Author Topic: Humbucker vs Single coil volume (Read 3241 times)

badgermark · « **on:** August 17, 2007, 12:17:15 PM »

I loves my guitars. My SG and my Tele are in constant rotation. But I have a problem.

When I switch guitars the settings i have on my amp and distortion pedals is fooked. I'll have everything sounding sexy with the tele, then swap and the sg will be far too loud, so a tweak has to be made. Then back to the tele and BAM! all quiet.

I know that the whole single coil is quiter thing just HAPPENS. Fact of life and stuff. But what do other people do to combat this noticable drop in volume? Any simple tricks to get around it? I don't mind adjusting my amp, but it is the ds pedals that suffer too, my Muff and HM-2 can't keep up.

Brow · « **Reply #1 on:** August 17, 2007, 12:20:26 PM »

I tackle this problem in 2 ways (depending on what I'm doing):

1. I sometimes use a compressor with a slight volume boost and very slight sustain to help raise the volume.

2. I also have a HBE Uno Mos Boost pedal setup to raise the volume when I use a Strat and then switch it off when I use a Les Paul.

Both ways work fine for me :)

Mr Ed · « **Reply #2 on:** August 17, 2007, 12:21:01 PM »

I hated that too - I have my amp setup for my Fernandes Ravelle (hot 'buckers in) and when I change to my Strat (with Lace Sensors in) there's a volume drop so I use a clean boost pedal to up the volume a bit and it helps with the gain saturation too.

Ted · « **Reply #3 on:** August 17, 2007, 12:29:07 PM »

Only a suggestion:

Is volume the only issue? If yes why not try tweaking pickup height?

I only play HB's so I don't really have the same problem. Although I am always tweaking... :lol:

Ultimately there's no easy way of dealing with this, you're always going to have to tweak, unless you get two rigs and an a/b switch.

badgermark · « **Reply #4 on:** August 17, 2007, 01:05:13 PM »

'Tis a conundrum. I have a boss compressor I'll try out, as for pick-up heights do'ya reckon lowering the sg or raising the tele? Got the tones sounding sweet though, just hate having to adjust my distortions.

bucketshred · « **Reply #5 on:** August 17, 2007, 01:05:46 PM »

MXR Micro Amp.

Ted · « **Reply #6 on:** August 17, 2007, 03:54:38 PM »

Quote from: badgermark

'Tis a conundrum. I have a boss compressor I'll try out, as for pick-up heights do'ya reckon lowering the sg or raising the tele? Got the tones sounding sweet though, just hate having to adjust my distortions.

Try the compressor before adjusting pickups. What ever is easiest I suppose. SG might be easier to tweak, its been a long time since I had a tele!

I usually use my HB guitars for dirty and P90 guitar for bluesy & clean sounds.

But I always have to tweak my Big Muff :oops: a bit when changing HB guitars. I also use two boosts but they are "set and forget".

the_bleeding · « **Reply #7 on:** August 17, 2007, 05:07:50 PM »

Quote from: bucketshred

MXR Micro Amp.

thats exactly what i was going to say.
Use the microamp to make up for the volume drop in the single coils. Thats what it was designed to do originally.

_tom_ · « **Reply #8 on:** August 18, 2007, 06:32:35 PM »

I'm having this issue when switching between my 2 guitars as well, I got an awesome tone with my LP earlier (see players forum for a clip), then plugged in my strat and it was much quieter and thinner, bit disappointing really :( I'm thinking of getting a tubescreamer type of OD as a boost, as they have the mid hump so I'm guessing they'll fatten up singlecoils a bit.

badgermark · « **Reply #9 on:** August 18, 2007, 08:45:32 PM »

Looks like a boost is the popular choice. Shame really, I love the individual tones, don't particularly want to change it. We'll see.