Best middle single coil to go with aftermath set

[Adam Pemberton]

Hey there I'm looking at getting a Aftermath set for my Jem Jr and I have had my heart set on a Aftermath set for a while and I had a plan to make a HH pick guard that is fitted for the 3x3 toggle system, however recently I have wondered about just keeping a single coil and having a 5 way selector. This is where my problem is, I honestly have no idea what is going to work with an Aftermath set I have looked at The Sinner Single coil but I'm not sure since there are so many options.

Any help would be much appreciated.

Many thanks Adam.

[Lucas]

After short discussion with BKP staff, a week ago I bought 3 pickups to go into my guitar really similar to yours. Ibanez copy, Mayones Flame CS 2000. It`s HSH also.
I purchased Miracle Man bridge with Sinner middle and Aftermath neck. Only difference is a bridge pickup.
To be honest, I haven`t installed them yet will probably do next weekend, so cannot comment how they work together, but according to BKP staff, will work fine.

One important thing! Once you`re ordering middle single for HSH, please remember to let them know that. They change it slightly to fit HSH format.

[northlane.josh]

A question that might narrow it down is do you want it to match the output of the humbuckers or the output of the humbuckers when split. In the latter case I'd go for something medium output, otherwise probably the trilogy suite. It's not quite as hot but the sinner has a very bright top end that makes it a little hard to get it to agree with a humbucker like the aftermath.

[Adam Pemberton]

A question that might narrow it down is do you want it to match the output of the humbuckers or the output of the humbuckers when split. In the latter case I'd go for something medium output, otherwise probably the trilogy suite. It's not quite as hot but the sinner has a very bright top end that makes it a little hard to get it to agree with a humbucker like the aftermath.

Yeah the difference in output was what I am worried about the difference between a Sinner middle Is only marginally higher than an Aftermath bridge however it is still different and im not sure how that would balance. Id rather have the single coil match the output of the humbuckers so i could still get the output of the humbucker while still getting the distinct tone of a single coil. So the best bet of matching to a Aftermath would to go with the Trilogy suite, the output is much less and sits better with the outputs of the aftermath so on paper that looks like a better choice.

Thanks.

[Dave Sloven]

Resistance does not equal output.

Some people here have used bridge sinners in the middle and neck to balance with a Miracle Man bridge.  I get the feeling that a normal neck/middle Sinner without a baseplate would match up fine with an Aftermath set but I'd ask the people at BKP

[Lucas]

Mine Sinner middle has a baseplate, according to BKP will work fine with Aftermath neck but you`re more concerned about the bridge here, is that right?
As a bridge pickup i chose MM.
But again I still have not installed them, so cannot share my thoughts.

[Chris Rowberry]

It's important to remember single coils just aren't as thick sounding as humbuckers so a single coil at the same output as a humbucker wont necessarily sound as full.  You shouldn't really have any issue putting a higher output single coils with a lower output humbucker. (as long as the output difference is too drastic anyway)

[metale]

Also, do you want it to sound like HSH or HHH?

If you want single coil tones out of it I would suggest Trilogy Suite. I has more of that snap, quack, and even a bit of P90 growl, while I think that where the Sinner shines is to give humbucker-rivaling tones whenever humbucker routes are not available. You already have humbucker tones covered with the Aftermaths, so...

As for volume, I have a middle Trilogy Suite paired with a bridge custom made pickup (think something Holydiver-ish but with A8 magnet) and there is a volume drop going to the TS. However, that's what I expect when switching from a hot bridge humbucker to a middle single coil, so works great for me. With the bridge humbucker split, the TS overpowers it by a bit, but still work very good together.

As for switching, the sky is the limit. I have 9 tones with just a 5 way switch and a single push-pull volume pot:

• Full bridge humbucker
• Full bridge humbucker + middle single coil in parallel
• Middle single coil
• Full neck humbucker + middle single coil in parallel
• Full neck humbucker

The push pull splits the humbuckers to the inside coil on positions 1, 2, 4 and 5.

Then... there is something like the Tosin Abasi wiring if you don't use the single coil much by itself but want it to help the humbuckers' split modes:

• Full bridge humbucker
• Bridge inside coil in parallel with middle single coil
• Full bridge and neck humbuckers (LP middle position style)
• Neck outside coil in parallel with middle single coil
• Full neck humbucker

Then a mini-switch or push-pull splits the humbuckers on positions 1 and 5, and position 3 becomes inside coils in parallel (Petrucci style). I would suggest an Irish Tour instead for this type of wiring, since it never has to work with the full humbuckers and to further bring out the strat tones.

It's a bit overwelming, all the possibilities.