What Single Coils Sound Good with 500k Pots for HSS?

[Gooch]

I'm down to one tone and one volume pot (500k) in my Lone Star Strat with a C8 in the bridge and Van Zandt Blues Pups in the Neck and MIddle and they are SUPER bright with the 500k.

I'm not really interested in doing the resistor thing.

Even using the Tone knob, I'm not liking the sound when turned up to 10 on the guitar volume. I LOVE the tone Demartini gets on his neck pickup, so I'm looking to single coils that will work well with the 500K volume pot. I know he uses the SSL-4's in the neck. Wonder how they would sound in the middle as and neck with my setup.

Cheers!

 

[Clint 55]

Re: What Single Coils Sound Good with 500k Pots for HSS?

They're expensive, but I've wanted to try the surfer bridge as a hot option for neck and middle.

 

[LonePhantom]

Re: What Single Coils Sound Good with 500k Pots for HSS?

Quarter Pound? I like mine in the middle in my RG, may be a bit too fat for your tastes, depending on what they are.

 

[Mincer]

Re: What Single Coils Sound Good with 500k Pots for HSS?

Yeah, Quarter Pounds or the SSL-5/6 sounds great with 500k pots and should blend well. In fact, both of those pickups I actually prefer with 500k pots.

 

[Arwin]

Re: What Single Coils Sound Good with 500k Pots for HSS?

The SSL-3 Hot for strat is another high output single coil that sounds great with a 500k pot. Because of the higher number of turns and, in turn, (no pun intended) the extremely high dcr, the pickup has a bit more capacitance naturally when compared to a more traditionally wound strat pickup. I think using a 500k pot takes the pickup from being a somewhat darker tone with a heavy midrange emphasis (when using 250k) into a more full range, biting, dynamic and aggressive sound

 

[jeremy]

Re: What Single Coils Sound Good with 500k Pots for HSS?

i like the ssl6 in the neck and middle with 500k pots and a bridge humbucker, never tried the surfer bridge in the neck with 500k.

 

[dystrust]

Re: What Single Coils Sound Good with 500k Pots for HSS?

It isn't a true single, but my favorite neck "single" when using 500K pots is a Cool Rails.

 

[Gone_Shootin]

Re: What Single Coils Sound Good with 500k Pots for HSS?

i like the ssl6 in the neck and middle with 500k pots and a bridge humbucker, never tried the surfer bridge in the neck with 500k.

How hot of a humbucker can a guy pair with a ssl6? It's one that I've been pondering for the middle position in my Soloist and possibly one of my hss Dinkys. The Screamin' Demon, Perpetual Burn, and Custom are on my short list for the bridge.

Sorry for the hijack, OP.

 

[Mincer]

Re: What Single Coils Sound Good with 500k Pots for HSS?

I've heard a JB with an SSL-6, and it balanced fine, so I have no doubt the pickups you mentioned should be fine. I'd use 500k pots for them all.

 

[Gooch]

Re: What Single Coils Sound Good with 500k Pots for HSS?

Thanks everyone. I play blues based rock and hard rock ala GNR, Pearl Jam, AIC, Zep, Metallica. I never play super clean, I always roll down the volume on my guitar for clean.

I love Demartini's neck tone and he uses an SSL-4. What do you guys think would suit best for that style and those amps and sounds?

 

[Mincer]

Re: What Single Coils Sound Good with 500k Pots for HSS?

Well, a Quarter Pound should do that for you, no problem. It doesn't have the tight bass of something like an A5 humbucker, but it is a great, powerful single coil that sounds great with 500k pots. There is also the Stra-Bro, a P-90is sounding single from the Custom Shop that is tapped.

 

[Gooch]

Re: What Single Coils Sound Good with 500k Pots for HSS?

What are the tonal differences between the SSl-4 / 5 / and 6?

 

[Mincer]

Re: What Single Coils Sound Good with 500k Pots for HSS?

To my ears, the Custom series has more lower mids, while the Quarter Pound has sort of this upper mid bark thing going on.