Stupid pickup question

[Farview]

I recently picked up a guitar again. I don't know why, I stopped playing in the mid 90's.

Anyway, my prefered set up was a humbucker in the bridge position (custom wound pickup that was made for me back in the late 80's) and the bridge pickup out of a 70's strat in the neck position.

I was always playing explorers, flying V's, Iceman type guitars and always just had to shoe-horn the single coil into the humbucker bezel. I want to see if I can avoid that by just coil tapping a humbucker.

So my question is, which humbucker sounds most like a strat pickup when coil tapped? That sort of 'deep and bright' thing that old strats tend to have.

 

[ocnor]

You could just get one of these. http://www.allparts.com/Conversion-Ring-Black-p/pc-6643-023.htm

 

[Farview]

I know. The only reason I never used that was because it didn't exist 25 years ago when I started doing it and I had the same two main guitars until I was done playing. If it aint broke...

If at all possible, I would like to keep the stock look of the guitar AND add the humbucking neck pickup sound to arsenal.

 

[slowmotion]

So my question is, which humbucker sounds most like a strat pickup when coil tapped? That sort of 'deep and bright' thing that old strats tend to have.

None of them, especially not an "old strat" sound. Half a humbucker does not equal a single coil; the construction is different. A good single coil will have pole pieces that are magnets themselves. A humbucker will have plain metal pole pieces with bar magnets on the bottom (the same way really cheap single coils are made - ie the ones that don't sound right). They work differently and sound different as a result. You might find something that sounds okay, but you'll never get a proper single coil tone from half a humbucker.

I notice you said "most like" so really, how about a humbucker sized p-90?

 

[ocnor]

Half a humbucker does not equal a single coil; the construction is different

It does with these pickups. They are pretty pricey though. http://www.riograndepickups.com/scart/ProductPage.asp?ImageLink=TBHB&ProductName=For+Humbuckings

 

[MajorTom]

DiMarzio Bluesbucker. My favorite neck pickup for LP's, and mahogany neck + body guitars. Its intended to be P-90ish with both coils, when split, its more strat-like and does not lose volume. Only one coil is actually active, the 2nd coil does not have magnets. It sounds good to me either way.

 

[slowmotion]

It does with these pickups. They are pretty pricey though. http://www.riograndepickups.com/scart/ProductPage.asp?ImageLink=TBHB&ProductName=For+Humbuckings

Wow, cool. About time! Doesn't seem too expensive if it delivers.

 

[Farview]

It does with these pickups. They are pretty pricey though. http://www.riograndepickups.com/scart/ProductPage.asp?ImageLink=TBHB&ProductName=For+Humbuckings

Nice! I'll have to check into that.

I normally only use the single coil for clean sounds with the volume backed way off. That way I can switch for clean to dirty just by flipping the pickup selector. Most humbuckers in single coil mode are a little midrange heavy for what I'm going for.

All this might be for nothing if I end up going with a different amp. Right now I'm using my 23 year old Laney 20th anniversary head. If I keep playing, I'll probably end up with something else, maybe something with channel switching...