One coil to rule them all!

[Ben Harmless]

I have ONE guitar with a SINGLE humbucker in it. It's an ES335 Memphis Studio Custom. That's right, the guitar that everyone says "meh" to, but I like, and looks super snazzy with gold hardware.

Now, I'm net negative humbuckers, since I have an Epiphone Wilshire that had two, but now has singles, as well as a '90s Gretsch Streamliner that also now has singles. ALSO, my '72 Custom reissue had the old, terrible WRHB in the neck, and it went away and was replaced with nothing.

So, I win something.

 

[Ron R]

I have two single coil guitars, 3 with pairs of humbuckers, and one with a pair of P90s.

 

[NoTeleBob]

Unlike some here who have mentioned that they only have one with Humbuckers, I am one with the Humbuckers.

 

[Stringbanger]

I only see a couple of posts where people specifically say they have no HBs. As to alignment, when reality aligns with my expectations, I know things have gone horribly wrong. Again.

Now you are starting to make me feel guilty, like maybe I should have at least one guitar that has humbucking pickups. I honestly never planned it that way, but in retrospect, I am glad that I did, because to my ears, there is a clarity with single coils that just appeals to my ears.

Case in point: my first electric guitar that I bought was sight unseen, based on a recommendation from my then-bass player, has a single P-90 pickup. Back then, I didn’t know squat about guitars, so I trusted him, and I’m glad that I did.

I bought this Slim Jim for 200 clams in 1985, now the sucker is worth over a grand. Not a great increase, but what a great player. I can play any genre with this axe!

 

[aging_rocker]

...The other electric is in bits (Ibanez) but when I get round to reassembling it, the HBs are getting replaced with either P90s or Charlie Christians...

My (cheap) Ibanez GAX had the 'Power-something' HBs in it when I acquired it. Hot and definitely nasty, and not for me.

Sounds nice these days with a pair of no-name P90s from somewhere in the East (well, technically a bit North-West from me, but you get the idea)

Once you go P90s, you'll never go back - for me personally anyway.

 

[teletimetx]

I have the single coil, including the P90; I have the humbuckery, including the mini-humbuckery, but I do not have the filtertron, nor the powertron, nor the supertron, nor the TV Jones tron.

I have not been to Gretschville, as I am barely house broke, but maybe someday.

Also, I did not shoot the deputy.

I love all the guitars, but do not feel compelled to own every flavor, yet.

 

[Dan German]

Now you are starting to make me feel guilty, like maybe I should have at least one guitar that has humbucking pickups. I honestly never planned it that way, but in retrospect, I am glad that I did, because to my ears, there is a clarity with single coils that just appeals to my ears.

Case in point: my first electric guitar that I bought was sight unseen, based on a recommendation from my then-bass player, has a single P-90 pickup. Back then, I didn’t know squat about guitars, so I trusted him, and I’m glad that I did.

I bought this Slim Jim for 200 clams in 1985, now the sucker is worth over a grand. Not a great increase, but what a great player. I can play any genre with this axe!

View attachment 1128479

No need to feel guilty! (I know I don’t.) Like you, I didn’t plan it, but I’m just fine with how it turned out. And that Guild is awesome!

 

[dansimpson]

My only electric guitar has single coils. My last electric guitar had humbuckers, I got rid after about a month.
I have now completed the exercise. After many different electric guitars over the last 50 years, the conclusion is I only like single coil pickups..

 

[Kandinskyesque]

My (cheap) Ibanez GAX had the 'Power-something' HBs in it

That's the very fellows that were in mine, I replaced them with EMGs (81 and 85) because it was the 1980s and that's what people done back in those days, so I followed suit being the approval seeking youth that I was back then.
Using a solid-state amp (Roland JC77) meant I'd upped my dirty sound from sounding like a wasp in a jar to six wasps in a jar.

I sold the EMGs a couple of years ago.
I'll probably put P90s in when the time comes because my guitar tech mate swears by them and there's still a bit of my youthful approval junkie still in me.

 

[Dan German]

I bought this Slim Jim for 200 clams in 1985, now the sucker is worth over a grand. Not a great increase, but what a great player. I can play any genre with this axe!

I just want to add that I got my first single-coil in 1985 for $250, a Danelectro Convertible. In theory, it has appreciated similarly, but there is zero chance I would let it go. What could I get for that money that would be as cool?

 

[Dan German]

There has been some mention of the need for variety. I have variety. Two Tele pickups, two Strat pickups, one lipstick pickup, one P90-type pickup, two Kawai single coils, and a ‘50s DeArmond pickup. There is no lack of variety in the world of pickups!

 

[Dukex]

Three electrics: SC, HB, P90. I like 'em all.

 

[trev333]

Guitars pickups have to have bite...I like F singles the most and P90's with no mud... those fuzzy driven HB tones sound like keyboards to me....

 

[brookdalebill]

I have 13 (Lucky?) electric guitars.
All have hum-cancelling pickups, except my previously mentioned Matney B bender T style.
My parts Strat has noiseless Kinmans.
Pickup hum and noise bugs me, my band leaders, and many venue owners.
After perhaps 15 years of not gigging with true single coils, I used the Matney at a gig the other night.
It sounded great, and the hum from the Fender 1964 bridge pickup, and the Lollar (I think) neck pickup wasn’t bad at all.
The neck pickup is RWRP, so the middle position was dead quiet.
I may not even mod the guitar!
That would be a first, for me.

 

[Mad Max]

I humbuckers

 

[BluesMann]

I have no singles on the Strat or Tele, they went Noiseless almost out of the gate. The JJ 12 is three Lipstick PUs. Sounds great. The I have a 335 with the Gibson Logo stamped into the covers. It’s an early 70s Norlin ERA, but it sounds really good. That said, the Noiseless certainly don’t sound anything like the Gibson Humbucking PUs on my 335.

 

[Mike Eskimo]

If you somehow haven’t played a guitar equipped with these in your lifetime, you only have half the story of what a single coil pickup is…

Silver foil Dearmonds. They were on Silvertone Jupiters, Silhouettes, later Stratotones, a load of other Harmony’s.

Me and Uncle Larry (Tom Bukovac) agree, one of the best pickups, period - regardless of number of coils.

fat Fat FAT .

A true single coil. A magnet , surrounded by a wad of wire , smushed into a very shallow little metal box.

Sooo good.

I’d rather have a beat to hell Les Paul Junior, with the P90 ripped out and one of these silver foils in the bridge position than the same LP Jr in mint cond stock.

IYKYK…

 

[Mike M]

Only have one Humbucker, a 335 Satin Vintage I bought 2 years ago. First Gibson AND Humbucker guitar in over 40 years.

Sometimes, after I have been playing the single coil guitars for a bit, and pick up the Humbucker, it feels like I have picked up a sledgehammer.

 

[stxrus]

Built by Steve Ryder, in Maine - but I believe he's now retired from building. (He made a Tele-shaped mando, too.) https://www.sjryder.com/

D.H.

Ooooh, I’d like to see that

 

[Dave Hicks]

Ooooh, I’d like to see that

Possibly I've lied to you on that - I couldn't find a photo of one.

Eastwood makes them, though: