stacked humbucker right next to single coil

[JohnSherry]

Right now I have a SD Jazz pickup in the neck position of my strat style guitar and it sounds great. When I split the coil it sounds okay but not nearly as good a real single coil. It's thinner and brighter. I'm wondering: 1. Can I get the Jazz as a stacked pickup...I couldn't find it on the website. 2. If I could, would there be noise issues or other issues with putting a real single coil (like a Texas Special) right next to a stacked humbucker? Also, is there a stacked JB available? Do the stacked humbuckers match up to the standard humbuckers as far as sound and output?

 

[robrob2]

Re: stacked humbucker right next to single coil

I can't help you with # 1, but you wouldn't have any problems putting a stacked pickup next to a single coil. You even have the option of splitting the stacked humbucker so it's upper coil is active and pairing it up with the single coil to get hum canceling (electrical and magnetic phase must be correct to get hum canceling though). A stacked humbucker's output is lower than a comparable standard humbucker because the lower coil in a stacked pickup doesn't sense much string movement. It's purpose is to provide hum cancellation.

 

[Little Pigbacon]

Re: stacked humbucker right next to single coil

If you want the sound of a full humbucker in a singe-coil size, some of the Duncans are available as side-by-side "Jr." or "L'il" versions that fit single-coil spaces but have the two humbucking coils next to each other instead of stacked. I have not tried any of these, but some others have said the sound is close but not identical to the full-size versions.

Most stacks are not intended to sound like full humbuckers, and indeed the physics is really against that anyway due to the coil and magnet geometry. The goal of a stack is generally a hum-cancelling single-coil.

Then there are "rails", which are kind of their own thing. I have Hot Rails neck & middle in a Jackson Soloist and love them.

 

[AlexR]

Re: stacked humbucker right next to single coil

Yep, there are various 'laws' of pickups.

A full size PAF strength pickup doesn't sound like a singlecoil split
A humbucker that does split to a more-or-less singlecoil tone is hotter than hell in series mode
Stacks are designed for hum cancelling, not pure singlecoil tone.
Singlecoil sized humbuckers don't sound like full sized ones.

You have to pick your poison

 

[JohnSherry]

Re: stacked humbucker right next to single coil

Yep, there are various 'laws' of pickups.

A full size PAF strength pickup doesn't sound like a singlecoil split
A humbucker that does split to a more-or-less singlecoil tone is hotter than hell in series mode
Stacks are designed for hum cancelling, not pure singlecoil tone.
Singlecoil sized humbuckers don't sound like full sized ones.

You have to pick your poison

Thanks for the responses. I get it. There are only so many "authentic" tones you can get in one guitar. I appreciate the insights, guys.