How to fall in LOVE with Single Coil Pickups

Рет қаралды 2,288

Күн бұрын

As a longtime Gibson player, it took me years to truly 'get' single coils. Here are all the things that make them feel foreign to guitarists accustomed to humbuckers, and what you can do to get more comfortable with them and start integrating classic Leo Fender-inspired tones into your music. Hope you enjoy it!
Guitars: G&L Legacy, G&L ASAT Special Semi-hollow, G&L Doheny
Amp: Mesa Boogie California Tweed
Pedals: Black Country Customs Tony Iommi Boost, Wampler Mini Ego compressor, Hermida Zendrive 2
Rhett Shull's video about tuning Strats to E Flat:
• Why Do Strats Sound Be...

Пікірлер: 63

@DenaliDad Жыл бұрын

Professor JaayBea von Eckl is an amazing teacher, even for us drummers.

@perunasoffa9694 3 ай бұрын

Great analysis. Neither will replace the other. So let's just have the best of both worlds. Les Paul and Stratocaster are both must haves.

@dm6string Жыл бұрын

Great tips, I've used them all. Let's not forget about volume knob roll off as well. If you have a tele with no treble bleed cap you can roll off the volume to around 6 to 8 and get a slightly darker tone and in combination with the tone knob get a near humBurger tone. Of course, using amp settings or some volume pedal to bring it all up in the mix as JB said. Love your vids JB.

@oakritchie2678 Жыл бұрын

Most I've learned about guitars and gear in one sitting 😆 This drummer feels enlightened 😎

@JB_Eckl Жыл бұрын

I’m here for you man!

@clearmanlawyers753 Жыл бұрын

Dude, where are your other million subscribers? Thank you for another great video.

@JB_Eckl Жыл бұрын

I like the way you think! Hahaha. Thanks so much.

@grantandrews4826 Жыл бұрын

I looooove single coils. There's so much clarity and light in their sound. Whenever I play humbuckers, everything sounds flat and lifeless. But hey, a lot of my favorites favored The Paul. Love what you love!

@jfinester Жыл бұрын

I went through the same thing around 1971. Prior to then, I’d been playing a ‘67 Gibson SG that I’d gotten new when I was in high school. I wound up trading the SG for a beat-but-stock ‘62 Fender Strat. I can’t imagine two more different guitars than those! I had to change my amp settings, my strap length, my picking technique-you name it! Eventually (and a Rickenbacker 450 later; never did get used to it!) I found that I actually preferred single-coils, but it took a while. I prefer Teles to Strats too, but I didn’t realize it until I got hold of a ‘59 Tele.

@thenameless3271 Жыл бұрын

Really? Wow. I've been hesitant to grab an SG as I was worried about it being too similar to my strat. Solid body, double cutaway, etc. Might should reconsider, thanks! Sounds like you've got quite the collection there jfinester. Congrats, and nice work!

@daybrow Жыл бұрын

Hey JB, great video! I too love the sound of single coil pickups and totally agree on the changes and things one needs to consider when switching between the two types of pickups. Say hello to everyone for me.

@JB_Eckl Жыл бұрын

Always great to hear from you man. These are all the guitars you set up for me, I’m sure you remember. I got some good education from you in those days!

@johnsguitarmusicanddemos Жыл бұрын

*I made a video a year ago about using a tone knob but on a Gibson SG Standard with humbucker pickups. 🎩🐝 It makes things much more creamy with the guitar tone. 🎼🎵🎶🎥 But I like darker styles of metal so it sounds amazing turning the tone knob down. Great job with the explanations in your video.*

@raoulduke344 Жыл бұрын

Thanks for recommending your channel today. Definite new sub. The G&Ls sound fantastic. My next guitar for sure.

@richmonksgtr Жыл бұрын

I was raised Born Again Evangelical Gibson and have been playing my 2012 Les Paul Studio for the last 10 years. Love my Burstbuckers, but took a plunge with a Lollar Novel T (Tele for humbucker rout) in the bridge. LOVE IT!

@NicaATreadwell Жыл бұрын

The Boogie Barn!! Awwwww yeah!

@JB_Eckl Жыл бұрын

Where the magic happens

@shellsjoint Жыл бұрын

Awesome video JB!!

@JB_Eckl Жыл бұрын

Much appreciated man, I often think of you when I’m making this stuff

@mattsmith1509 Жыл бұрын

JB, my man. I love your vids, honestly this was the video I needed to figure out my strat. I recently upgraded amps and lost the lush cleans from my strat, this vid sorted that all out.

@JB_Eckl Жыл бұрын

Wow, that's the BEST!

@whatsuprodriguez Жыл бұрын

I needed this video years ago when I had to put down my Les Paul for fretwork and started playing single coils reluctantly… who knew I would fall in love with my fenders that sat in cases for all those years! It took awhile but now I just use my les Paul for tracking or for specific tunes live. Great video!

@JB_Eckl Жыл бұрын

Yeah, when I think of you it’s Fender all the way! I came from the other side for sure. Thanks so much for checking this out.

@davidpepper442 Жыл бұрын

Great subject for a video with some really good info JB. I use the tone knob and pick shoulder approach with my Tele and Strat all the time. Humbuckers will always be my favorite, but there is just something about the sound of a Tele that can't be forsaken, lol. I've never used an EQ pedal, but that does seem like it could be useful in this situation. Cheers

@edhornby4885 Жыл бұрын

Use both pickups, the in-between on a Tele is great and modified wiring on a strat does the same job to get neck and bridge

@thenameless3271 Жыл бұрын

I've always found it easier to make single coils sound closer to humbuckers, than make humbuckers sound closer to single coils.

@JB_Eckl Жыл бұрын

It’s true, although in the end a true humbucker or P-90 nerd will always need to real thing on hand.

@druwk Жыл бұрын

It’s weird, I have always loved Single coils? I’ve played both, but almost always on a 25.5” scale guitar. The pick choice is definitely a thing. I use Big Stubbies. Drop tuning has opened my eyes to playing softer. For me it’s the reverse, it’s finding how to get the Humbucker thing going? Creamy. Even though I love the sound, I’ve always ending up selling my Gibson guitars? Word! Noise sucks! In some situations, intolerable. Dig the California Tweed!

@TK-fk4po Жыл бұрын

Great video. I’m actually the opposite though! I’m having trouble with getting to really find love with humbuckers!

@brianrorex8337 Жыл бұрын

An old guy in Muscle Shoals (I grew up around there) once told me "single coils don't lie." They don't and that's entirely the point of using them.

@JB_Eckl Жыл бұрын

There’s truth to that! It can make them very expressive, but they can leave you a little exposed as well. Love that quote.

@trevorcline4879 Жыл бұрын

Absolutely gorgeous tones!! Great advice. I was definitely among the humbucker crowd. Still gotta have a bucker in the bridge though

@JB_Eckl Жыл бұрын

I’ll never stop loving the ‘buckers! But I’m glad I finally got a real appreciation for the other side. I use them both every day now.

@trevorcline4879 Жыл бұрын

If you have 2 guitarists using each it’s magical. Or use both in a recording or even layer them together

@rc600editor Жыл бұрын

Great vid JB. Would be great to have tutorial on some the chord grooves you have going.. love the playing 👍

@JB_Eckl Жыл бұрын

Thanks a lot! I love me some chord grooves. I bet you could easily figure them out though!

@hailmaryrecordings8255 Жыл бұрын

I always liked the way telecasters *looked*, but when I got one, I hated the buzzy bridge pickup. So, I put vintage noiseless in it, and now it’s my #1. I absolutely love playing it and can do almost any kind of music with it.

@JB_Eckl Жыл бұрын

Yeah, the first Strat I really fell for had Fender noiseless pickups on it. With the G&Ls I got past the hum, and most of these pickups are quieter than Fender anyway, but I still wouldn’t mind one guitar with a set of Kinmans in it. Or maybe even a Fishman Fluence setup.

@jikemenkins7098 Жыл бұрын

that lick at 1:22 was sick. I'm stealing the shit out of that one.

@JB_Eckl Жыл бұрын

Nice! In the words of Robbie Dupree... steal away!

@thenameless3271 Жыл бұрын

Reminds me of Pictures of Matchstick Men

@bunnyadrian Жыл бұрын

This is so funny for me. My first guitar was a tele and I've never been able to make a humbucker guitar sound right for me. You're list of issues would read like this for me in my alternate universe. 1. Why is it all lows and mids? 2. Lack of high end and detail. 3. 24.75 and shorter scale lengs just feel mushy 4. Why is there a compressor I can never turn off? 5. I'm always obliterating the front end of my amps/pedals. Do I need a volume cut pedal? 6. Where did all my harmonics go?

@thenameless3271 Жыл бұрын

Ha, that's what I was thinking!

@bunnyadrian Жыл бұрын

And to be clear, I LOVE so many humbucker guitar tones. I'll hear a guitarist and think "holw cow that sounds amaizing!" Then I'll get a humbucker guitar and it just feels like I'm playing a bowl of soup. But I did try for a long time; I've owned a 335-12, MULTIPLE Epiphone RIvieras, Gold Top Les Paul, and a few others. I currently have a Yamaha Revstar for work, and because I feel that I need at least ONE classic humbucker guitar. I just don't speak guitar in the humbucker language myself. I DO get along with Gretsch Filter-tron style pickups. They are much lower output, and the under-winding of the design preserves more detail and provides less compression. They live in their own world of technically bucking hum, but leaning more toward the tone and feel of a single coil.

@JB_Eckl Жыл бұрын

I love this! It really does depend which one you started out on. My first guitar was a Gibson L6-S with hot humbuckers in it. How do you like the Cali Tweed tones I got?

@bunnyadrian Жыл бұрын

@@JB_Eckl Dude, it's you playing. You always sound great. This is why you're a great gear demonstrator; any half-decent sounds amazing in your hands ;) I will say I LOVE the MFD pickup sound for myself. They are already fuller-sounding single coils. So your Doheny and ASAT Special tones are particularly nice.

@JB_Eckl Жыл бұрын

Kind words!! Thanks man. Yeah like I said the G&L thing was a bit of a revelation. The MFDs are one of the best-kept secrets in the guitar world, unfortunately. They really strike a balance with less noise, a little more low end etc. but without sacrificing the Fendery vibe.

@TeleCaster66 Жыл бұрын

I like humbuckers but find single coils mu h more open sounding and I can more sounds out of a Telecaster or Stratocasteryhat I can out of a humbucker equipped Gibson which are one trick ponies to me although it's a great tick. My P90 Les Paul gives me my thick tones when I want them.

@stratfanstl Жыл бұрын

Good overview. In my view, humbuckers seem to even out tonal variations / upper harmonics which are where many player-to-player subtleties come out. As a result, they convey a narrower range of sounds.

@JB_Eckl Жыл бұрын

That’s an interesting point. I still feel more at home with humbuckers, especially onstage, but I could see how singles bring out a little more personality. Maybe if I practiced more…

@thenameless3271 Жыл бұрын

Jeff Beck has said similar things, saying that he only really sounds "like himself" with single coils. Humbuckers sound rather solid to me, it's hard to really sculpt them like you can a single coil.

@jaltsch1 Жыл бұрын

Cool video! I need the opposite…how can single coil players learn to love humbuckers…

@JB_Eckl Жыл бұрын

Good question. A lot less bass on the amp… and lower the pickups away from the strings a bit? Haha.

@Novotny72 Жыл бұрын

I messed about with the height on my bridge pickup and ended up with a really usable tone. Previously it had been just too harsh for me.

@theoverstoker3430 Жыл бұрын

Cuts through the mix like a coke dealer walking through the club headed to the vip lounge 😂

@jeffallen3382 Жыл бұрын

Now I'm jonesen for a good hamburger.

@JB_Eckl Жыл бұрын

Yeah, that happened to me while editing it

@bertgetner9397 Жыл бұрын

Just happened to order a burger for lunch and watched this while I was eating it.

@JB_Eckl Жыл бұрын

It was meant to be.

@michaelzschoche2746 9 ай бұрын

What the heck! How were you getting that tone on that Strat? That’s what I hear in my head.

@JB_Eckl 9 ай бұрын

First of all I love the G&L pickups, but I think the main thing is to use a warm amp sound and not have too much treble in the mix. And go easy with the pick!

@ozoneswiftak Жыл бұрын

Why is nobody talking about how single coils ring like bells.

@JB_Eckl Жыл бұрын

True! This particular video is biased towards humbucker players and the things that make single coils weird for them, but the most addictive thing about a great SC pickup is that bell-like quality.