What I learn from this that if I ever order single-coil pickups, I don’t have to worry about them being back ordered because of Robert placing a huge order before me!
If You Play A P-90 Or Another Single Coil Guitar.....
- Thread starter guitarweasel
- Start date
What I learn from this that if I ever order single-coil pickups, I don’t have to worry about them being back ordered because of Robert placing a huge order before me!
chilipeppermaniac
Ambassador of Decibels
Exactly, Smitty
Same goes for over 24.75 necked guitars.
Same goes for over 24.75 necked guitars.
OP
I tried copper shielding on my Double Cut LP Jr. Didn't do a damn thing. I don't notice and sound degradation with the Hum Debugger.
I’m in the “tool for the job” camp.
I don’t exclusively use single coils.
I really like my P90 pickups though.
I’m with @guitarweasel in that even full shielding, as thorough as Robert goes for, is not a bad thing...but it is not fully effective in all situations.
If that “magic box” is fully effective, well......NEAT!!!
My earlier comment was meant as a “point/counterpoint” opinion, nothing more. If a simpler solution is available....why not take advantage of it.
I find the idea of that little box to be an interesting tool possibility.
The A/C adapter is a bit of a bummer, but not a complete dealbreaker, for me.
I don’t exclusively use single coils.
I really like my P90 pickups though.
I’m with @guitarweasel in that even full shielding, as thorough as Robert goes for, is not a bad thing...but it is not fully effective in all situations.
If that “magic box” is fully effective, well......NEAT!!!
My earlier comment was meant as a “point/counterpoint” opinion, nothing more. If a simpler solution is available....why not take advantage of it.
I find the idea of that little box to be an interesting tool possibility.
The A/C adapter is a bit of a bummer, but not a complete dealbreaker, for me.
LOL!!!
You know...I wonder about this....
If Yngwie claims that the HS3 was the first pickup that gave him a faithful reproduction of a Fender single coil, but without the hum....which mirrors my experience and this supported the audio clip of my DiMarzio's being played clean, how many are buying single coils because they desire the hum????
I experienced this on a brand new Gibson SG.
Got rid of the Gibson pickups...noise went totally away.
I later installed a Gibson 57 Classic Plus in that guitar and gave it to Adrian. Zero noise on the 57 I put in it....
I realize I am not only a member of the "Immoral Minority," but also the "Tonal Minority," in that I am very OCD and very particular, so I can understand how different guitars are considered different tools. Nowhere is this fact more true than in the world of session work and when asked, I play Telecasters and Broadcasters without complaint, but the thin tone, and twanginess of the scale length are just unappealing to my sense of tone.
I'm curious for your critique of this tone, Smitty....
I guess my question is, do you think there is an element of musical society that embraces 60 cycle single coil hum as historically intrinsic, to such a degree that they wouldn't want the tone if the noise issues were not present???
I am curious because I know guys (and work alongside them) who own and play genuine - documented - 1950's era Gibson Les Paul's - and they insist on the worn out, stock tuners as contributing to their magical tone, even knowing there are better, more modern solutions, and fight the tuning anomalies on a constant basis, as if they can't get "that tone" without the fight...
Thoughts????
chilipeppermaniac
Ambassador of Decibels
Keeping worn out tuners for sake of tone is just ridiculous.
BFT Gibson
Ambassador of Originality
me personally dont fret it...( am so opposite "musical society")i dont go back in time for my sound..use equipment from then but doesn't have to perfect..but being an originals player..my take on it..other musicians don't influence me at all. I tend to shy away from the tone arguments & gear nuances..i do a/b the crap out of everything & come up with a solution. for my bands needs...the gear snob stuff..makes me laugh in way..soon as you turn it all up live..it goes out the window....i play mim's & studio's cause they sound right...so much myth floating around..yes there are basic standards..but i tend to think user is the main influence...we all can pick up an original 1959 Lp..and well..just listen..don't think its the tuners or the tonewood ..if only that 1959 LP didnt need us and could play itself
"...how many are buying single coils because they desire the hum?"
My guess is those who would buy a guitar and actually desire the hum are very few, and are probably players who have played those guitars for a long time. I don't know of anyone who ~wants~ a hum, though some may feel nostalgic about it.
I think most first-time Strat buyers, for example, never think about the hum. Once they discover it, they find ways to work around it.
You have often expressed your disdain for single coils. That's fine. That is your musical taste. But, what you have to understand is that, to the same degree you hate them, other people love them - not for the hum, but for the essential sound. So, in spite of marketing, I think there are those who simply don't believe that the noise-cancelling versions will sound the same. I've read plenty of comments on other forums where people who have actually tried them claim this or that "noiseless single coil" doesn't really sound like the real thing, regardless of the claims. Coincidentally, a lot of those same people don't think much of Malmsteen and aren't likely to take his word for it!
So, I think many simply buy the pickups they like, or think they will like, and learn ways around the hum issue.
You frequently bring up your experiences in the studio. This experience is not shared by the vast majority of players. They are gigging musicians who may never enter a studio. The strictures of a studio environment don't really apply. Once you get to rockin', a hum would have to be incredibly loud to affect the performance. I have never had a hum - either from a true single coil or a split humbucker - that can be heard over the music. It literally gets lost.
For me, I get around the hum issue pretty easily. I use a noise gate, and I have a volume pedal in the effects loop, As soon as a song is over, I ramp the volume down on my volume pedal. If I'm In the middle of a song during a quiet part where I'm not playing, I may switch to positions 2 or 4 to cancel hum. Honestly, the only time my Strat's hum has ever been noticeable is during sound check if I set it down near my computer (computers emanate a LOT of noise!) and didn't roll my volume pedal down. I certainly don't ~like~ hum! But, like most guys who play Strats with any regularity, we just develop ways to manage it so it isn't objectionable to our audiences.
Having said all that, would I be opposed to or resist using noise-cancelling pickups in a Strat? Not at all. I have a future Strat build in mind and will almost definitely use some variety of noiseless pickups,
Last edited:
OP
The whole point of this thread was to point out that WITH a P-90 pickup the unit did much more than I expected. I don't even engage it with a Humbucker equipped guitar and to reiterate, it goes into the front of my amp, I don't use it in the effects loop. When I play live, it's usually to a very large crowd, lots of lights around and sometimes, during an outdoor festival they use a generator. I play loud! The last thing I want myself or the crowd to hear is all that added noise.
Since I started playing at around age 10, I probably either own or have owned almost everything out there, from a 56 Fender Strat up to my main 2000 Gibson Double Cut LP Standard with a an Iommi pickup in the bridge position )More on that later.) To my new Special. I like my guitars and amps pretty much stock, but I have swapped out a bunch of pickups. some work, some don't, I have pickups custom made, again, some work, some don't. The Iommi pup works great in the DC LP Standard, it sucked in my PRS. The whole cork sniffer attitude with tuners and bridges effecting the tone of the guitar.....Really? That cracks me up. At the end of the day and especially with a lot of volume NOBODY is gonna notice! You might, I might, but some dude in the crowd just getting into the music won't. Even in the studio there are all kind of things you can do and use that would/could confuse anybody...... Case in point, There is a song that I do believe I posted on here called "Scream And Shout" I did that tune using a 60's something Strat and my favorite recording amp, a 1957 Fender Champ 5 watt amp, all I did was slam the front end with a Fulltone Fat Boost. On the song "Back To Kansas" I used the DC LP Standard and the Champ with an MXR Distortion III and just EQ'd it differently.
Anyway, the Hum Debugger does exactly what I want it to do. And BTW, I like Apple Pie with a slice of aged Cheddar Cheese instead of Ice Cream......
Since I started playing at around age 10, I probably either own or have owned almost everything out there, from a 56 Fender Strat up to my main 2000 Gibson Double Cut LP Standard with a an Iommi pickup in the bridge position )More on that later.) To my new Special. I like my guitars and amps pretty much stock, but I have swapped out a bunch of pickups. some work, some don't, I have pickups custom made, again, some work, some don't. The Iommi pup works great in the DC LP Standard, it sucked in my PRS. The whole cork sniffer attitude with tuners and bridges effecting the tone of the guitar.....Really? That cracks me up. At the end of the day and especially with a lot of volume NOBODY is gonna notice! You might, I might, but some dude in the crowd just getting into the music won't. Even in the studio there are all kind of things you can do and use that would/could confuse anybody...... Case in point, There is a song that I do believe I posted on here called "Scream And Shout" I did that tune using a 60's something Strat and my favorite recording amp, a 1957 Fender Champ 5 watt amp, all I did was slam the front end with a Fulltone Fat Boost. On the song "Back To Kansas" I used the DC LP Standard and the Champ with an MXR Distortion III and just EQ'd it differently.
Anyway, the Hum Debugger does exactly what I want it to do. And BTW, I like Apple Pie with a slice of aged Cheddar Cheese instead of Ice Cream......
chilipeppermaniac
Ambassador of Decibels
Nice to have you post the existence and benefits you've found in this Debugger. The message you intended the thread for was not missed. Kudos GWThe whole point of this thread was to point out that WITH a P-90 pickup the unit did much more than I expected. I don't even engage it with a Humbucker equipped guitar and to reiterate, it goes into the front of my amp, I don't use it in the effects loop. When I play live, it's usually to a very large crowd, lots of lights around and sometimes, during an outdoor festival they use a generator. I play loud! The last thing I want myself or the crowd to hear is all that added noise.
Since I started playing at around age 10, I probably either own or have owned almost everything out there, from a 56 Fender Strat up to my main 2000 Gibson Double Cut LP Standard with a an Iommi pickup in the bridge position )More on that later.) To my new Special. I like my guitars and amps pretty much stock, but I have swapped out a bunch of pickups. some work, some don't, I have pickups custom made, again, some work, some don't. The Iommi pup works great in the DC LP Standard, it sucked in my PRS. The whole cork sniffer attitude with tuners and bridges effecting the tone of the guitar.....Really? That cracks me up. At the end of the day and especially with a lot of volume NOBODY is gonna notice! You might, I might, but some dude in the crowd just getting into the music won't. Even in the studio there are all kind of things you can do and use that would/could confuse anybody...... Case in point, There is a song that I do believe I posted on here called "Scream And Shout" I did that tune using a 60's something Strat and my favorite recording amp, a 1957 Fender Champ 5 watt amp, all I did was slam the front end with a Fulltone Fat Boost. On the song "Back To Kansas" I used the DC LP Standard and the Champ with an MXR Distortion III and just EQ'd it differently.
Anyway, the Hum Debugger does exactly what I want it to do. And BTW, I like Apple Pie with a slice of aged Cheddar Cheese instead of Ice Cream......
What @chilipeppermaniac said^^^^^^^^
Yes. sorry for the hijack...
I'm probably so OCD about tone because my first job in music was in a studio and I didn't go out to the clubs until much later.
True, a loud crowd will cover up noise...but I prefer to have a quiet rig under all circumstances. Even if nobody else hears it, I would and I can record with the same rig, which has advantages.
I think what really got me hating single coils and 60 cycle hum in the first place was the amount of studio time wasted on finding the right positioning in the room to minimize the noise and all the extra editing time to pull the noise off a recording.
I agree that many people like a Strat tone and I am happy to play them when the meter is running.
And I absolutely loved SRV, and due to his stage presence and phenomenal technique, I tolerated his tone as a listner.
Here's a problem I see in a lot of bands...they depend on the noise of a rig getting "lost" as you say, or poor technique being unnoticed by a crowd that had had a few drinks.
I am constantly asked to analyze and improve a band's tone and I have heard phenomenal guitarists whose technical expertise was lost in poor tone, noise and over-application of effects.
I'm very critical of a guitar signal, but that's what pays my bills...which is another reason I refer to myself as a member of the Immoral Minority....
I'll send you my 89 Squirecaster sometime and let you put it through the wringer....
Last edited:
I totally agree. I don't take a cavalier attitude toward noise, either. That's part of the reason just the power supplies on my board represent over $300.00 of expenditures, alone. I very much agree in making the rig as quiet as possible.
I think that's a good point.
Wow!!! I don't think I know what I have invested in the current board, but I know that I wasted a lot of $$$ along the path to where I am at, but I have learned a lot...