Is it possible to get a good single coil and humbucker sound on one guitar?

2003amxl

The only thing i've tried that really worked was a variax modeling guitar, sounded convincing buy i didn't like the guitar or fancy sticking a computer in a guitar that i did like.

I've tried coil splits, HSH pickups, coil taps, eqing tricks  and nothing seems to quite get there. Any ideas?

crunchman

The newer PRS with the partial coil taps are the best I've heard.  A lot of it is down to the construction of the guitar though.  If you have a mahogany guitar with a set neck it's not going to sound like a Fender bolt on with a 25.5" scale whatever you do.

guitarfishbay

If you need 100% authenticity then I've never found that myself.  I've found it better to just have guitars specialise in one sound and use a different guitar for a different sound.

If you need two sounds from the same guitar to use in the same song then generally it works better if the humbucker is on the hotter side, so that the single isn't too thin when split.

Sporky

P-rails do a pretty darned good job. 

amarok1971

My PRS DGT and 513 are pretty close, also my Brushstroke 24 with the partial tap.

Funkfingers

Yes. The Fender Telecaster Custom. (The CBS era thing with one Wide Range humbucker ... as distinct from the Fender Custom Telecaster with edge binding!)

Schnozz

HSH Superstrat...

richardhomer

You’ve more chance of getting a decent compromise on a HSS bolt on with a mid-heavy humbucker than on a set-neck guitar with tapped - or partially tapped humbuckers.

The percussive attack of a bolt-on is a critical part of the sound of single coil guitars - and can’t really be replicated on mahogany guitars.

p90fool

Whatever the relative winds of individual coils in humbuckers, they're usually just in the wrong place physically when you only use one of them.

On bridge pickups especially, that's one of the most important reasons why coil splits don't sound totally convincing. 

ICBM

Yes. A HS or HSS Strat-type guitar with a good humbucker and good single coil(s) will do it.

Whether you mean exactly like a SSS Strat or exactly like a Gibson-type humbucker guitar is a different question...

Freebird

I own a HSS Strat, Tele & LP. The HSS is never used for recording as the other two do it so much better, but the HSS Strat is my most played guitar.

Alegree

An innovative pickup builder from around these parts made a pickup specifically designed to do that.

Garthy

It is worth noting that DiMarzio Evo’s were designed to be split, borrow/play a Jem and see what you think?

Moe_Zambeek

I like the Reverend bass contour control for this sort of thing - it works much better than most coil taps I’ve tried and doesn’t generate such a big volume discrepancy.

impmann

Shergold did it back in the 1970s...

skinfreak

amarok1971 said:

My PRS DGT and 513 are pretty close, also my Brushstroke 24 with the partial tap.

I second the DGT. I'm by no means a tone aficionado but the coil taps on the DGT are fantastic. Lots of stuff going on with those pots mind you....

Keefy

guitarfishbay said:

If you need 100% authenticity then I've never found that myself.  I've found it better to just have guitars specialise in one sound and use a different guitar for a different sound.

I used to try and maximise the versatility of a guitar with coil-taps and clever pickup switching, but I agree, it's better to let a guitar be what it is.

martinw

No.

Keefy

Actually I've just remembered the exception that proves the rule - I once had a Yamaha Pacifica 604. The bridge humbucker sounded great either full-on, or when split to single-coil mode.

Voxman

My PRS Custom 24 does a good job, which is why I bought it!  But make sure you get the 5-way rotary (very stratty in positions 2 & 4) and not the 3-position plus push-pulls as they don't sound the same and are just thinner coil-tap tones.  

musteatbrain

Funkfingers said:

Yes. The Fender Telecaster Custom. (The CBS era thing with one Wide Range humbucker ... as distinct from the Fender Custom Telecaster with edge binding!)

I have this in a 52 custom shop. Whilst it sounds good, it’s still not quite there vs 2 different guitars with good humbuckers or single coils