I am scared of single coil strats.....

[That90'sGuy]

Re: I am scared of single coil strats.....

I can't get along with humbuckers now that I'm used to different pickups. I find my favorite tones are the ones that are a bit "odd" from standard singles, stuff like the DeArmond 2ks (original Gretsch tone before Filtertrons) and Gibson P90s. Still, throw me in a music store and I'm perfectly happy with a Telecaster.

Some people like having a lot of different options, for me it drives me nuts because I find I'm more creative when I have to work with less options (try to figure that out :laugh2: ). Still, I need atleast 2 pickups in order to get the 3 basic sounds I look for (rhythm, cleans, warm smooth tone for solos)

What I look for in singles is balance, clarity, output. I typically like Teles because they have more "balls" than Strats and the pickups reflect that. They are a simple, workingmans guitar that is a clean slate and with only a volume and tone, you have less to mess with. I get jangle (which you'll never come close to with humbuckers) and there's just more depth to the tone.

 

[jony]

Re: I am scared of single coil strats.....

Yes... I use a SSL-3 too. Am not seeing the need for a hum anymore. Its got a good mid push to it.

 

[Mincer]

Re: I am scared of single coil strats.....

if ya don't like SCs then don't use em, there is no law that says you need to use em, and chances are, none of us will get called by our heroes to go jam anytime soon. i used my strat for almost 20 years, and then i got tired of the sound. now i can't see me using anything but HBs- and i can play all night just on the neck HB. i dont care if i cant get a true strat sound, it just isnt my thing right now, anyway. its ok!
the way i see it, if there are any doubts about a gear purchase, don't do it.

 

[HamerPlyr]

Re: I am scared of single coil strats.....

My numero uno is three singles- well, kinda. Three classic stacks. It was just the hum that I didn't like, the tone of the Alnico 2 stag mag set that was in their before was fine. If I may ask, are you trying to make this your number one? That may be a lot to ask.

I think that for some, strat tone is an acquired taste. For me, once I got past the idea that more output is always better, I was hooked. Don't get me wrong, I love a great humbucker as much as the next guy, but the single coil tone, to me, is much more capable of a wide range of tone and expression. Grits touched on it, and he's right. You will definitely find that your technique will change a bit to accentuate the positives of the p'ups, but it's a good thing, IMO. Without a gob of gain to make up for inadequacies in right hand technique, your technique will get better. That carries over and generally makes you that much better on humbuckers, too. Or it seems that it has for me, anyway.
^
That was basically a stream of consciousness. I hope that some of it makes sense and helps.

 

[Mincer]

Re: I am scared of single coil strats.....

Without a gob of gain to make up for inadequacies in right hand technique, your technique will get better. That carries over and generally makes you that much better on humbuckers, too. Or it seems that it has for me, anyway.
.

I don't know about that- there are too many circumstances of players with insane technique using humbuckers without gobs of gain- Steve Morse, Al DiMeola, John McLaughlin, Allan Holdsworth- I think if a guitar makes you want to play (feel, sound, etc) then you will get better, but equating a certain pickup with skill level is not quite right.
What I think we *can* say is that SC players tend to dig in a little more, bend strings more, and go for more of a classic style of guitar playing- there are exceptions, like Ritchie Blackmore, but for the most part, they are not just after the sound of the SC, but the whole 'vibe' of Strat & Tele playing. They generally won't use gobs of gain, and love vintage-type tube amps. It is a great setup, but if it isn't your thing, just don't use it.

 

[Guitar Toad]

Re: I am scared of single coil strats.....

I play SC's with gobs of gain and I like 'em like that.

 

[theodie]

Re: I am scared of single coil strats.....

RGN, I was and mostly still am a bucker guy. I jammed with Brisk and heard his Antiquity Surfer equiped Strat and it was almost like a breath of fresh air! It was slightly converted when I heard him play it and when I played it also!

Yes, it is kind of bright but, it has some serious MOJO and personality to it!!!!

 

[HamerPlyr]

Re: I am scared of single coil strats.....

I should have known that I was gonna piss off some of the humbucker guys. That wasn't my intent. That's why I pointed out that I was speaking for myself and of my own experience.

 

[Mincer]

Re: I am scared of single coil strats.....

oh no, im not mad, and didnt take it personally at all.

 

[stevie_bees]

Re: I am scared of single coil strats.....

Twangbang it! I thought I couldn't do without a bridge bucker, the fitting the Twangbanger was a revelation. Nice and fat but still a single.

 

[SDTONE]

Re: I am scared of single coil strats.....

Mmm.... with 3S...your hand, left and right have to work harder.

 

[Curly]

Re: I am scared of single coil strats.....

I could never stand the bridge tone on a vintage strat with vintage wiring, because they sounded thin and bright, with no tone control.

Seymour addressed that with calibrated sets for the SSLs, APSs, etc, and beefed up the bridge pickup even more on the Antiquity set.

Fender now uses a little hotter bridge pickup on their US strats (about 7K?), and wires the second tone knob to mid & bridge pickups.

those two things - a little hotter wind and tone control on the bridge - improve the bridge tone on strats.

 

[jayK]

Re: I am scared of single coil strats.....

I'm going through this exact thought process myself.

Right now, I'm gassing for the Squire thinline tele (has two buckers) or a S/S/S strat, can't afford to get both, but can't make a decision either.

The only true single coil I have is a tele, which I love, but I have a standard strat with a bucker in it which sounds awesome. I know when push comes to shove I prefer buckers, but I'd like to add a classic single coil strat.

The thing that has held me back somewhat is the fact that the fat strat still retains much of the authentic strat tone even with the bucker. So when I start doing the equation in my head I always end up buying more guitars with buckers.

BTW, somebody wrote that you cant get "jangle" with buckers. Go try a '51, you can get all the "jangle" you want. Also, the '51 in coil split mode will give you a true single coil sound which falls somewhere between a strat & a tele, closer to a tele but not quite as much "spank". That may be a good compromise guitar for you to consider.

 

[chcjunior]

Re: I am scared of single coil strats.....

Single coils and Mesa Boogie.....I love some of the tones others can get from either of these items, but I hate to be part of either one myself. Just doesn't work for me.

 

[Kelsey]

Re: I am scared of single coil strats.....

My favorite bridge pickup is a good Tele lead SC, but I seem to struggle constantly with Strat bridge SCs. I have a Twangbanger in one Strat (with SSL-1 neck and middle), and that works fine. I have Fender SCN pickups in another Strat, and they are a bit warmer and darker than true SCs, but close enough for me. The SCN bridge pickup is one of the best I've heard yet in a Strat.

Now I'm really struggling with the pickups in my Texas Special Strat. I love the guitar's neck and body, but I wasn't too keen on the stock pickups (only the middle was worth keeping). I put in Antiquity I Texas Hot neck and Custom bridge pickups, and although they are an improvement, I still can't seem to get along with them. Since I have 5 Teles I love, I don't see the need for a second Strat with a Twangbanger in the bridge slot, as that still falls short of the ballsy Tele tone I love. So, now I'm thinking about a Lil 59 or full-size PAF for the bridge and either a good SC or Lil 59 for the neck, perhaps with nothing in the middle slot.

In the end, it's not so much about HB vs. SC as it is about what tone works for you. For me, it's Tele, then HB's, then Strats bringing up the rear.

 

[Robbiedbee]

Re: I am scared of single coil strats.....

While Tele bridges are more 'ballsy' than Strats, they have a tone that just disagrees with me. It's just that bit too, hmm, can't really explain it. A Tele bridge beats a Strat bridge pup though.

Stick a humbucker in the Strat though, and it's like, woah, versatility. I think humbuckers work better with me because I like a beefy sound for metal riffs and stuff, but to another individual, it may be different.

 

[CharlieNC]

Re: I am scared of single coil strats.....

I don't know about that- there are too many circumstances of players with insane technique using humbuckers without gobs of gain- Steve Morse, Al DiMeola, John McLaughlin, Allan Holdsworth- I think if a guitar makes you want to play (feel, sound, etc) then you will get better, but equating a certain pickup with skill level is not quite right.
What I think we *can* say is that SC players tend to dig in a little more, bend strings more, and go for more of a classic style of guitar playing- there are exceptions, like Ritchie Blackmore, but for the most part, they are not just after the sound of the SC, but the whole 'vibe' of Strat & Tele playing. They generally won't use gobs of gain, and love vintage-type tube amps. It is a great setup, but if it isn't your thing, just don't use it.

true true true but...

it's not like those guys learned all that technique by cranking up their distortion to make themselves play faster. i think a strat is more difficult to play. that doesn't make strat players better guitarist per se, but it does tend to make allowance for the fact that it is easier for a strat player to transition between his guitar and a les paul, rather than a straight les paul guy trying to pick up a fender and burn it up. but then there are guys who practice technique on an acoustic and they can play any electric!!! but i agree in general. some people should just not try to play strats. but if you are wanting to build up some guitar muscles, pickup a strat and learn to make it sing, then take your les paul to the gigs. besides, everybody needs at least one strat.

 

[dgk2448]

Re: I am scared of single coil strats.....

why not get a tele? still has clarity like a strat, but more balls.......i'd use my tele for anything

and somebody else posted about p90's.

there is a tele with a single coil bridge and a p90 neck, an aerodyne telecaster

LINK---------------->http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/g=home/search/detail/base_pid/511990/


could be what youre lookin for

 

[RGN]

Re: I am scared of single coil strats.....

What does everyone think of this bad boy??? I have never seen a strat with a painted neck before. Strange but kinda cool....

 

[marvar]

Re: I am scared of single coil strats.....

I'm not scared of single coils or strats- I just don't like either!
I do have a cheap Squire 51 tuned to open G that I use for 4 songs, but the first thing I did was replace the neck sc with a little 59 for strat (stacked humbucker) and that did the trick!