For folks looking for single coils that sound thick/quiet..

[70strathead]

The new YJM Fury Duncan pickups are it. I personally didnt jive with these pickups because they're too aggressive mids and bassy ( very close to humbuckers), and i also think the dimarzio hs-3/yjms sounded more stratty and have clearer note definition. The neck position Fury sounded decent, but again, lacks the presence.

Metal/Hard Rock players may love these though ...

Ant

 

[Badronald]

So you're saying that they sound great, but that you didn't like them and that the Dimarzio HS-3 and YJM sound better?

I really like the Dimarzio's.

 

[70strathead]

So you're saying that they sound great, but that you didn't like them and that the Dimarzio HS-3 and YJM sound better?

I really like the Dimarzio's.

never said they sounded great, just gave my description on what i heard. But i know that there are a lot of metal players on this forum and i must have seen about a dozen threads and the subject on beefier SC's in the bridge position. they may work for those folks.

A

 

[Gainzilla]

what I would love is a set of Singles that has all of the charateristics of the DiMarzio YJM set but also sounds good clean or with very mild breakup...

Kage

 

[Chubtone]

Didn't Yngwie get his best tones when he was using DiMarzio FS-1's before he went to HS-3's?

 

[Badronald]

Didn't Yngwie get his best tones when he was using DiMarzio FS-1's before he went to HS-3's?

Yes. But he had some killer tones with the HS-3's as well.

 

[Strat+Marshall]

Didn't Yngwie get his best tones when he was using DiMarzio FS-1's before he went to HS-3's?

I think so.

The HS-3s sound cool through a cranked up marshall with a boost when you are going for yngwie tone but seem to fall flat to me in pretty much every other application. I much prefer the Dimarzio VVs or Kinmans for stacks. Hs-3s actually sound really cool when wired as singles but not alot of people try it.

 

[Strat+Marshall]

what I would love is a set of Singles that has all of the charateristics of the DiMarzio YJM set but also sounds good clean or with very mild breakup...

Kage

Their neutral and kind of dull nature is what makes them lacking for cleans and low gain.

 

[Badronald]

Didn't Yngwie get his best tones when he was using DiMarzio FS-1's before he went to HS-3's?

I think so.

The HS-3s sound cool through a cranked up marshall with a boost when you are going for yngwie tone but seem to fall flat to me in pretty much every other application. I much prefer the Dimarzio VVs or Kinmans for stacks. Hs-3s actually sound really cool when wired as singles but not alot of people try it.

The HS-2 also sounds great wired single. EJ's tone was amazing with that pickup.

Funny you mention the VV. My favorite pickup of all time is the Virtual Vintage Heavy Blues. I have it in the bridge of all my Stratocasters wired to the back tone control. It can do anything. GREAT pickup.

 

[Gainzilla]

what I would love is a set of Singles that has all of the charateristics of the DiMarzio YJM set but also sounds good clean or with very mild breakup...

Kage

Their neutral and kind of dull nature is what makes them lacking for cleans and low gain.

So do you have any rec's for a a single set that sounds great from clean to high gain?

 

[Strat+Marshall]

Didn't Yngwie get his best tones when he was using DiMarzio FS-1's before he went to HS-3's?

I think so.

The HS-3s sound cool through a cranked up marshall with a boost when you are going for yngwie tone but seem to fall flat to me in pretty much every other application. I much prefer the Dimarzio VVs or Kinmans for stacks. Hs-3s actually sound really cool when wired as singles but not alot of people try it.

The HS-2 also sounds great wired single. EJ's tone was amazing with that pickup.

Funny you mention the VV. My favorite pickup of all time is the Virtual Vintage Heavy Blues. I have it in the bridge of all my Stratocasters wired to the back tone control. It can do anything. GREAT pickup.

I have one in the neck of one of my guitars. I forgot what it was, I have a bunch of VV pickups and it just got tossed in that guitar when I was putting it together.

I haven't tried the HS-2 that way but I knew EJ did and I am sure it sounds good.

 

[Strat+Marshall]

what I would love is a set of Singles that has all of the charateristics of the DiMarzio YJM set but also sounds good clean or with very mild breakup...

Kage

Their neutral and kind of dull nature is what makes them lacking for cleans and low gain.

So do you have any rec's for a a single set that sounds great from clean to high gain?

Have you tried any of the Dimarzio VV models?

 

[blackba]

The Fender cobalt noiseless pictures are also really thick sounding. The bridge sounds very good on that set. I don't think the neck/middle match the best with the bridge, but they are a good option for someone wanting modern SC's....

 

[Gainzilla]

what I would love is a set of Singles that has all of the charateristics of the DiMarzio YJM set but also sounds good clean or with very mild breakup...

Kage

Their neutral and kind of dull nature is what makes them lacking for cleans and low gain.

So do you have any rec's for a a single set that sounds great from clean to high gain?

Have you tried any of the Dimarzio VV models?

I did and tey sounded great on clean and low gain but not so much on mid to higher gain where I tend to reside... i LOVE the YJM set for rock applications but I do like to roll the down the volume every now and then and we all know what happens when you do that with YJM's

 

[70strathead]

Didn't Yngwie get his best tones when he was using DiMarzio FS-1's before he went to HS-3's?

I think so.

The HS-3s sound cool through a cranked up marshall with a boost when you are going for yngwie tone but seem to fall flat to me in pretty much every other application. I much prefer the Dimarzio VVs or Kinmans for stacks. Hs-3s actually sound really cool when wired as singles but not alot of people try it.

agree 100%. I've tried just about every VV made, and the one that I liked most for all apps was the VV 54's alnico 5 ( in which DiMarzio doesnt make anymore). The Kinman "Blues" set is cool too. The single coil thats doing for me though lately is the Fender 69' custom shops. I just order a Suhr noisless back plate to experiment with on these. we'll see..

 

[Greazygeo]

I did and tey sounded great on clean and low gain but not so much on mid to higher gain where I tend to reside... i LOVE the YJM set for rock applications but I do like to roll the down the volume every now and then and we all know what happens when you do that with YJM's

I've got the YJM's in the neck/ middle of my tele. They sound good full out and backed off in it. You might have them too close to the strings.

 

[Digital Jams]

Didn't Yngwie get his best tones when he was using DiMarzio FS-1's before he went to HS-3's?

I think so.

The HS-3s sound cool through a cranked up marshall with a boost when you are going for yngwie tone but seem to fall flat to me in pretty much every other application. I much prefer the Dimarzio VVs or Kinmans for stacks. Hs-3s actually sound really cool when wired as singles but not alot of people try it.

Agreed, my HS-3s sound best with a higher gain setting and nailing the front end with just level. Awesome ones and they stay articulate.

 

[Strat+Marshall]

I did and tey sounded great on clean and low gain but not so much on mid to higher gain where I tend to reside... i LOVE the YJM set for rock applications but I do like to roll the down the volume every now and then and we all know what happens when you do that with YJM's

I actually like the VVs with high gain. I don't really do the gained out thing as much anymore but I thought they held up well, sometimes alot better than real singles. I usually set my marshall up for a cleanish crunch and then hit it with a strong OD boost for leads, the hs3s fall flat like that unless the amp is cooking. They (HS3) also have a strange bottom end to them that I just can't dig with anything besides higher gain. They just don't do that cool Jimi/SRV stringy, clangy bottom end thing.

Have you tried any kinmans? They have their own thing going on, SC like sound but a bit bolder and clearer with gain. They have a different feel to them, too. I could go on and on about strat sized humbuckers/noisefree/stacks, I have tried a ton.

agree 100%. I've tried just about every VV made, and the one that I liked most for all apps was the VV 54's alnico 5 ( in which DiMarzio doesnt make anymore). The Kinman "Blues" set is cool too. The single coil thats doing for me though lately is the Fender 69' custom shops. I just order a Suhr noisless back plate to experiment with on these. we'll see..

I have tried most of the VV pickups besides the 54s and the newer area pickups. None of the ones I have tried have that extra magic of a good single coil but they all do a decent hum free imitation of a SC without the noise. Kinmans are really cool, they have their own thing going on and are the only "boutique" well designed stack around. I even had a well regarded boutique winder make me some stacks once and they were garbage.

The 69s are awesome for clean and mid gain but they just seemed to smooth out too much for me when the drive got piled on. I have installed a suhr backplate before and they do work but not as well as a stack/noisefree. I have one sitting on a parts body project I need to get together.

 

[mentoneman]

I think the cobalt was designed by bill lawrence and I was going to mention the Lawrence 280L...a ceramic silent sc
not as chimey clean and pure as fralins/landaus/kinmans but excellent for big distortion sounds.
In fact probably the best sc bridge for hard rock I've played.

Had the hs-2 in the middle of a pearly gates and classic stack and that sounded good in that position

virtual vintage way too bright on my alder strat

the landaus are pretty middle of the road between the fralin vintage hots and the kinman silent avns

the stock singles in my 95 American limited strat sounded sparkly and great for SRV with the two rock opal but not yngwie hot.

Best singles I've ever heard were on a stock 62 strat. Ultimate chime and still super fat and smooth..I swear old magnets sound like they age like a fine wine. Smooth and satisfying.
next was a vintage 70s strat loaded with fralin woodstocks

that's all I've got

 

[degenaro]

I think the cobalt was designed by bill lawrence and I was going to mention the Lawrence 280L...a ceramic silent sc
not as chimey clean and pure as fralins/landaus/kinmans but excellent for big distortion sounds.
In fact probably the best sc bridge for hard rock I've played.

Had the hs-2 in the middle of a pearly gates and classic stack and that sounded good in that position

virtual vintage way too bright on my alder strat

the landaus are pretty middle of the road between the fralin vintage hots and the kinman silent avns

the stock singles in my 95 American limited strat sounded sparkly and great for SRV with the two rock opal but not yngwie hot.

Best singles I've ever heard were on a stock 62 strat. Ultimate chime and still super fat and smooth..I swear old magnets sound like they age like a fine wine. Smooth and satisfying.
next was a vintage 70s strat loaded with fralin woodstocks

that's all I've got

Agreed on the old magnets...plus you take the the 60 cycle hum away, especially on Strats tunes down a half step and it sounds all wrong to me.