Humbuckers vs. Single Coil

[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.

[sev]

I'm gonna have to come in and rep humbuckers just to balance things out.
Humbuckers! Fat, mean, meaty humbuckers!

Sometimes you feel like a twang, sometimes you don't.
I'm not a very twangy person.

[kevin666]

I prefer humbuckers in the bridge, mainly because of the massiveness of the sound and the output. I have a single coil in the neck of my Kramer and a P-90 in the neck of my Hamer because I prefer the organic-ness in the neck position. I also have coil taps on both guitars for the bridge pick ups, but rarely use them...

[tigerdriver]

love p-90s in the neck, dislike in the bridge.
like fender wide range HB's with dirt pedals but not much by themselves
jazzmaster pickups are mostly perfect

[CBGB]

Errr.... both

[Gunner Recall]

Anyone here try the gfs dream 180 (or any of their p-90 offerings for that matter)? Looking to swap out the sd jazz in the neck of my rr3.

[More]

I like my tele single coils just because I do, but if you have say a strat where the middle pick up is wired out of phase with the other two (like most) the in between settings effectively are a humbucker just with a bit of space in the middle. Which is why I like strats because you get a bit more range. and is why my tele has 3 pickups.

That said I like single coil because I like the brightness and twang and also the more interesting low end, but it really depends what kind of sound I was after, after all they're only a means to an end

[Ghost Hip]

That said I like single coil because I like the brightness and twang and also the more interesting low end, but it really depends what kind of sound I was after, after all they're only a means to an end

I agree, if i play with a humbucker and I palm mute some E-string power chords, the low-end is too metal for my tastes. I like the punk ethics of the p-90.... a single coil that punches you in the face.

[metalmariachi]

I like my tele single coils just because I do, but if you have say a strat where the middle pick up is wired out of phase with the other two (like most) the in between settings effectively are a humbucker just with a bit of space in the middle. Which is why I like strats because you get a bit more range. and is why my tele has 3 pickups.

That said I like single coil because I like the brightness and twang and also the more interesting low end, but it really depends what kind of sound I was after, after all they're only a means to an end

Funny I prefer to have my single coils wound the same. I don't like the tone change when they are wound reverse polarity.

Also if you add a switch (pull pot or what ever) to turn the bridge pickup on then you get 2 extra settings ie neck/bridge, and all 3 pickups.

MM

[kevin666]

Anyone here try the gfs dream 180 (or any of their p-90 offerings for that matter)? Looking to swap out the sd jazz in the neck of my rr3.

That's what I have in the neck of my Hamer. I LOVE it!

[hatshirt]

i use all three for different purposes. my favorites are telecaster bridge pickups and duncan phat cat p-90s. the phat cat is the best of all worlds in my opinion.

[Roseweave]

I just found out the middle position in my Tele is noise cancelling. Unfortunately it doesn't have the Xbox Hueg sound of a Humbucker, it's still very quiet. Unsure what to do with this. It does sound humbucker-ish though.

[1,2,3, Pull Out!]

I prefer humbuckers in the bridge position because it can give that powerful umph of the humbucker with twangy undertones. I think P-90s sound the best at the neck. This is all very subjective to the guitar and pickup model though. I noticed nobody has mentioned hotrails either, I was thinking about putting some in my old Squier Tele just for fun, but i don't have very much experience with them.