Humbuckers vs. Single-Coil - which is better?
12/9/12
I'm going to answer the question in the title of this bloggo right up front: The answer is neither. A humbucker is not better than a single-coil, nor is a single-coil better than a humbucker.
Instead, I'm going to talk about why "all-in-one" guitars are a bad idea.
There have been many attempts over the years by various guitar manufacturers to produce a guitar that gets every type of pickup sound there is, and all of them have failed. Why? Because there is no way to produce one guitar that sounds like every guitar.
Even though I just purchased a Fender Modern Player Stratocaster HSS (seen in the video above) which allows for 7 pickup selections including splitting the bridge humbucker to single-coil, I still go back to my "plain" Squier Bullet Strat which has a traditional Stratocaster SSS layout and switching system. Why? Because the the traditional SSS layout has a bridge pickup with staggered pole pieces and is mounted on an angle which makes it sound different than a split humbucker mounted vertically straight with flat pole pieces.
My Fender MP Strat may be the most versatile out of all the guitars I own, but that's doesn't mean it does everything.
I personally believe you need three electric guitars to cover almost everything tone-wise. One in SSS layout, one in HSS and the third in HH. The SSS is best as a Squier or Fender Strat. For HSS there are many guitar makes to choose from, and the same goes for HH.
My advice to you is this: Don't seek out a guitar that does it all, because it doesn't exist. It's not a sin to own multiple guitars. In addition to that, owning just one guitar is pretty boring. :)
Hi, Rich. Please make a video lesson about how to make solos. I try a lot create some solos but never works. Cheers from Brazil.
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excellent tone from a squier sir and great playing! I have a question (or maybe 2 questions) for you, if you don't mind :
You seem to get the total feel from a squier and you're showing us that it's very versatile (i've watched a lot of your videos).That said, 1)what's your opinion about the HSS squier bullet series?
I played for 3 years an SSS squier and my favorite "tone" is an 80's heavy metal sounding...like Maiden or so....The thing is i sold it and now i want to buy a new one and i want to stick around with squier...
The question is
2)buy an HSS and leave it unmodified or an SSS and replace the bridge pickup with a S.D.hot rails mini humbucker (dave murray kind of thing))
Thank you for your time and thank you for your playing, it's very inspiring. sorry for the long post and for my english.greetings from greece!
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A coil-tapped humbucker is no true substitute for a single-coil but I believe every humbucker should have a coil-tap (I prefer a mini switch not push/pull) especially in the neck position. A coil-tapped humbucker sounds just as good as a untapped humbucker but with the addition of single-coil sounds. I may be a little biased though since my first guitar had a coil-tap. I still have and love that guitar. It's a early 90's Epiphone Rebel 2 HSH-tapped with standard bridge (fender style bridge) and a reverse explorer neck 25.5" scale. I think you might be a little biased also since you are a Single-Coil Guy it's unlikely you would ever be satisfied with a humbucker tapped or not.
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@Victor - I'll see what I can do there because there's a million different ways to do it. But I'll come up with something. :)
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@majere - The Squier Bullet Strat HSS is basically the exact same guitar as the Squier Bullet Strat except it has a humbucker in the bridge position. I love the neck on the Bullet series and consider that the best feature. As far as changing out pickups, that is up to you but I think it does pretty well with stock hardware.
If you want 1980s hard rock or metal tone, the easiest way is to get the HSS and then swap out the bridge pickup with a DiMarzio Super Distortion, also known by its model name of DP100. That is the go-to pickup if you want that classic 80s metal tone.
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@Ken - Yes I do prefer the single-coil more often than not and I don't deny that. :) But a tapped humbucker just does not have the same tone as a true staggered-pole single-coil does. However I am also of the belief that a "stacked" single-coil cannot match the growl of a real humbucker either. Said another way, singles should stay singles and humbuckers should stay humbuckers, and this is why for real single-coil brightness in the bridge position I still go back to my Squier Bullet.
My Fender MP Strat HSS gets the tapped single *almost* right. Really, really close. But without those staggered poles it just isn't the same.
It's like I said in the article, I really do believe players should have multiple guitars using different pickup configurations instead of trying to get one guitar that does it all. Guitars that try to produce every tone type just don't work, and it is 100% OK to have a few guitars just to get specific sounds.
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I see, it's up to me i guess...The dilemma came up when I realized how much i miss that strat + the local dealer informed me of the HSS configuration...but i want to keep the single coil look of the strat...that's why i thought that a hot rails mini humbucker could be an option.
Anyway, i'll definetly consider the HSS with the DiMarzio upgrade!
Thank you Rich.
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When you want that real 1980s hard rock growl, the humbucker is a requirement, and that is is the reason I started buying Strats with humbuckers in them. You could go with a Hot Rails if you wish to keep the SSS look, but that pickup does not match the true growl of a DP100. You may even find the stock humbucker in the HSS to be just what you were looking for.
If you want to "hide" the humbucker, the easiest thing to do is have a HSS with a black pick guard with black pickups. From a distance, it still looks like a "normal" Strat. :)
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Yeah changing the pickguard is an option too :)
I'm gonna try the HSS (not with the DiMarzio upgrade for now).I have to spend some time with it to decide.
So, another question pops up (hahaha) about the volume of the pickups.How "balanced" is it gonna be?A "loud & fat" humbucker how well does it blend with the single coils volume wise? (i.e. On a jam session switching from bridge to neck / like i mentioned on a previous post i've only experienced the SSS bullet strat).
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I get what you're saying and in the case of a strat it is true. Adding a tapped-humbucker to a strat takes away from the strat-like sound. But adding coil-taps to a Les paul type guitar makes it better with no loss of the Les Paul tone. What I like best is the tap in the neck for nice blues tone. I Know a Strat does it better but I'd rather have my bucker tapped than not. Although I put GFS Mean 90's in my Ibanez semihollow and that's my favorite right now. PS. I want to get a Squire Vintage modified strat. What happened to your's ? Anything BAD ? I really like the black on black with the maple finger board. I think I may be the only one who does.
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@majere - The blend of humbucker and single is different but manageable. You'll have to experience it for yourself to know what I'm talking about as it is difficult to describe in words. But I will say you notice the difference much more with clean tones than you will when distorted.
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@Ken - You don't lose any Paul tone and this is true, but when you tap a humbucker on a Paul you have more of a P90 single-coil sound (like a Les Paul Jr.) than a Strat single-coil sound. This is fine because what you get totally sounds like vintage Gibson is supposed to. But when you try to get a Paul to sound like a Strat it just doesn't work.
I traded out the Squier VM Strats I had because of one issue or another. I listed off the reasons here back in June before I bought my Fender MP Strat.
All I can say when shopping for a VM is the following: Don't buy it online. Play in the store instead so you can check for defects and such, should there be any. If you have to buy online, make sure there's a local authorized Fender repair shop near you just in case you encounter something wrong. You've got a 1-year warranty. Use it if you have to.
For example, on my 2010 Bullet one of the fret markers sunk into the fretboard. Fixed under warranty for free at the local Sam Ash place near me, and no problems since.
You can find the nearest Fender Service Center here, and everything listed services both Fender and Squier.
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Ok, i got your point :)
thanks for your time and keep posting your musical ideas, i love them.
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