Noiseless single coils - yay or nay?

Mr Wolf said:
Thanks all. Overall, I get the impression I'll probably be more than happy with noiseless. I'm on a waiting list for a build, then building time to factor so I will investigate more on the specific pickup models. Going with SD, the Custom Custom with a pair of Classic Stack Pluses are the current front runners.

Thanks

Jeff

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Let us know how this project turns out!
 
Mincer said:
Let us know how this project turns out!
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Will do. It won't be for a while yet though. That said, a fat necked explorer inspired shape with a trem and hss configuration should be a little bit different!

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I tried the SSL-6 and the STK-S6 (Custom Stack Plus) in the neck of the same Strat, I liked the STK-S6 better so go figure XD

Edit: I also tried the STK-S6 in the bridge position of that same guitar, a good rock Strat sound for gain for sure, not vintage sounding but guess almost nobody likes the vintage Strat bridge sound anyways, unless you are Eric Johnson and really know how to EQ and tweak.
 
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My 2 cents:
In my personal experience, in a well shielded guitar, singles don't generate excessive noise (barely, if any). So far I don't see the need for noiseless singles and I much prefer the sound of true singles.

Without shielding they are truly horrendous and I can't/won't deal with single coils.

Eg. I have experienced more noise in a (very well built) twin humbucker guitar than a really well shielded HSS with true singles.

Nevertheless I would like to try some other noiseless singles out of curiosity, eg. lace sensors

Disclaimers:
While I have gigged with (true) single coils in a few different situations, I can't claim to have endless experience in a huge variety of venues but I haven't experienced issues.

I also only have experience with the stk-s4 as far as noiseless singles go.
 
Despite advances in tech, I still hear differences between noodles and standard Single Coils. There’s nothing I love more than the tone of a tue Strat pickup at home with a good OD and a tube amp. However, I’ve transitioned to noiseless playing with others. Once the band is at volume it’s incredibly close and the lack of noise is far more important than the subtle high end and dynamics for me.
 
Like others have said, I too can hear a difference (at least in the past...I haven't tried any new stacked models and understand that some are very good), and I prefer the chime of true single coils.

But if the OP is using a Custom Custom in the bridge, using a less bright stacked single in middle and neck positions is probably the better choice...plus he gets noise cancelling in every position.
 
I have been playing several true single coil guitars lately and with a noise gate I have zero issues with hum. Low gain, shred metal, whatever, no hum and no problem. Haven't gigged them at high volume though. Is that where noiseless becomes useful?
 
i play vintage style single coils live a lot. there are some venues that have awful wiring and that is the only time i have a problem and even then i can usually manage. when playing a song with a live band, you dont hear any hum. at the end of the song, i turn my volume all the way down. i do that regardless of what guitar im playing and fucking hate when people dont do it. if your at the mic and your guitar starts randomly feeding back or notes ringing while you are talking, youre an idiot and im done listening to you. i like the duncan cs+ models for classic strat tones though there is a little difference. theres lots of good humcancelling single coil sized pups out there and ill use them in a room i know to be noisy. like the rum boogie in memphis, that huge stax sign looks cool but its so damn noisy id rather they turn it off.
 
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