Single Coils in the Bridge... Why?

[Kelsey]

Re: Single Coils in the Bridge... Why?

I love good bridge SCs in Strats and Teles. I used to think it should be overwound like the Antiquity Custom bridge pickups or the Twangbanger, but then I picked up 2 different Fender CS relic Strats (Wildwood 10 50s and Time Machine 60). The standard 5.6 to 6.4 K bridge pickups sound great in these two Strats, as do the Antiquity I flatpole Tele lead pickups I have in a pair of American Series Teles. The standard output SCs provide a great, clear and chimey rhythm tone that is missing to some degree from overwound SCs. However, when I use them with a good thick OD (BB Preamp) or booster (LPB-clone), I get plenty of balls and thick crunch from them. I usually wire the bottom tone control to the bridge as well for versatility.

 

[drew_half_empty]

Re: Single Coils in the Bridge... Why?

i think they do that on the jimmy vaughan strat

it helps a lot

 

[Guitar Toad]

Re: Single Coils in the Bridge... Why?

i think they do that on the jimmy vaughan strat

it helps a lot

Yes, tone controls for neck and bridge pups.

 

[Bludave]

Re: Single Coils in the Bridge... Why?

SRV, JIMI HENDRIX, ERIC CLAPTON, MARK KNOPFLER. Just to name a few guys who use the bridge pickup in a variety of ways. SRV and Jimi in particular!

 

[tubeman87]

Re: Single Coils in the Bridge... Why?

preference....that's what it comes to, I happen to love/hate single coils in the bridge, love: great feel when overdriven, and a wah....good stuff. hate: sounds thin, even my 69' fender pups. I think a mini humbucker in a bridge pos for a strat would be great IMO.

 

[Lake Placid Blues]

Re: Single Coils in the Bridge... Why?

My best blues jam strat is SSS. The bridge SC is a wee bit hotter wound, and I have a tone control on it. I really don't find it weak or thin at all. It's very usefull by it's self, and gives a great unconventional (these days) lead tone.

True single coils traditional strats have their place, and strats with bridge HBer's also have their place. Everybody, should have at least one of each, ......plus a trem and hardtail versions of each, plus versions with maple necks, and versions with rosewood fretboards...and...plus...

 

[spuds]

Re: Single Coils in the Bridge... Why?

What do you guys think of the Duncan Custom Staggered? I was thinking of trying that out.

 

[midnite_man]

Re: Single Coils in the Bridge... Why?

kidding me?

I'm not one for strats... but I like bridge single coils. Clarity, surfy tones... I don't see how people get along in a guitar without using the bridge pickup :laugh2: I use neck/bridge about equally.

I use all my strat pups pretty much equally, but for s.c. bridge I really like the SSL-4 and the Antiquity Texas Hot. Great for leads, great for rock n' roll rhythm....not to mention combining it with other pickups for more tone and by using a tone-blender pot in place of one of the tone-pots. Very versatile.

just my $.02

 

[DracoAran]

Re: Single Coils in the Bridge... Why?

Yeah, for an SSS strat, some of the best and almost standard-worthy mods are the No Load blend pot for bridge + neck, a No Load master tone pot (in case you want to take it out if the circuit at any point), a treble bleed cap/resistor, and sometimes a Base Plate if needed.

I've found series and phase mods to be downright useless, but that's just me.

Another tone saviour is a heavy steel tremolo block.

 

[TimmyPage]

Re: Single Coils in the Bridge... Why?

I don't own a single coil guitar.. yet.. but I find in stores, that they excel at rhythm playing. They have a.. quack.. I don't even know. It's totally awesome through a Vox though. Im horrible at describing it.. but I love the sound for rhythm playing, bright, clear, clean, clicky.

 

[Jeff_H]

Re: Single Coils in the Bridge... Why?

Yes, tone controls for neck and bridge pups.

All you have to do to get tone control for the bridge AND middle is run a jumper wire from the lug where the middle tone control is to the next unused lug on your 5 way. It works great.

 

[danglybanger]

Re: Single Coils in the Bridge... Why?

more knobs can solve any problem

 

[ImmortalSix]

Re: Single Coils in the Bridge... Why?

 

[spuds]

Re: Single Coils in the Bridge... Why?

Well, I'm follwing Guitar Toad's advice to get a Texas Hot Custom Bridge. I'm sure that would fix the problem. I was this close to just getting a SC sized HB, and I'm glad I'm doing something different this time.

 

[davedvdy]

Re: Single Coils in the Bridge... Why?

I don't own a single coil guitar.. yet.. but I find in stores, that they excel at rhythm playing. They have a.. quack.. I don't even know. It's totally awesome through a Vox though. Im horrible at describing it.. but I love the sound for rhythm playing, bright, clear, clean, clicky.

I think you described it well. They have an open clarity that is distinct from that of a humbucker, and in notch positions, a classic strat should have good "chime" and "quack". They don't sterile to my ears clean...w/the right amount of reverb, a Stratocaster clean sounds the best, IMHO.


Scott Henderson, I have always seem using a SSS (Suhr) Stratocaster, using a bridge single pup as well. I know he uses other things, but that seems to be his main set up.

 

[Baltar]

Re: Single Coils in the Bridge... Why?

this thread makes me think, if i want to try my neck lil'59 in the bridge

 

[danglybanger]

Re: Single Coils in the Bridge... Why?

to my ears the chime, quack, or percussiveness of a single coil makes it more suited to high gain.

A distorted single coil has a great, stinging, defined sound... I dealt with humbuckers for too long before I reallized they just couldn't get the clarity of a single coil. I love the percussiveness. And on Jags and teles, I love the twang. (and I think that twang especially suits distortion)

I don't see why people like humbuckers at high gain. Except for uhh. bucking the uhh. hum.

 

[Vasshu the humanoid typhoon]

Re: Single Coils in the Bridge... Why?

Hehe I love singles....nothing else has that bite and great lowend!

 

[Kommerzbassist]

Re: Single Coils in the Bridge... Why?

If it's too right get something like an A2 Twangbanger or Texas Hot...

 

[danglybanger]

Re: Single Coils in the Bridge... Why?

...A2 singles are almost not bright enough IMO :laugh2:

god. I really want to see what the settings on some of your amps are, heh