do you prefer balanced pickup volumes or not?

Unbalanced. I like to use the bridge position for a boost. This is either through my vintage amps or through my digital rig.

 

[zionstrat]

Re: Do you prefer balanced pickup volumes or not?

Unbalanced. I like to use the bridge position for a boost. This is either through my vintage amps or through my digital rig.

Thanks Benji. What style of music do you play?

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[Benjy_26]

Re: Do you prefer balanced pickup volumes or not?

Thanks Benji. What style of music do you play?

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Mostly old or older style rock, blues, some country, and some hair metal, just for kicks.

The guitars that are currently getting played out are a bone stock (for now) Epi Nighthawk Custom RI, a MIJ 69 Thinline Tele with a Zhangbucker set (7k uncovered tele neck, 10k tele bridge), an Epi Sheraton (TV Jones TV'Tron and Classic Plus), an Epi Alleykat (SM-1n/Screamin Demon), and an old 70's strat body with a 90's Am Std neck loaded with an EMG DG-20 pickguard. I also occasionally pull out an '81 Hamer Special loaded with an Antiguity in the neck and a S Deco V in the bridge, but that guitar is getting old and I get antsy about people touching it.

My amps are a Rivera R100 Duo Twelve or a 67 Bassman head through a Marshall JCM 2x12 cab loaded with a 12L/V30 combo or a GT-8 modeling rig through a Crate Powerblock power amp. For practice, I'll run the GT8 through a SWR Strawberry Blonde or I'll replace the Bassman head with a 2w Vox Mini Night Train through the Marshall cab.