What kind of pickups?

[Robert]

What kind of pickup do you prefer?

Included in the single coil family is P-90, soapbar and lipstick pickups.

PAF and EMG are humbuckers.

What else is there? I guess Piezo - for acoustic. I am creating an "other" category for whatever I overlooked.

 

[Katastrophe]

I chose "Other," because they both have their place in music. Humbuckers are great for thicker tone, but sometimes they can lack the clarity and defined high end of a single coil. Single coils have more definition IMO, but aren't usually able to produce those "fat slabs o' tone" that a 'bucker can.

 

[tremoloman]

I love single coils. Humbuckers are great for metal and jazz, but they just sound too muddy to my ears. I chose "other" since the DiMarzio single-coil sized mini-humbuckers I use on a few of my Strats are a great hybrid between the two.

 

[Bloozcat]

Strat and Tele type single coils and P-90's are my favorites. It's not that I don't like or don't use humbuckers, it's just that I prefer single coil tone.

I kinda like lipstick tube single coils too...

 

[Spudman]

It's strange for me. I'll go a long time playing single coil guitars then abruptly switch to humbucker guitars and think to myself, "Man this sounds great. Why don't I play humbuckers all the time." Then...I'll do the same thing going the other direction. Must be a Libra thing.

 

[SuperSwede]

That is why Ibanez has lots of H-S-H guitars Spud!

 

[ZoSo65]

Well, I voted for the hummers, only because the two axes I have, have them.
But I also tend to agree with Katastrophe statement about the single coils.
But, again, I have heard some hummers sound crystal clear, with clarity. I don't know why, but I'm sure it had to do with the set-up,,,guitar, pups, amp, stomps, etc.
But, yet again, I think with a strat and it's 3 singles, you will get a lot more definition.
I also see people saying the P-90's sound better then single coils,,, well obviously they don't realize that they are single coils,,,hehe
I guess basically it boils down to your taste, what you want the people to hear when you play, and what your playing, and probably a few other things,, heh
I think a good set-up might be an axe with 3 hummers that can be split to "true" single coils, best of both worlds, right at your finger tips

 

[Carlström]

I like them both and find they are equally useful maybe just not in the same ways. But if I had to choose i would go with humbucker.

 

[Riley]

I go through phases. On emonth I'm all about humbuckers. The next single coils.....the next p90's. They all sound great for different reasons.

-Peace
-Nate

 

[Tone2TheBone]

I love the neck pickup in my Gibson Les Paul (PAF) cause it's crisp yet warms up when the guitar volume is increased. A full range neck sound with absolutely no mud. Then again I love both pickups in the Muddy Tele. And my 55's (neck and middle) in the Strat. I can't decide which I love more!

 

[Justaguyin_nc]

I guess everyone I admire as a guitar player uses single coils mainly... so there must be something to them... although I really dig David Gilmour, it seems he has gone to EMG for the last 15 years or so.. but they suppose to sound like single coils with out the hum, although they are humbuckers.. and I guess the Vintage Noiseless? and SCN now.. are they considered single coils still? My best sounding pickups that I actually OWN are VNP's in a telecaster.. so... I am soooo confused what I like...

I also heard a guy playng a SG with humbuckers do "TIME" and well..it sounded as good if not better then gilmour.. sigh..

ok ok I like Singles...
I think...