Neck Singlecoils

[CantankerousCarl]

I have found my taste over the past year or two definitely leaning toward having a single coil in the neck position. It makes me happy. Something about a round-yet-gritty neck pickup sound that just does it for me.

I think it started with the 408s - which I consider a true neck singlecoil when tapped/split/coil-added/whatever. The Vela really put me over the edge I think. Now all of a sudden I find Strats and Ibanez ATs in my basement alongside my PRSes. Definitely need the extra oomph at the bridge, though.

I don't really have a point. But...sure would be awesome to see something HSS in the PRS catalog though. Some sort of S2 pickguardy-entity with two TypeDs and a bridge bucker and a 5-way.

 

[sergiodeblanc]

Preaching to the choir, my man.

 

[John Beef]

Get yourself a Fralin P-92 in the 8K - 8.5K range and thank me later.

Actually, Fralin's got a bunch of new single coil type products in humbucker packages these days.

 

[guitarman001]

I've said many times before... my Cu24s can't be beaten for raw rock.... but they can't beat my Suhr when it comes to twang. If they could only do that, it would be the ultimate instrument.

 

[justmund]

Heck yes. I know this is blasphemy but the best tone I've ever heard from a neck pickup was on TLW' Masterbuilt Strat. If it wasn't a Strat, I would have bought it off him yonks ago.

I did want to put Fralin Big Singles in my Santana Proto but neither they, nor the Australian distributor ever got back to me.

 

[guitarman001]

I'm right in saying that the split positions on a Cu24 cause a noticeable volume drop, right? Whereas on the 408, you don't get that?

What models do and don't you get that volume drop on?

 

[garrettb]

I'm with ya! For humbuckers, I like an underwound neck pickup for the brightness and clarity. Still can't top a Strat single coil, though.

I've been saying the S2 Standard 22 is a perfect candidate for an HSS setup. We need an S2 EG!

 

[Mikegarveyblues]

Oh man...

Neck single coil through a lightly overdriven valve amp fitted with 12 inches of vibrating joy is where it's at! Took me a long while to like the bridge position of a Strat though. Finally nailed that when I paired up the Seymour Duncan SSL-5 bridge with the SSL-1's.

HB's where the opposite. Always found neck pups too wooly until I got the Bernie. Both stock and Mule have been great.

I'd have those SD pups fitted to a maple necked PS PRS if I had the money... Even an S2 or SE... Mmmmm!

 

[G-Man]

Don Lace sensors in the neck sound awesome. Gold is a 57 and the blue is a hum bucker like sound. Super quiet.

 

[kbprs]

I have found my taste over the past year or two definitely leaning toward having a single coil in the neck position. It makes me happy. Something about a round-yet-gritty neck pickup sound that just does it for me.

I think it started with the 408s - which I consider a true neck singlecoil when tapped/split/coil-added/whatever. The Vela really put me over the edge I think. Now all of a sudden I find Strats and Ibanez ATs in my basement alongside my PRSes. Definitely need the extra oomph at the bridge, though.

I don't really have a point. But...sure would be awesome to see something HSS in the PRS catalog though. Some sort of S2 pickguardy-entity with two TypeDs and a bridge bucker and a 5-way.

Fully agree. Ironically, I think the split neck \m/ pickup might be my favorite, or at least tied with the 57/58/D-type.

An S2 Custom 22 SH would be pretty bitchin' in that config, I think.

 

[sergiodeblanc]

Don Lace sensors in the neck sound awesome. Gold is a 57 and the blue is a hum bucker like sound. Super quiet.

+1 but I like Red for clean and Silver for dirty.

 

[guitarman001]

Have to say I would NOT swap the neck HB for a SC on my Cu24 - the creamy lead tone thanks to the HB is way more important to me than a single coil sound at the neck.

 

[jcolmn]

I'm right in saying that the split positions on a Cu24 cause a noticeable volume drop, right? Whereas on the 408, you don't get that?

What models do and don't you get that volume drop on?

It is really only the 408. What you can do to limit the volume drop is to add a resistor to the ground loop on the tap switch. You add it between the ground lug and the outside of the pot. Similar to what has already been posted about specs on the DGT.

For example a stock Vintage Bass is 8.5K and tapped it is 4.25 or something like that. If you add 3.5K resistor when it is tapped it turns to a 12K/2=6K resistance...in the realm of a strat single coil. I haven't ever added another 8.5K of resistance to the split ground loop so that when split it still at 8.5k but I may try that someday. With this you would still have hum. With the 408, Fralins or Laces there of course is none.

 

[ViperDoc]

Oh man...

Neck single coil through a lightly overdriven valve amp fitted with 12 inches of vibrating joy is where it's at! Took me a long while to like the bridge position of a Strat though. Finally nailed that when I paired up the Seymour Duncan SSL-5 bridge with the SSL-1's.

HB's where the opposite. Always found neck pups too wooly until I got the Bernie. Both stock and Mule have been great.

I'd have those SD pups fitted to a maple necked PS PRS if I had the money... Even an S2 or SE... Mmmmm!

You lost me at "12 inches of vibrating joy".

 

[IRG]

I love the single coil sound in the neck. I think all three of my PRSi get the single coil tap function used most of the time when I'm in the neck (or even middle) positions.

Epiphone made a cool Les Paul model recently, the Lee Malia model, that has a fairly high output Gibson humbucker in the bridge, and a P94 single coil in the neck. Owners have raved about this combo. And Malia is a metal guitarist too, although I'm not familiar with his work (although I like a lot of older metal).

PRS could do something like this, especially with the S2 line, which I've mentioned before. It might even eliminate the need for the split coil option, as I never use it on the bride humbucker anyways. A humbucker sized single coil/P-90 variety in the neck, would be very popular, like the Vela. But do it with the Singlecut and Custom 24/22 models too.

I might take John Beef's suggestion, and drop a Fralin in my S2 Custom 22 neck position. And maybe something hotter in the bridge.

 

[RedGuitars]

 

[Raven17]

Yes sir! I have tons of dual bucker guitars, but a bridge bucker with single coil neck is hella good. I have a few but my fav is a run of Custom Shop satin black Charvels from a few years ago. I have a Seymour Duncan custom shop bridge paired with a quarter pounder neck.





I'd love to spec a private stock I. This configuration, has anyone done this?

 

[swede71]

This is why 2 volume knobs are so good with 2 humbuckers .I also love the neck singlecoil sound and with 2 volume knobs I can lower volume for neck pickup and have a very nice fat "singlecoily " sound.Thanks David Grissom!

 

[Maertl513]

Good morning, I won´t advertise my versatile PRS model as THE tool of choice concerning the thread opener´s post.

Rating only by esthetically reasons sergiodeblanc´s guitar proposals deal with a improvised outlook. Don´t get me wrong: form follows function.

Raven17´s Charvel has the right cavity for the right pickup measures.

I´ll present two suggestions for a SH guitar:

Example one: Sign T-Bone (Sign Guitars, German luthier; this guitar was property of my former guitar teacher, but stolen a few month ago)

Example two: Rockinger/Duesenberg Rudvog (I guess Duesenberg is well known in the US; it´s my guitar; 5 Rudvogs have been built, but I purchased the only swampy)

If you weren´t about to give the Private Stock Division a new task, RedGuitars´ tip of a second hand PRS Studio will fulfill your considerations best.

 

[László]

The thing I liked best about both of my 408s (one was a Sig Ltd) was the wonderful split coil sound of the neck pickup. But It's also really nice to have a humbucker neck pickup tone, for certain styles and tones. The 408 is a great solution.

Of my current guitars, lately I've fallen in love with the full-on humbucker neck pickup on the 30th Anni CU24. It's just a gorgeous sound, with an almost P-90-like bite, but a nice overall warmth like a great humbucker. Hard to describe, but wonderful once you hear it with a properly set up amp. To die for with my DG30 amp, in any event.