The allure of single pick-up guitars ...explain it to me, as I just don't get it!

Voxman · May 2017

With a few threads recently on single pick-up guitars, I have to say that I just don't get it. Why restrict yourself tonally? Sure, melody makers etc are nice guitars - but two p/ups would give you more tonal range.

So, what's the allure guys? Is it a looks thing, is it the simplicity that helps you concentrate on your playing...or something else?

Babones · May 2017

I'm not sure an explanation will necessarily help you. For some people, it's all in that single pickup and that's all they need for their sound. Malcolm Young for example. Some will say less magnetic string pull from other pickups, make single pickup guitars sound different or unique.

dindude · May 2017

I love single pickup guitars. They generally look cool as fuck, they make you think and work within the limitations which can in turn push your own boundaries, and they usually have a rawness and liveliness to the tone that is addictive.

Case closed?

carlos · May 2017

Some people would say, with no scientific basis, that there's less magnetic pull the fewer pickups you have. Sounds like woo-woo and very likely is. Some people don't use the neck pickup at all, and either don't care about versatility or just use the knobs and amp to find the sound they want and that's it.
Look at the people who use single pup guitars and what type of music they play. Punk guitar - full on bridge humbucker, when would you ever need a more bassy sound? Old-school jazz guitar - rolled off neck humbucker, when would you need a sharper sound that you couldn't get by dialing in the tone knob?

Sassafras · May 2017

Simplicity.
I usually just use bridge pickups. I can't be arsed to keep switching and I don't think anyone listening gives a damn.

ThorpyFX · May 2017

carlos said:

Some people would say, with no scientific basis, that there's less magnetic pull the fewer pickups you have. Sounds like woo-woo and very likely is.

How can this not be true? A magnet imparts a force of attraction on a string, this can be measured easily. Remove one of the sources of attraction and you therefore reduce the string pull. Whether this is significant enough that it is noticeable sonically or in sustain is a separate issue. So not "woo woo" just not necessarily as noticeable as some would say.

stimpsonslostson · May 2017

I won't explain... If you don't get em, there'll be more for me!

timmysoft · May 2017

Some people don't want versatility, some of us don't really use neck pickups. I don't see a single pickup guitar as a restriction at all.

WezV · May 2017

carlos said:

Some people would say, with no scientific basis, that there's less magnetic pull the fewer pickups you have. Sounds like woo-woo and very likely is.

The scientific basis is really really simple. If you reduce the number of magnets near the string, you reduce the magnetic pull.

its more obvious with strat style single coils than humbuckers because the magnets in a strat pickup are bloody close to the string.

its more obvious in the neck position than the bridge because the string is moving more at the neck location and gets closer to the magnet

this is all very simple. Magnets affect ferrous metals

Jetfire · May 2017

Its esquires i dont get. One single coil with a three way switch?

sawyer · May 2017

Basically they just cooler than a penguins nut sack!

stimpsonslostson · May 2017

I love the simplicity of a single pickup guitar.
Like many (most?) guitarists I learned to play on an acoustic guitar where picking dynamics, muting, hand position etc are all you have to change your sound.
For me there's something liberating about applying those principles to an electric guitar.
With more than one pickup i switch between them & constantly think whether Ive got it right. With a single I just play.

The OP mentioned two pickups giving more tonal range, so would having an entire board of pedals... But sometimes the best sounds are guitar->amp.
Whatever works for you I guess.

stickyfiddle · May 2017

I've never played an LP Jr but I Esquire-ed a Tele a couple of years ago and it was really really good.

TTBZ · May 2017

Sassafras said:

Simplicity.
I usually just use bridge pickups. I can't be arsed to keep switching and I don't think anyone listening gives a damn.

This for me too. I don't really use any of the sounds a neck pickup can offer, especially a neck humbucker. Don't mind a neck singlecoil used like Tom Morello but it's not a sound I tend to go for in my own playing.

Plus it looks cooler and means less time faffing about with switches and knobs.

Babones · May 2017

Jetfire said:

Its esquires i dont get. One single coil with a three way switch?

Different wiring. Tone control engaged or totally bypassed, for example. Different sounds/possibilities from a single pickup configuration.

GoldenEraGuitars · May 2017

Voxman said:

With a few threads recently on single pick-up guitars, I have to say that I just don't get it. Why restrict yourself tonally? Sure, melody makers etc are nice guitars - but two p/ups would give you more tonal range.

So, what's the allure guys? Is it a looks thing, is it the simplicity that helps you concentrate on your playing...or something else?

The only restriction is not being able to use the tone knob properly. I prefer single pickup guitars tbh but I'm going to build a few HS ones for myself.

Besides... most of the tonal range you mention is in your fingers.

Neil · May 2017

I like single pickup guitars - they make me use the tone and volume pots more.

Alegree · May 2017

I hated neck humbuckers too. i made a very unique neck humbucker to make it usable under high gain. Now I use it just as much as the bridge in heavy rock and metal applications.

guitarfishbay · May 2017

I only need a bridge pickup for the music I write. Just keeps it simple. A lot of rock music can be played without a neck pickup.

Its like a P bass... only one pickup but works for most situations.

axisus · May 2017

For me, they never look right.

I wouldn't be interested in it either in terms of not having neck and bridge sounds

Arktik83 · May 2017

For me, it only works on slab bodied guitars like a Tele or a LP Junior. The allure is the rawness and simplicity of it all. Bit like amps that only have one volume and one tone.

Of course, if they're built like shit it doesn't matter if they had all the tonal options on the planet. But if they're built properly then there is something magical about the entire experience.

Howdy, Stranger!

Categories

In this Discussion

Become a Subscriber!

The allure of single pick-up guitars ...explain it to me, as I just don't get it!

Comments