HSH middle pickup selection, need advise

[R!ng0]

Guys, first post here from a long time lurker:

I am about to have my Yamaha Pacifica 611 (25.5") routed from Custom 5 / P90 to a HSH configuration because I am not happy with both of these pickups. For the neck I intend to go with a 59 and for the bridge I am torn apart between a JB or a 59/custom hybrid, tending toward the latter.

I am kind of in Limbo for some weeks about which middle single coil I should choose and this is where I really could use some help with.

The middle SC is mostly intended for clean, funky rhythm stuff, think of Nile Rodgers.
Now I know that Nile is using the neck pickup for that but I won't sacrifice the neck position just for that. All I want is to get as close to it as possible but do not expect to get there exactly.

Important for me:

• really good and "defined" attack
• clarity

Not that important (I would not mind though), i.e. sacrificable for the two more important objectives:

• overdriven sounds
• sustain
• noiselessness

I could cope with a volume drop, using a Kemper and a Kemper Remote, but ideally the output should be as high as possible in order to match the humbuckers. On the other hand, the output should not be so high that it overshadows the split humbuckers in 2nd and 4th position.

All that said, I am envisioning the SSL-6 to be the best solution:

• Higher output than the SSL-1, which otherwise would be my favorite
• less higher frequencies than e.g. a SSL-1 but since it will be put into the middle position I assume the higher frequencies to be more
• "re-emphasized" or I am off here?
  Also, my understanding is that there is only one model for all three positions, is that correct?
• I intend to go back to 9 gauge strings and the fretboard has a 13.7 radius, hence the SSL-6, not the SSL-5

Does that appear to make sense?

 

[gregory]

Re: HSH middle pickup selection, need advise

SSL-2 standard model (not RW/RP) will be fine with the pickups you mentioned. You'll have to flip the magnet in the neck pickup if you want to use the screw coil and have it hum-cancelling.

Personally, I would go with a 59/JB hybrid and consider a Stag Mag for the neck. This will give you the best split/notch tones, hands down. I would go with the SSL-1 to match the vintage stagger of the Stag Mag. I don't know which coil is North and which is South, in the Stag Mag, however. Depending which is which should determine whether you need the middle to be RW/RP, since there is no magnet to flip and I don't think you want to rotate a vintage stagger. SD used to make "The Mag" which was flat.

The Pearly Gates Neck has an amazing split sound as well.

SSL-5/6 will always be hotter/fatter/darker than the SSL-1/2 in the same location.

Another idea (since you're routing) would be to run a true single in the 2-octave spot and then a single-sized side-by-side (like a Little '59) right next to it. The singles can't have protruding flanges on the bases, however.

 

[IMENATOR]

Re: HSH middle pickup selection, need advise

Personally I always go for the true single coil in the middle to get the best clean sound possible and the best quack possible out of notch positions. I have been using the SSL-1 in the middle of my HSS guitar with a Duncan Fury neck and recently too in my HSH guitar with Distortion and Full shred. No need to buy a fancy super 5 way switch, just a normal 5 way switch and use the auto-split diagram, also no need to get the RWRP one, the regular SSL-1 is made in a way that when you split a Duncan Humbucker and use the slug coil you get noise cancellation in the notch position. Of course the SSL-2 is the flat version if you are concerned about neck radius.

Now some comments here. I can get balanced outputs from all 3 pickups in an HSH configuration using the SSL-1 if I want to but I discover that is some thing I don't want to, here is why I prefer having a lower output SC in the middle. Lower output allows me to get a nice crunch and just switch into the middle SC for a cleaner sound without any touching my pedal board. Even if you must turn off a distortion pedal or switch to your amp clean channel most of the times (at least that is how I play) you want a clean sound that is not as loud as your distorted sound.

 

[gregory]

Re: HSH middle pickup selection, need advise

A standard 5-way will auto-split just fine. You'll want to wire a 510k resistor in parallel with the middle single and use 500k volume and tone controls. Easy-peasy for the basic HSH configuration.

 

[R!ng0]

Re: HSH middle pickup selection, need advise

Thanks guys,

I guess you are right with the SLL-2 being better for my purposes than the SSL-6.

The fretboard has a 13.7 radius, am I right with the SSL-2 or should I stick to the SSL-1?

One thing I really do not understand is that you both are not recommending the RW/RP version even though that is build for exactly this purpose, why is that?

 

[gregory]

Re: HSH middle pickup selection, need advise

RW/RP is north-facing as is the slug coil of a SD humbucker. They will not be hum-cancelling when combined, unless they're run out-of-phase.

Regarding vintage stagger, not only is it dependent on fingerboard radius, it also assumes a wound G-string. There are tons of players here who use vintage stagger with a more modern neck radius and plain G-string, unwittingly or not. However, you'll get better string balance and note separation with the SSL-2.

 

[IMENATOR]

Re: HSH middle pickup selection, need advise

RW/RP is north-facing as is the slug coil of a SD humbucker. They will not be hum-cancelling when combined, unless they're run out-of-phase.

Dude, I have used the regular SSL-1 that way with the inner coils (slug coils) of Duncan hbs like the Jazz neck, JB bridge, Distortion Bridge and Full Shred neck. Notch position is hum cancelling as long as you wire the HBs for auto-split. It also works for the Duncan stacked single coils like STK-S6 and STK-S10.
I mean
Edit: What I mean about the STK-S6 and STK-S10 is that these can be either at neck or bridge wired with auto-split and use the SSL-1 in the middle and you get noise cancellation in notch positions.

 

[gregory]

Re: HSH middle pickup selection, need advise

Dude, I have used the regular SSL-1 that way with the inner coils (slug coils) of Duncan hbs like the Jazz neck, JB bridge, Distortion Bridge and Full Shred neck. Notch position is hum cancelling as long as you wire the HBs for auto-split.

Exactly. How is that different from my post that you quoted?

 

[IMENATOR]

Re: HSH middle pickup selection, need advise

They will not be hum-cancelling when combined,

This? Anyway if we agree then we agree.

 

[gregory]

Re: HSH middle pickup selection, need advise

No, not that!

Unless you flip its magnet, the slug coil of a properly-made Seymour Duncan humbucker points North. An RW/RP single coil also points North. If you combine them in phase you get hum.

How is that not clear?

 

[Clint 55]

Re: HSH middle pickup selection, need advise

Sick em Greg.

 

[gregory]

Re: HSH middle pickup selection, need advise

Grrr.

I like your new avatar, Mr. Clint.

...now I have to make a mental note to remove this post when you change it again. Lol. Not because I won't like whatever you change it to, but because it might not fit me as well.

 

[Clint 55]

Re: HSH middle pickup selection, need advise

Hehe thanks. Yeah it might be a picture of Cobain holding a power chord shape.

 

[gregory]

Re: HSH middle pickup selection, need advise

Lol. Yep.

I'd feel a little better if it were Mike McCready.

 

[eclecticsynergy]

Re: HSH middle pickup selection, need advise

I'm a fan of the SSL-1 also, for decades now. Perfect for cleaner snappier tones in the middle of an HSH. And if I were buying one today, I'd go for the flat pole SSL-2 as gregory suggested upthread.

PS: Imenator, when gregory said it wouldn't be hum cancelling with the slug coils, he was referring to the RW/RP version, not the regular one. You've probably noticed that by now but I figured I'd mention it anyway.

 

[gregory]

Re: HSH middle pickup selection, need advise

SSL-1s are cool too. The difference between them tend to be exaggerated by the zealots in either camp.

I'm more concerned that the Stag Mag is A2, but it may very well be the better magnet due to the constraints on the form factor of the coil...not that I expect the OP to choose a Stag Mag [or a 59/JB hybrid (double-screw coil?) for that matter ].

 

[elelpe]

Re: HSH middle pickup selection, need advise

Why are you not happy with C5? What do you want from bridge and also neck pickup position?

 

[Mincer]

Re: HSH middle pickup selection, need advise

I still like the STK-S4 for middle pickups...it seems to blend better with humbuckers (if you aren't doing any splitting) and they are super quiet. I love them in HSS guitars, too.