The 'woman tone' and SC's versus HB's

Re: The 'woman tone' and SC's versus HB's

I’ve never thought this “woman tone” was all that good to begin with.
 
Re: The 'woman tone' and SC's versus HB's

that's what I was getting at..I think at some point I'll replace the front HB on my SG with a P90 or hum cancelling single coil ...
 
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Re: The 'woman tone' and SC's versus HB's

The standard Telecaster neck p/u as I recall , makes a good rhythm unit ; for all styles, but even that often gets replaced by a humbucker...
 
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Re: The 'woman tone' and SC's versus HB's

Well, the formula is essentially any humbucker with the tone rolled down into a Fender-derived Marshall amp. I haven't really heard a known guitarist get that sound with a single coil. Blackmore was close, but then I learned he was actually using a 335 on the first few DP albums.
 
Re: The 'woman tone' and SC's versus HB's

Single coils in the neck just sound different than a humbucker. They've got a very precise and almost hollow sound that is lovely clean.

A humbucker (even low output PAF style) is a less clear and less defined sound than a single coil . . . this works nicely in the bridge where the twanginess of the strings adds lots of clarity to the sound. In the neck it can be a tough to get clarity with even medium output 'buckers. The higher output of a bucker in the neck combines with the greater amount of motion of the strings in that position and the increased bass response to make for a signal that can overpower a clean channel easily. I find it easier getting a good sound from the bridge, so in a two HB guitar always set the neck to sound good and then adjust the bridge as necessary to balance things. When you get everything working though, you're rewarded with a smokey/throaty neck position sound that works great for leads and isn't overpoweringly bassy.

With neck pickups in general I think they sound better for lead stuff once you start moving further up the neck. Around and past the 12th fret with both 'buckers and singles you'll hear a more fluid/bubbly sound playing up high.

This is what I was getting at. 'm looking to replace the neck pick up on my SG with a P90. The standard Tele neck p/u ( as I recall) is very good for rhythm in different styles, but many have replaced those with a HB
 
Re: The 'woman tone' and SC's versus HB's

This is what I was getting at. 'm looking to replace the neck pick up on my SG with a P90. The standard Tele neck p/u ( as I recall) is very good for rhythm in different styles, but many have replaced those with a HB

P90 neck tone rocks!
 
Re: The 'woman tone' and SC's versus HB's

I am not so sure a P90 with the tone rolled down has that sound. It has a cool sound, but it isn't quite that sound.
 
Re: The 'woman tone' and SC's versus HB's

For years I believed itt was the neck pick up..tone rolled down

It is one of those tones that has got a million different stories behind it. And tbh, because it really isn't that hard to achieve, I think it's easy for people to BS it and then that BS spreads.

Personally I always heard it was the middle position with the neck tone all the way down and the bridge tone at about half way.
I haven't read Clapton's book but apparently he gives the specific details within that.

But tbh there are many roads to the Woman Tone, and enough variables at play that the one Clapton took probably won't produce the exact same results depending on your amp/guitar/pickup/pot.
 
Re: The 'woman tone' and SC's versus HB's

What road takes me away from this “woman tone”....because let’s face it most of Clapton’s tones are horrible.
 
Re: The 'woman tone' and SC's versus HB's

I'd love to hear an example of this, since my single coil guitars aren't wired like that.
p
In my case, I prefer my Strats with the Eric Johnson/Jimmie Vaughan tone mod. The second tone control wired to the bridge pickup, and the middle pickup wide open. I think Leo Fender would have done it this way had he been a player. This configuration is superior in many ways, and being able to roll the tone back on the bridge pickup is a big reason this wiring scheme is better than the stock classic Strat circuit with the bridge wide open all the time and the second tone knob on the bridge. Just my two cents anyway.
 
Re: The 'woman tone' and SC's versus HB's

p
In my case, I prefer my Strats with the Eric Johnson/Jimmie Vaughan tone mod. The second tone control wired to the bridge pickup, and the middle pickup wide open. I think Leo Fender would have done it this way had he been a player. This configuration is superior in many ways, and being able to roll the tone back on the bridge pickup is a big reason this wiring scheme is better than the stock classic Strat circuit with the bridge wide open all the time and the second tone knob on the bridge. Just my two cents anyway.

I agree with this mod, and do it on my Strats. It doesn't have that sound, though- it still has the attack of a single coil, which is hard to get rid of with a tone control.
 
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