SSS vs. HSS vs. HSH vs. SSH vs. HH vs. HS vs. SH

G

Geza

New member
SS vs. SSS vs. HSS vs. HSH vs. SSH vs. HH vs. HS vs. SH

I am trying to see the "whole picture" of all these pickup combo arrangements besides the obvious one: preference. Can someone point me to such web links where this subject has already been exhausted?

I am mainly curious about advantages and disadvantages of different pickup combos, including advantage of 3 pickups vs. two.

Geza
 
Re: SSS vs. HSS vs. HSH vs. SSH vs. HH vs. HS vs. SH

In a nutshell:

Advantage of More + different types of pickups = more versatility.

Disadvantages of more pickups:

some people "Hit " middle PUs when picking
more string pull

but essentially it still boils down to personal preference.

BTW, you forgot "H", very common among 80´s fetischists and other hard rockers ;)
 
Re: SSS vs. HSS vs. HSH vs. SSH vs. HH vs. HS vs. SH

Also forgot S.

For some reason a Semi-Hollow explorer with 1 angled single coil sounds so cool to me, or a simple strat.
 
Re: SSS vs. HSS vs. HSH vs. SSH vs. HH vs. HS vs. SH

Mllerrin said:
Also forgot S.

For some reason a Semi-Hollow explorer with 1 angled single coil sounds so cool to me, or a simple strat.
Click to expand...

Don't forget the mighty Esquire!
 
Re: SSS vs. HSS vs. HSH vs. SSH vs. HH vs. HS vs. SH

Geza said:
SS vs. SSS vs. HSS vs. HSH vs. SSH vs. HH vs. HS vs. SH

I am trying to see the "whole picture" of all these pickup combo arrangements besides the obvious one: preference. Can someone point me to such web links where this subject has already been exhausted?

I am mainly curious about advantages and disadvantages of different pickup combos, including advantage of 3 pickups vs. two.

Geza
Click to expand...

Generally, more pickups equates to more tonal options. The further from the bridge a pickup is, the more it will emphasize bass and cut treble. There are also harmonics and overtones that a pickup will be able to get depending on where it is. Having a single pickup with a tone control is not the same thing - a tone control can only cut frequencies from what the pickup hears, and what a pickup hears is mostly dictated by where it is in relation to the string.

Most of the reasons for having fewer pickups relate to a desire to have a simpler guitar. Extra pickups can get in the way of the pick (although I think this has more to do with being a sloppy picker than the pickup's location), and can cause magnetic pull on the string. If you aren't going to use the other pickups, they may as well not be there.

Then there are the differences between humbuckers and singles, and the various combinations thereof. There is already plenty of info on this board about those topics.

It's all preference, of course. I'm just explaining WHY people's preferences are what they are.
 
Re: SSS vs. HSS vs. HSH vs. SSH vs. HH vs. HS vs. SH

I like HH setups a lot. Very versatile without being cluttered. I almost never use the middle S on an SSS or SSH, but the notch positions are some of my favorite tones. I personally wouldn't be too interested in a HSH or bridge only axe.

Mike
 
Re: SSS vs. HSS vs. HSH vs. SSH vs. HH vs. HS vs. SH

You also forgot HHS like the deftones ESP guitar.

I like H/S the most by far. It's simple enough and balanced. I love it.
 
Re: SSS vs. HSS vs. HSH vs. SSH vs. HH vs. HS vs. SH

And there's also HHX which is bridge and middle buckers with no neck pickup, see the Kramer Nightswans. ;)
 
Re: SSS vs. HSS vs. HSH vs. SSH vs. HH vs. HS vs. SH

HH config with two push/pull DPDT switches for split coils on both pickups is the best option, IMO.
 
Re: SSS vs. HSS vs. HSH vs. SSH vs. HH vs. HS vs. SH

ErikH said:
And there's also HHX which is bridge and middle buckers with no neck pickup, see the Kramer Nightswans. ;)
Click to expand...

Ibanez had an '86 roadstar with that and an edge trem. It was AWESOME!
 
Re: SSS vs. HSS vs. HSH vs. SSH vs. HH vs. HS vs. SH

waylay00 said:
HH config with two push/pull DPDT switches for split coils on both pickups is the best option, IMO.
Click to expand...


hh.jpg


And which coil combinations would you choose out of all possible options (A through N) ?

Geza
 
Re: SSS vs. HSS vs. HSH vs. SSH vs. HH vs. HS vs. SH

A pair of good humbuckers like a '59N/Custom bridge combination, along with coil taps for both should be quite versatile for most styles. I prefer a humbucker of some sort in the bridge, anything else sounds thin to my ears, but a single coil in the neck or a clear humbucker is great.
 
Re: SSS vs. HSS vs. HSH vs. SSH vs. HH vs. HS vs. SH

To me, H-S-H is the most versatile pickup config, and is the closest you can come to being a true splice of a Strat and a Les Paul...provided you put a coil-tap in there.

Don't get me wrong, Strat purists wouldn't really be satisfied with coil-tap approximations of single-coil tone, but for those of us that are prepared to settle for a decent approximation, it's pretty good.

I guess the other similar alternative is something like the Clapton Strat with 3 single coils and a switchable mid-boost (to get the humbucker sounds).
 
Re: SSS vs. HSS vs. HSH vs. SSH vs. HH vs. HS vs. SH

waylay00 said:
HH config with two push/pull DPDT switches for split coils on both pickups is the best option, IMO.
Click to expand...


Funny you guys mention this because I have been debating about purchasing an HH Strat. I like the tones that I can get out of a standard SSS Strat but constantly catch the middle pickup while picking or doing harmonics. Anybody have any thoughts on the HH American Strats?
 
Re: SSS vs. HSS vs. HSH vs. SSH vs. HH vs. HS vs. SH

I generally prefer HSH config on guitars meant for versatility.
 
Re: SSS vs. HSS vs. HSH vs. SSH vs. HH vs. HS vs. SH

I've always liked a humbucker in the bridge and just a single coil in the neck. great tones! But my current setup is H H. Also very nice.
 
Re: SSS vs. HSS vs. HSH vs. SSH vs. HH vs. HS vs. SH

HSH or SSS all the way IMO.

Or depending on your needs a humbucker in the bridge and a single in the middle will actually handel just about anything.
 
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