For Big, Warm, Solo Tones...

[László]

I prefer humbuckers for single note work. I like fat, warm tones.

In fact, I roll the treble off a bit, both on the guitar and amp, to make that happen.

I was once a single coil (mostly P-90) devotee, but I've become addicted to buckers. How does the rest of the gang roll?

 

[jfb]

I put 408's in single coil neck for rock and roll shred destruction.

 

[Rider1260]

I change faster than the Chicago weather.
Have them all ( Hums , singles , P-90 , 408s )

 

[alantig]

All over the place as well - flip the switches on the 408 a ton. And I really don't have a problem playing the "wrong" coil on a part (I'll pop a single coil on an Ozzy song!).

But if push came to shove...humbuckers. It's all about the girth. And the folks who saw me at Experience know - I have girth.

 

[Herr Squid]

This is massive nitpicking, but I've never quite found the perfect balance of girth and chime. 95% of the time I play humbuckers and I'm happy with them, but there's something about the sound of a Strat neck pickup that a humbucker just can't duplicate. Regular humbuckers are just a little wooly on the top end, but Fender-style single coils are just a little too weedy and thin. P90s aren't quite perfect either, and NFs are just a touch bolder than I want them to be compared to Fender single coils.

Are 408s the answer...?

 

[windsongstudios]

Yes 408's are def the answer

 

[]-[@n$0Ma☩!©]

Are 408s the answer...?

Narrow 408 or DD2 get me there.

 

[László]

Are 408s the answer...?

Not sure there is a "the" answer, but they sure an "an" answer. Great, great pickups.

 

[Whitecat]

Depends on what I'm playing! If a genie popped up and said I could only have one type of pickup for the rest of my life it would be P90s. But there is a place for 'buckers and you'd have to pull my Strat & Tele (esque) guitars from my cold dead hands anyway too.

Also, soloing is so passé.

 

[andy474x]

I love a good humbucker... putting 57/08's in my Akesson SE was the best gear decision I think I've ever made. That thing is thick like molasses on a cold day. Single coils are ok, I like em for cleans and light OD, but humbuckers have that mid push that really defines things, and aren't too ice picky in the bridge position.

That being said, I REALLY would like to get a P90 axe, those things are thick and rowdy all at the same time. I have been infinitesimally close to buying a Mira soapbar on more than one occasion. Last spring a shop in Canada was blowing one out, almost bought it but their shipping policy was shady as hell, and I wasn't about to mess with sending a hunk of wood through US customs from a sender that didn't have their act together. Then a beautiful scarlet smokeburst came up for a screamin deal on VR a few weeks ago, I was scrambling to sell a guitar and when I finally did... she was gone. The quest continues.

 

[László]

Also, soloing is so passé.

Ha!

No.

 

[MJ Postma]

59/09 pups in the neck position.....Sweet tones. All I need

 

[megaboogie]

I roll with 408's too, they are the big, warm solo tones for me.

 

[C&M Music - Lafayette]

What! No love for the 53-10s' ! I am intrigued by the 408s and will have to see what this is all about. The 53-10s in humbucker or single coil mode are the sweet spot for me. My favorite position with my ME is both 53-10 pups in single coil mode. Heavenly!

 

[andy474x]

What! No love for the 53-10s' ! I am intrigued by the 408s and will have to see what this is all about. The 53-10s in humbucker or single coil mode are the sweet spot for me. My favorite position with my ME is both 53-10 pups in single coil mode. Heavenly!

I would love to get my hands on a set, but they're so hard to find. Plus I need a guitar to put them in...

 

[CantankerousCarl]

I have been using the middle rotary position on my Standard 24 alot for this lately, which according to the official web site is "Position 8: Series single coils – Warm version of the "in between the treble and middle pickups""

and +1 for the 408s, in the neck, in single-coil mode for leads...also excellent clean combined with bucker bridge.

 

[sergiodeblanc]

Single coils... in front of a fireplace.

 

[Gnal]

I like Humbuckers for pretty much everything. I like the 250 Treble for a more cutting tone and use a 250 bass or #7 bass for cleaner tones (neck and bridge at different volumes). I try to use the middle position as a thicker distorted sound for Rhythm and then toggle to one pup or the other for clean / lead.

EDIT: I don't think I really answered the topic of Big Warm solo tones... I have the amp setup fairly warm and I get the warmer tones from the Neck and its usually kept fairly clean.

 

[László]

What! No love for the 53-10s' ! I am intrigued by the 408s and will have to see what this is all about. The 53-10s in humbucker or single coil mode are the sweet spot for me. My favorite position with my ME is both 53-10 pups in single coil mode. Heavenly!

Oh, I have a lot of love for 53/10s. Had 'em on my last Singlecut. I'd have ordered the next one with them again, but they're no longer available, much to my chagrin.

I do have one with 57/08s being built.

But the 53/10s are special pickups, no doubt.

 

[Suppalak Klabdee]

For that warm solo tone, I love both position, single coil and bucker, on my neck pickup in both PG and 408 :top: