Favorite Single Coil Humbuckers

[Guitar Toad]

What is the best, most popular Single Coil sized Humbucker?
Let’s say best for all around use rock blues in the bridge position and sounds good split.
I want the impossible. A Jekyll and Hyde strat. Bluesy strat that can produce some fat blues and venture into 80’s metal territory.

I plan to accomplish this with 2 Texas Hots neck and middle with something really hot and splittable in the bridge.

If you have them, why do you use the single coil humbuckers?

 

[Guitar Toad]

Re: Favorite Single Coil Humbuckers

I'm afraid that Seymour and Evan will be very dissapointed if nobody admits to using The Seymour Duncan Single Coil sized Humbuckers.

 

[jimmy]

Re: Favorite Single Coil Humbuckers

I'm going with the cool rails, dude.

I just think they sound really, well, cool. haha.
Seriously, they sound really good clean and when they get dirty it's not half bad, like most single coils.

Hope that helps in some way.

 

[gripweed]

Re: Favorite Single Coil Humbuckers

I'm going with the cool rails, dude.

I just think they sound really, well, cool. haha.
Seriously, they sound really good clean and when they get dirty it's not half bad, like most single coils.

Hope that helps in some way.

I agree. I didn't end up using it in my Strat but I still think its a great pickup. It just didn't suit my needs. It is a great almost vintage sounding humbucker tone. It should do exactly what you want IMHO although YMMV.

 

[gripweed]

Re: Favorite Single Coil Humbuckers

I just noticed that somebody voted for the hot rails. It might be a good choice for you. I don't like it at all. I thought it sounded muddy and was much too hot for me.

I haven't tried the JB jr.but it may also be a good choice. I think it would probably be at home with blues and 80's metal.

 

[Kosh Naranek]

Re: Favorite Single Coil Humbuckers

Of the choices given, I went with the Li'l Screamin' Demon. I have one in the bridge of one of my Hamer Mirages and it sounds killer. But I also gotta put in a good word for the Dimarzio Tone Zone S. I've got those in the bridge spot in a couple of my guitars and they rock.

And for spanky, sparkly single coil tone, the Duckbuckers and Vintage Rails excel. I have those in the neck and middle spots in a couple of guitars and I love the tone they get!

 

[Guitar Toad]

Re: Favorite Single Coil Humbuckers

Thanks Kosh. What kind of stuff do you play? What do you have on the same ax with the Lil Screaming Demon?

 

[Kosh Naranek]

Re: Favorite Single Coil Humbuckers

If you have them, why do you use the single coil humbuckers?

Why? In a couple of cases, because a couple of my guitars came stock with Hot Rails, or in one case, ESP single coil size humbuckers so I got something that I could wire up the same way but sounded better.

The Vintage Rails - I have two guitars that came stock with them. They sound great so I've left them alone.

The Duckbuckers - I got them on sale at a music store super sale. I decided to replace the stock single coils in one guitar with them and I liked them so they're still there.

 

[Kosh Naranek]

Re: Favorite Single Coil Humbuckers

Thanks Kosh. What kind of stuff do you play? What do you have on the same ax with the Lil Screaming Demon?

That would be my Hamer Mirage. The stock Vintage Rails are in the middle and neck spots, and I've replaced the stock bridge Hot Rails with the Li'l Screamin' Demon. It's a much better match with the Vintage Rails, and I like the tone far more than I did the Hot Rails.

 

[flank]

Re: Favorite Single Coil Humbuckers

i had a Lil PG pickup, it was a cool pickup, but wasnt really as nice as a full bucker, and not like a single coil either.....and split it was not very strong sound. All in all, it was a nice sound, but not my type of tone

idk, i would suggest maybe lookin for a high output single that has tapping capability, unless you absolutely need the humcancelling of a humbucker

 

[Guitar Toad]

Re: Favorite Single Coil Humbuckers

I've heard that the TwangBanger has a good full sound but I haven't had the opportunity to hear one yet.

The SSL-3 looks to be the highest output single. Does it do well with distortion?
I guess that is my concern. How well does a high output single coil sound? Curly has said that the SSL3 is plenty fat.

I guess I'll show my cards a little bit here. sshh! don't tell anyone that I said this, I love the more experienced members of the forum but not sure if they like or relate or understand the 80's metal sound. How well do the generational tastes translate to my tastes? this is probably a stupid thing to even mention. :smack:

BTW, ANGUS is 50 today!

 

[flank]

Re: Favorite Single Coil Humbuckers

i think the twangbanger is pretty good for overdriven stuff, and is great for the early zeppelin type stuff........as for the heavier metal stuff, thats not my style, so i dont really know

 

[pinto79]

Re: Favorite Single Coil Humbuckers

I use a HotRails in my Kramer Classic III (It's like a Tele, with a Floyd Rose)

Because of it's rarity, I didn't want to route a HB sized hole into it like my Tele.

Also, the tone is killer....

 

[Guitar Toad]

Re: Favorite Single Coil Humbuckers

I thought that I would find more than 12 guys that use the SC sized humbuckers. Perhaps that should tell me something.

 

[Artie]

Re: Favorite Single Coil Humbuckers

Heh . . . well I have a Cool Rails in the bridge of Strat, and I like it a lot. But since its the only one I've tried, I didn't think I should make recommendations. :laugh2:

 

[Guitar Toad]

Re: Favorite Single Coil Humbuckers

Heh . . . well I have a Cool Rails in the bridge of Strat, and I like it a lot. But since its the only one I've tried, I didn't think I should make recommendations. :laugh2:

Artie, That's more experience than I have with them. Any input is valuable to me.

I need extreme home makeovers to redo my house and leave with with new guitar studio as I have seen them do. Oh, to Dream.

 

[gripweed]

Re: Favorite Single Coil Humbuckers

I thought that I would find more than 12 guys that use the SC sized humbuckers. Perhaps that should tell me something.

Apparently they are the one of the most popular Duncans.

 

[SoCalSteve]

Re: Favorite Single Coil Humbuckers

I'll bump this up 'cuz I'm interested too. I also wonder if you need to replace the pots to 500k.

 

[JoyDivision24Hours]

Re: Favorite Single Coil Humbuckers

I'll bump this up 'cuz I'm interested too. I also wonder if you need to replace the pots to 500k.

I think they are designed to work with stock 250K strat pots.

 

[Boleslaw Gers 666]

Re: Favorite Single Coil Humbuckers

I like the JB Jr's preservation of thoes execellent single coil clean sounds but with a humbucker type voice. Good for solos, too. But the hot rails is my favorite. Excellent rhythms from the bridge one, great fluffy/creamy solos from the neck one.