Single coil Vs humbucker

[idssdi]

I recently got a stray and I have to say for most of the electric stuff I play I actually prefer it over my humbucker guitars. What is you guys’ opinion on the whole humbucker Vs single coil thing?

 

[Rad Synner]

From a recording point of view, single coil are a nightmare compared to the humbucker unless you have noiseless single coil. They just make too much noise. Tone wise, Im still more humbucker simply because I dont like the way single coils picks up sound. I personally feel they lack agressivity, at least the ones I tried. But the single coil can have such a ”smooth” tone. I guess its simply not what i like to usually play. It also depends about what pickups youre using because there is garbage pick ups on both side.

 

[Ed Seith]

My preference is always for coil-tapped humbuckers – best of both worlds. I like humbuckers for heavy rhythm and leads. I like a mix (hum Bridge and single in middle or neck) for clean tones and bluesier playing.

 

[Andrew Fernandes]

I agree with ed why not have both heheh

 

[idssdi]

Well I have a stray with single coils and 2 guitars with coilsplit and to me
the guitar with single coils sounds generally better to me. You can actually get pretty mean metal tone out of a strat. There is a reason Ritchie Blackmore, Yngwie Malmsteen and the guys in Iron Maiden play them(even though I’m not entirely sure whether Dave Murray and janick gers use double rail pickups)

 

[Andrew Fernandes]

I think the guys from iron maiden swap the pickups though i think not sure.

 

[Josh Wright]

Currently, I have not had good experience with single coils. All the ones I’ve used are noisy, and I’ve never gotten a smooth sound out of them. It could just be my playing style, but they are too bright for me, I prefer the warmer humbuckers that can sing when clean or distorted.

 

[idssdi]

According to this Janik Gers doesn’t change the pickups and Dave Murray simply uses a lot of different stratocasters. http://equipboard.com/pros/janick-gers

 

[Ed Seith]

Well, Janick mostly sounds like he’s falling down stairs, but Davey’s guitars almost always have humbuckers in the bridge, at least. Even his Strats.

 

[Dan Shipway]

Humbuckers generally give a fatter and thicker tone whereas a single coil gives a chimier and brighter Sound that is mainly used for clean sections as they tend to offer more clarity. I personally use a set of Zakk EMGs and I love them but it depends not only on your personal taste in sound but also what you are playing because it would sound weak having a song like No more tears played on a strat.