Unsplit humbucker with single?

[Toejam]

If I've got a bridge humbucker or single-coil-sized humbucker (e.g. Lil Sreamin' Demon) and combine it with a true single coil in the middle position, will I still get the single coil hum? Or maybe the hum won't be as much as the single by itself?

Also, how well does the Lil Demon or Lil '59, JB Jr., etc. split combined with a middle single? Debating whether I should bother with the bridge splitting in a couple axes I want to put new pickups in; one will be S/S/S format and the other H/S, possibly H/S/S.

 

[gregory]

Re: Unsplit humbucker with single?

An unsplit humbucker combined with a true single will hum. How much less hum there is than if the single is by itself depends on the impedance of the humbucker, but is pretty minimal.

Whether a split single sized HB sounds good when combined with a true single is a subjective matter. I find the hotter the humbucker the better the chance is that I'd be willing to split it, but only up to a point.

 

[Clint 55]

Re: Unsplit humbucker with single?

I have the same schemes going too. My main guitar is HSH and I went without splits and it's fine. The notch positions are pretty beefy, but I made it for a fat tones guitar. It has vol, tone, blender. My other favorite pickguard is HSS with little humbuckers. It's vol, neck and bridge spin a split, blender. With a toggle to partially split the middle. Nice usable tones and the pups only have to be partially split to cancel hum with each other.

 

[Toejam]

Re: Unsplit humbucker with single?

Thanks, guys. I'll probably just leave the Lil Demon unsplit in my G&L Legacy. I've got a couple custom shop Quarter Pounds coming in a few days to pair with it.