1. Welcome! Please take a few seconds to create your free account to post threads, make some friends, remove a few ads while surfing and much more. ClutchFans has been bringing fans together to talk Houston Sports since 1996. Join us!

Single Coil Pickup Recommendations (Guitar players)

Discussion in 'BBS Hangout' started by LosPollosHermanos, Mar 29, 2019.

  1. LosPollosHermanos

    LosPollosHermanos Houston only fan
    Supporting Member

    Joined:
    Aug 25, 2009
    Messages:
    28,582
    Likes Received:
    12,520
    Eyed this new mexican strat I just have to have, but the pickups sound a bit muddy. Always been a PRS/Les Paul humbucker guy---so don't too much about strats/single coils.

    I'm looking for twangy Hendrix/Frusciante sort of tone, so what single coil pickups would you guys recommend?
     
  2. MystikArkitect

    Joined:
    Jul 18, 2006
    Messages:
    10,485
    Likes Received:
    15,758
    https://www.riograndepickups.com/

    Local guys, heard good things.

    I’ve got some EMGs but they’re more for scooped mids and a spaced out sound. Can still get plenty bassy.
     
  3. jo mama

    jo mama Contributing Member

    Joined:
    Jul 9, 2002
    Messages:
    13,336
    Likes Received:
    7,408
    i have some fat 50's in my strat. great tone and clarity with just enough bite. as the name implies, nice "fat" tone. not harsh sounding at all.

    no hum in positions 2 & 4, which is nice, but i usually play in 3rd position.

    i play through a '76 deluxe reverb and am pretty happy with my tone/sound. if youre going for that "strat" sound i think the fat 50's are a solid choice.
     
    #3 jo mama, Mar 29, 2019
    Last edited: Mar 29, 2019
  4. LosPollosHermanos

    LosPollosHermanos Houston only fan
    Supporting Member

    Joined:
    Aug 25, 2009
    Messages:
    28,582
    Likes Received:
    12,520
    Thanks guys, about to get the deluxe reverb as well. What’s a good overdrive you use, the ts9 is too much mids for me
     
  5. jo mama

    jo mama Contributing Member

    Joined:
    Jul 9, 2002
    Messages:
    13,336
    Likes Received:
    7,408
    i use an OCD by fulltone. did a recording session a few years ago and the engineer had me try it out for some solos...i immediately went and bought one. i was playing in an 8 piece funk band and that pedal really cut through the mix when i was soloing. i use a boss distortion pedal for distorted rhythm playing, but the OCD for solos. its great!

    im a tone freak and the DR is the best amp ive ever owned. if you got the money, id recommend getting a 70's silverface instead of a reissue (which are still great amps). it not only sounds much better, but is a better investment too. old DRs are getting harder to come across and thus getting more expensive. theyre only going to increase in value over the years.

    when i bought mine i was actually looking at a reissue at austin vintage guitars...i set it up next to a 76...played the reissue for a couple minutes then plugged into the 76 - i literally played one note and was like "yup thats worth the extra $400". i think the salesman was interested in that amp too b/c he kept trying to talk me into a different amp then told me if i was unhappy with the DR i could bring it back. haha.
     
  6. MystikArkitect

    Joined:
    Jul 18, 2006
    Messages:
    10,485
    Likes Received:
    15,758
    I had a deluxe reverb and geez that amp is clean.

    I like the Fulltone OCD. Had a Boss Blues Driver but was too muddy.
     
  7. LosPollosHermanos

    LosPollosHermanos Houston only fan
    Supporting Member

    Joined:
    Aug 25, 2009
    Messages:
    28,582
    Likes Received:
    12,520
    Thanks breh watching fat 50s vids as we speak
    yea getting my first strat and figured this had to be the perfect amp for it, have an orange which gives me some great dirty tones, but can’t beat this amp for the cleans. Will go with the full tone as well. The way huge pork loin is nice but it’s more of a soft overdrive. Fulltone sounds like it’s on roids
     
  8. shorerider

    shorerider Member

    Joined:
    Apr 20, 2003
    Messages:
    353
    Likes Received:
    326
    Texas Specials for dirt, Eric Johnsons for chime
     
  9. LosPollosHermanos

    LosPollosHermanos Houston only fan
    Supporting Member

    Joined:
    Aug 25, 2009
    Messages:
    28,582
    Likes Received:
    12,520
    I ended up going with the fender vintage 65s they sounded pretty nice.

    I’ve Been playing 7 yrs-ish total on and off, pretty average player, can play and learn most blues & rock but not that hot in improv/creativity dept . Really want to improve my lead skillls and fills/solo-ing. Any tips? @jo mama @MystikArkitect @shorerider
     
    #9 LosPollosHermanos, May 31, 2019
    Last edited: May 31, 2019
  10. MystikArkitect

    Joined:
    Jul 18, 2006
    Messages:
    10,485
    Likes Received:
    15,758
    Scales, Licks, and keys really.

    Others might have more insight as I’m kind of in the same boat, I learned various songs but never got into the nitty gritty of music theory or solo foundations.

    Picking it up back soon though.
     
    LosPollosHermanos likes this.
  11. jo mama

    jo mama Contributing Member

    Joined:
    Jul 9, 2002
    Messages:
    13,336
    Likes Received:
    7,408
    assuming you dont already know all or some of this...

    work on scales every day. there are so many videos on youtube. you can pretty much get a free lesson on anything or any style of playing.

    know the concept of the 'relative minor' and how it applies to soloing and playing in group situations.

    learn your pentatonic scales and the 5 different positions - run them up and down the fretboard.

    mixolydian is great for soloing in country, funk, jazz or rock. its just a major scale with the 7th note down a half-step.

    [​IMG]

    listen listen listen - develop your ear. playing along to records is great for that. just pick a song or album you like and play along to it. try to figure out the guitar players chord voicings and what scales they are soloing in over the song.

    know chords beyond basic power or open chords. know how to play 7th, 4th, 9th, ect. especially useful in funk or music where you are just staying in one key the whole time. look up nile rodgers master classes. he is a guitar genius and super cool to watch. i learned most of what i know about how to play funk guitar from watching his videos.


    get a loop pedal and lay down a rhthym track on that and just solo over that. or go to youtube and play along to something there.

    this is just 20 minutes of west african soukous riff. great to practice soloing over.
     
    #11 jo mama, Jun 1, 2019
    Last edited: Jun 1, 2019
  12. LosPollosHermanos

    LosPollosHermanos Houston only fan
    Supporting Member

    Joined:
    Aug 25, 2009
    Messages:
    28,582
    Likes Received:
    12,520
    Appreciate your insight man, I know the pentatonic pretty well---I usually stay in box 1 & 2 mostly, but even then I feel like I've only grazed the surface and am getting repetitive with the licks I've learned over the years (from SRV, clapton, hendrix stuff, etc).

    Right now I play along to backing tracks, so I'll pull the trigger on a looper. Mixolydian sounds legit, I'll add that to my tool box as well. Thanks again guys.
     
  13. jo mama

    jo mama Contributing Member

    Joined:
    Jul 9, 2002
    Messages:
    13,336
    Likes Received:
    7,408
    pick a key and run all 5 positions and then practice jumping up and down the fretboard with it. know where the root note is in all 5 positions. eventually it will just be 2nd nature - you wont even have to really think about it.

    [​IMG]

    once your ear gets familiar with it you will hear that diminished 7 all over the place. its commonly used in so many different genres...super useful to know for soloing.
     
    LosPollosHermanos likes this.

Share This Page

  • About ClutchFans

    Since 1996, ClutchFans has been loud and proud covering the Houston Rockets, helping set an industry standard for team fan sites. The forums have been a home for Houston sports fans as well as basketball fanatics around the globe.

  • Support ClutchFans!

    If you find that ClutchFans is a valuable resource for you, please consider becoming a Supporting Member. Supporting Members can upload photos and attachments directly to their posts, customize their user title and more. Gold Supporters see zero ads!


    Upgrade Now