Single Coil vs Humbucker Overdrive

[jrintheemaking]

Filtertrons, true Firebird pickups, lipstick pickups, and Dynasonics also have a different tone.

My understanding of all of this is that there are some fundamentals-- pickup dimensions, materials, windings, design, pickup covers-- that all add up to both the strength of the pickup, but more importantly to the overall EQ pattern which is somewhat a happy accident of comb filtering and other physics that goes on.

Because the pickup "tone" you hear is mostly a symptom of the happy-accident EQ spectrum and signal strength that you end up with, there is no doubt that you can get one pickup to sound somewhat like another by using EQ pedals, boost pedals, overdrives, etc., which further alter the EQ and signal strength on the way to the amp.

Sure, the different type of pickups you mentioned (all great pickups by the way) have a somewhat different tone. But there are so many variables that will make even the same brand/model of pickup sound different (from scale length to pots to pickup height etc) sound somewhat different.

And how different? Yes, some people with a decent ear could pick out a say, a clean, S Style guitar in a mix. Or, the bridge sound of a T style guitar. But a lot of people can’t either, especially with today’s guitar pedals that drastically alter tone.

I think it’s easy to get caught up in this stuff (myself included), and think “I need this guitar because it has such and such a tone.” I can’t tell you how many times I’ve picked up a vintage or expensive guitar and realized, “oh it’s just a guitar.”

As you mentioned, EQ plays a part for sure. And I think the amp and/or IR plays a huge part in getting different tones too, more so than any HB vs SC pickup, etc. Someone would be better off having one solid guitar and run it through a bunch of different IRS than have a bunch of guitars and only one amp to achieve a multitude of tones.

 

[BlueGillGreg]

I've used my DOD FX 10 BI-FET Pre-Amp pedal as a boost to hit the front of the amp harder. Between the tone and level controls there's a pretty good dial-in range.
I've used a six band Graphic EQ pedal with +/- 15 dB per slider to dial in some beef in the humbuckerish zone for my rig. 15 dB can do a lot.
Someone here mentioned the 4 way switch with the extra position wired for pickups in series (neck pickup cover grounded to the back of a pot or something). That seems like a good thing to try because it leaves your classic Tele sound intact.
Zac of Ask Zac opines that snapping on an ashtray bridge cover increases output and reduces noise. Very non-invasive and quickly reversible...

 

[chris m.]

Sure, the different type of pickups you mentioned (all great pickups by the way) have a somewhat different tone. But there are so many variables that will make even the same brand/model of pickup sound different (from scale length to pots to pickup height etc) sound somewhat different.

And how different? Yes, some people with a decent ear could pick out a say, a clean, S Style guitar in a mix. Or, the bridge sound of a T style guitar. But a lot of people can’t either, especially with today’s guitar pedals that drastically alter tone.

I think it’s easy to get caught up in this stuff (myself included), and think “I need this guitar because it has such and such a tone.” I can’t tell you how many times I’ve picked up a vintage or expensive guitar and realized, “oh it’s just a guitar.”

As you mentioned, EQ plays a part for sure. And I think the amp and/or IR plays a huge part in getting different tones too, more so than any HB vs SC pickup, etc. Someone would be better off having one solid guitar and run it through a bunch of different IRS than have a bunch of guitars and only one amp to achieve a multitude of tones.

How you play it matters, too. Hit the strings hard right down by the bridge saddles with a heavy pick for more twang and treble. Play with your finger pads up near where the neck joins the body for a more muted, bassy tone. Use the vol and tone controls. A good player can coax a wide range of tones even out of a single pickup guitar like an Esquire or LP Jr.

 

[David Menke]

Word.

What is "Word" Most people need at least 5 guitars, with a backup to each of those types of guitars. Then if necessary a few extra for good measure. Maybe 10, in case you do not have time to change the strings. = appx. 20 guitars.

 

[JohnnyCrash]

In watching the American Vintage 2 1963 Tele demos and many others it seems that the
overdrive part is not any different than the HB demonstrations on some other Tele models I'm thinking maybe
single with a tube screamer or similar into a good tweed/blackface is all you need
and the rest is simple compete-with-Gibson marketing. Steve Cropper wasn't hurt
by using his overdrive here.
At first I wanted the new Tele Deluxe 75 but am thinking of the 1963 single coil
I know specialty people want something different and always will but in general
is it worth it or do the single coil/overdrive pedal/Fender amp thing? Or maybe even
just turn the tweed up? Any ideas on this?
Sometimes it seems to original design was SO good that things like HB and Thinlines become
a lot of work for little sound/reward compared to the original, just a little pedal/amp tweeking
rather than a whole rethink, which these sound like they do. I could be wrong about it, just
seeking some opinions, especially since the AV2 is burning a whole in my
pocket with GAS at the moment

First, if possible, have two guitars (or more!).

Humbuckers sound fatter and have slight roll off of highs.

Second, if your cranking a Tele for rock, realize that they’re wide range in frequency. They may not be quite as fat (depending on the Tele pickups) as a humbucker, but their wider range simply means you’ll have to roll the highs back on the amp or the guitar’s tone control. They go higher frequency than humbuckers.

They may not hit an amp’s preamp as hard as a humbucker (if you go with a classic Tele pickup around 7k DC resistance), but many amps have more gain than older amps and if you’re running a classic amp, you can always use an overdrive or distortion pedal.

 

[chris m.]

What is "Word" Most people need at least 5 guitars, with a backup to each of those types of guitars. Then if necessary a few extra for good measure. Maybe 10, in case you do not have time to change the strings. = appx. 20 guitars.

If you rotate through all 20 guitars you don't have to change strings for a LONG time. But then you have to change strings on 20 guitars almost all at the same time.

 

[Dukex]

What is "Word" Most people need at least 5 guitars, with a backup to each of those types of guitars. Then if necessary a few extra for good measure. Maybe 10, in case you do not have time to change the strings. = appx. 20 guitars.

It means you have spoken the "word" as in the gospel. No worries. It was a compliment. I have four acoustics, two electrics (Tele + ES335 Dot), and I really want a Casino.

 

[Stedgett]

There are days I am thankful I can't hear much at all.

 

[ahiddentableau]

Thanks for posting that clip. I'd never heard that track before and it was pretty great. Awesome that Cropper was playing like that in 1965. You can hear the basic vocabulary of rock guitar so clearly, and the gnarly tone is great too.

 

[voterrwest]

In this context single coil vs HB is two things: voltage and impedance. In your op amp based overdrives impedance is irrelevant. So you're talking about buying an entirely separate rig to either boost or attenuate a voltage level. Which is nuts. Hope this helps.

 

[Bass Butcher]

I’ve seen Yardbirds footage with Page using a tele.

Page may have only used his Tele (his main guitar at the time), with the Yardbirds, although he may have also used a Danelectro on occasion. He used both His Tele and LP in the early Zeppelin years at least.

 

[Bass Butcher]

How you play it matters, too. Hit the strings hard right down by the bridge saddles with a heavy pick for more twang and treble. Play with your finger pads up near where the neck joins the body for a more muted, bassy tone. Use the vol and tone controls. A good player can coax a wide range of tones even out of a single pickup guitar like an Esquire or LP Jr.

Shhh, you'll put all those 'boutique' pedal builders and pedal manufacturers out of business...

 

[loopfinding]

Humbuckers have a lower frequency range/different resonant peak than singles. That’s going to lead to a thicker (and sometimes muddier) distortion tone. Remember, the basic difference between distortion and fuzz is basically how much low frequency is being lobbed off of the signal.

So it’s not about output as much as it is that. All things being equal, frequency content is going to change the distortion character/response (tighter or looser, brighter or darker). Yeah, you can make a distortion tone from one sound like the other, but then you need to consciously EQ on top.

 

[Spandelero]

While on the subject of Jimmy Page playing the Tele with Zeppelin... Here's a gold nugget if you haven't already seen it!

 

[Barquentine]

I run my Quilter Cub on the edge of break-up. When I use my Tokai Tele I need to kick in my Spark booster for most lead stuff. When I play my Thinline with TV Jones Classics using the same settings I don't need a pedal. I can get everything I need just by varying my pick attack. I think the TV Jones bridge is my favourite pickup ever. So versatile and such juicy tones.

 

[SteveK2112]

A Tele with a bit overwound single coil bridge pickup sounds great into something like a Marshall, IMO. Just takes some tweaking of the EQ. You get a little more clarity and bite, without it being too harsh. Rolling back the tone knob on the guitar just a tiny bit also helps.
Worked for Page on Led Zep 1 so the righteous tones are there. It's not going to be as "round" of a tone like you'd get from a PAF, definitely a touch more cutting, but not ice-picky at all. Viva la difference, I say. I was just playing my Tele with a Cavalier Huge Lion through a Marshall type setup and I was really liking how it sounded. The other guitarist in my band uses a Gibson ES339, and he uses one of those Dumble-esque stomp boxes to get a very creamy lead tone. I like having a contrasting lead tone from him.

Had a friend with a JVM (forget which...a smaller one I think) and we used my Jackson 4x12 and MIM Tele with ceramic pups. It was glorious. Shocked the ship out of us. It was near EVH territory.

 

[chris m.]

Had a friend with a JVM (forget which...a smaller one I think) and we used my Jackson 4x12 and MIM Tele with ceramic pups. It was glorious. Shocked the ship out of us. It was near EVH territory.

Fender cheapo ceramics sound great distorted. I think that's why they put them in a lot of entry level guitars. The kids want to shred and djent (I think that's the word) and the ceramic pickups totally deliver the goods.

djent
/jent/

noun

1. a form of heavy rock music featuring complex rhythms and distorted, low-pitched guitar sounds.

 

[Mur]

Guitar and amp into heavy overdrive, I can't much tell any difference. And that goes double for metal tone, lol.

 

[Flatwound123]

I read (somewhere) that Steve Cropper played through an old Harvard amp on most of those MG’s recordings

 

[David Menke]

It means you have spoken the "word" as in the gospel. No worries. It was a compliment. I have four acoustics, two electrics (Tele + ES335 Dot), and I really want a Casino.

I have way to many, GAS got to me. Somewhere around 22 I think. Only 2 Les Pauls though with P90's rest are Fender or Fender builds. Oh one is an odd ball, Kramer Barretta from the 80's with a humbucker. Then there are acoustics and keep looking at ads for Taylors, maybe someday for the Taylor.