Are you a single coil or a humbucker guy?

[Macro]

In my younger years I was purely a hard rock and metal guy...dime the gain, only use the bridge humbucker, always have the tone knob opened all the way up. I wanted harmonics...high pitched squeal...aggressive distortion.

I got older....I wanted tone...sometimes a whole lot of it. These days I still love a good old humbucker with the gain cranked, but I totally dig a single coil with the gain dialed back and the tone knob at around the 1/3 to 1/2 way point.*

Curious to know what y'all play most...and maybe how long you've been playing.

I think there can be little argument that classic oldies stuff was based around the single coil...at least until the PAF arrived on the scene. That certainly changed the game...but then what? I classic rock more about the Gibson flavor or the Fender flavor? For me, it's about saturation....and the stuff I grew up with in the 70's had very little. Back then it was a lot of cleaner sounds....bright tones...and the heavier stuff was more growl than bite. In the 80's the game seemed to change...much more distortion, and with it, that saturated signal.

I really wish I had the time to play more....supporting a family really takes away from my guitar time....just thinking about all toss great progressions through the history of the electric guitar make me want to get a case of beer and sit in front of my amp for the weekend

 

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

4-conductor humbuckers. Best of both worlds.

But for me, I rather humbuckers, with low, mid, or high gain. I rather the "fuller" sound they give me over the thinner, brighter tone of a single coil. Its just my preference.

Although I do use my Strat when I wanna play some Deep Purple. But I'm gonna be switching the bridge pickup for a Dimarzio Fast Track or a cheapo Guitarheads stacked pickup once I get the cash.

 

[Georgiatec]

Err...both.

 

[SilverJubileeNewbie]

Mostly singles. But buckers can sound killer in the right guitar. I have a wraptail Les Paul with buckers and me oh my. Harmonics out the ying yang.

 

[poeman33]

I'm a Strat guy. Some of my Strats are HSS. I like the sound of both, and they both have their place. But I'm not a super hot pup guy. I want to hear the wood..the strings...the fingers...
A good pickup can have that definition and still be loud. Top notch electronics help too.

The last pickups I got are probably pretty realistic to the old Strat sound...but they are just a little "too" jingly jangly. Not enough oomph. So...saving up for some Lindy Fralin Blues Specials. I think it's time I splurged on a pair. Them combined with an RS Guitarworks Vintage Strat kit...and I should be in tone heaven.

 

[topcat 70]

Got both but the best one i have is the P90.Its like a thicker sounding single coil!

 

[HOT TUBES 70]

Humbucker's all the way !!

 

[TKOjams]

Both, but the single coil has to be a P90!!

 

[rads]

i'll use anything which has no hum or other annoying noise

 

[Söulcaster]

I like em both but I could not live without a Humbucker in my life.

 

[Nic9981]

Both.
I want a guitar that does a Les Paul humbucker sound in the bridge and a Strat single coil sound in the neck.
Make it for me.

(And nobody say an HSS Strat, it's only ever going to be a compromise )

 

[keef1367]

I love em both! Depends on the application as to which I choose

 

[Lespaulnmarshall]

Both, teles and gibsons are my guitars of choice.

 

[Macro]

I got to spend a few hours with my new(ish) strat yesterday. Had a ton of fun using the single coils on the crunch channel with the gain at around the mid-way point. Was also digging the neck pickup on the clean channel.

When I first started playing (metal) I was one of those kids that made my EQ sliders look like a "V". Took me 20 years to figure out that guitar is a mid-range instrument

Now I love the mids....and I love the way a marshall can coax them out of a strat.
Still love a hot humbucker with the gain cranked, but nothing screams vintage like a SSS strat, the volume up, and the gain down below 3....damn I love that tone.

 

[jvm210guy]

Err...both.

Ya,

I've been playing since I was 14, and I'm 29 now. I learned on single coils, but very quickly went to humbuckers. Not because I knew there was a difference but just because the guitar looked "cooler".

When I first started I also primarily used the bridge pickup fully opened, because hell if I knew the difference. Today, I have the habit of touching the tone and volume knobs in between beats. If you're a SERIOUS musician it's an essantial skill, sure you can make do without running your tone and volume knobs, but you would be missing out.

So, what type of pickup do I prefer? Well both because, like wood, humbuckers and single coils provide different characteristics that could be used for certain needs. I use my lp for dark or even "muddier" vibes, and I use my tele' for brighter and "clankier" stuff. I haven't always had the option of using either or, but for the past two years I've always had both types of guitars available.

 

[Macro]

Working the tone knob within a song is a skill I really need to work on. I always loved working the volume knob....even early on, I loved having the gain on the amp cranked, the volume rolled way back on the bridge humbucker, play some intro passage...slowly increase the volume....and then launch the knob, run a pick scrape down the low e, and dive into the full gain version of the progression.

That isn't subtle though....it's in your face and bold. These days I see the art in the subtle tone changes with the gain dialed back. Especially within the same song. I need to practice that more.

 

[poeman33]

Both.
I want a guitar that does a Les Paul humbucker sound in the bridge and a Strat single coil sound in the neck.
Make it for me.

(And nobody say an HSS Strat, it's only ever going to be a compromise )

Here you go...
Ash Body...Fender SCN's in the neck and middle...Strat sound
wide flat neck with Ebony fingerboard...Seymour Duncan Custom 5 bridge pickup. That particular combination of neck and pickup has given me as close as I have hear to a Les Paul bridge sound.

 

[Nic9981]

Here you go...
Ash Body...Fender SCN's in the neck and middle...Strat sound
wide flat neck with Ebony fingerboard...Seymour Duncan Custom 5 bridge pickup. That particular combination of neck and pickup has given me as close as I have hear to a Les Paul bridge sound.

I said no-one say an HSS Strat!!!

I don't want 'close too' I want THOSE sounds hehehehehe!

I gave up looking years ago and have been an avid HSS user ever since

 

[poeman33]

I said no-one say an HSS Strat!!!

I don't want 'close too' I want THOSE sounds hehehehehe!

I gave up looking years ago and have been an avid HSS user ever since

You noticed I never "said" what it was...hehe

Short of taking a Strat and a LP, some dowels and glue...and making a two neck, two body guitar...( hey that's an idea)...this is as close as you will come.

 

[Mike_j]

Both and its a pain in the arse. I use my Gibson 99% of the time coz the humbuckers give me the grunt but there are some single coil tones in my Strat that my Gibson just can't do and I can't be bothered with guitar change overs halfway thru a set.