Humbuckers vs. Single Coil

[Roseweave]

Which do you prefer and why?

[laxlover_bill369]

Hum I'm a metal head but if single then tele single.

[Ghost Hip]

I like P-90s most, so technically those are single coils. I'd choose single coils, a bit more organic to me. sometimes they cut through all of the fuzz and give a super trashy tone. The only humbucker guitar I have now is a Dimebucker paired with the P-90 on my Eastwood Hi-flyer..... it sounds super punk when they're paired together.... gives out lowend feedback, very jack white.

But yeah overall, single coils.

[Gunner Recall]

Long time single coil player, currently have all humbuckers though...they just get heavy and thick like I need nowadays. Thinking of trying something with a humbucker/p-90's, they sound killer. Next purchase is a tele though can't beat it for that twangy open sound.

[Roseweave]

I'm divided. Though I like owning multiple guitars, I'd prefer for all of them to cover a similar range, just with different character.

When I got my 7 string guitar, my second electric, it only had 2 Humbucking pickups. This was a bit crazy for me, I'd gotten used to a Pacifica which had 2 single coil pickups and a humbucker(Fat Strat). I was worried the clean tones wouldn't be good - but it had some magnificent clean tones. The thing is, they were a lot darker, but I liked that. I was struggling to get some sparkly cleans though, and Daniel Ash-esque tones, so I tracked down a cheap but excellent Tele copy(Xaviere). I love that guitar, but the pickups are noisy and fairly low output.

I'm not sure what I'd get on my next guitar, to be honest. Maybe a SHS configuration, though I Really like a humbucking neck for cleans, and of course you need a humbucker in the neck for big, thick distorted tones. I may have to get one of those fancy coil tapping thingamies.

I think the difference between them is overstated though. I think a lot of the difference is down to the character of that particular guitar and it's pickups, and I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of people use SSH or SH configuration like I started out with so think humbuckers sound what even single coil bridge p'ups sound like. But talking about the tones either is "generally" used for, it's a tough decision for me.

[masked elwood]

i lean towards fender style single coils or gretsch/tv jones filtertrons lately, although i'll use anything that is available to me. i prefer single coils through pedals more than humbuckers...and p-90's provide some of my favorite "straight through the amp" tones. i'm more into medium output pick ups than high gain thingies.

if i had to play only one guitar (god fukking forbid)..it'd be my old beat up 64 strat that i've had since i was in high school..and it only cost me $250.

elwd

[smile_man]

I love single coils, regular or soap bar.

I'm not much for humbuckers, I dislike using bridge pickups and neck humbuckers are too dark.

[ifeellikeatourist]

It really depends on what tone you're looking for. I'm one of those people who is rather divided when it comes to this question because I love the thick distortion that humbuckers offer as well as their warm clean tones, but I also love my tele--specifically the neck pickup--and all of the twang that it has to offer. I can see how single coils could be more "raw," but for heavier, more distorted stuff, I would definitely go humbucker.

[htsamurai]

eh...

see here's the thing, my hollow has humbuckers, mid range epis i think, and i use it for jazz
my strat has the older noiseless fenders and i use it for everything
...
now, what it comes down to for me is, can the pickup sound really pretty clean? if so can it get me some cool tones out of m'hype?

[Ghost Hip]

Yeah, i have an SG Classic (p90s) and it sounds bitchin' through overdrive/fuzz. But in order to get a decent clean tone I have to use my overdrive and turn the volume on the guitar down. I find my Telecaster and Jazzmaster handle both fuzz/clean well.

[dorfmeister]

Single Coils.

Twang and Rawness. Clean tones.

I've got Lollar Blondes on a fat-necked strat. Tough to beat that for tone.

[Ghost Hip]

Single Coils.

Twang and Rawness. Clean tones.

Those are the words I'm looking for.

[foxhound]

p-90's hands down. they have such a great sound..this thread should be expanded Humbuckers vs. Single Coil vs. p90 as i wouldn't lump p90s in with traditional fender style single coils

anyone have a particular brand preference??

[metalmariachi]

I'm a single coil person myself at least on bass.
Humbuckers don't quite get it for me.

Guitar wise, it depend on the music.
I do like that big chunky sound of a Les Paul or SG.
The raw energy of a Tele.
And the crisp clean that only a P-90 can give you.

OK that sounds like I'm a politician.

MM

[dorfmeister]

I'm trying to find the right words but there is something too congested about Humbuckers when used with distortion/overdrive for me. It's like the sound takes up too much space and is a bit compressed. Too much of the wrong kind of midrange for me. I like humbuckers clean better for the most part. I can get tones I like clean but usually not distorted

There is an openness about single coils that I really love. I've liked P-90's as well especially when I want to do some really agressive playing. Strat single coils maybe work better for me through effects. A really nice substrate that takes color well.

Lollar makes some great pickups and I can find nothing to complain about with the Lollar Blondes in my strat.

For P-90's I have heard people rave about the Harmonic Design pickups.