single pickup guitars - one trick pony?

[iwantdigimon]

Good morning,

Would like to hear some views on this

for example's sake, let's perhaps look at the PRS SE One or the Gibson Les Paul junior.

Are these guitars meant to be solely rhythm guitars? or can they do much more?

 

[subversion]

Holdsworth owns everyone with a single pickup guitar...

 

[iwantdigimon]

cool! but does he use it only for fusion jazz?

 

[matthewchj]

Hmm. Well as long as you keep your tone knob you should still have quite a few tonal options.

One good thing about single pickups, is that they look as cool as hell!

 

[iwantdigimon]

okay, but it seems that most single pickup models come with only the volume knob..

 

[ShredCow]

You can do a heck of a lot of things with a volume knob. And picks. And fingers. Listen for the differences! Pick nearer to the neck, the tone changes. Nearer to the bridge, tone changes. And the key tone shaping tone - the volume knob.

I would use a single pickup guitar without any qualms and it can be a very refreshing experience, this single pickup thing. I bought a single-pickup guitar just for kicks and to see how far I could go with 'just one pickup' - its a sobering experience! Lots of learning too.

 

[asdf]

it is a challenge. we are pampered with too many pickups.

 

[iwantdigimon]

That's great to hear! I'd just like to experience this no-frills approach, I think it sort of forces you to become more creative and stuff..

Thanks for the inputs, Shredcow! Incidentally, what single pickups guitar do you own? care to share?

 

[matthewchj]

okay, but it seems that most single pickup models come with only the volume knob..

Rewire the volume as a tone knob, then buy a volume pedal.

I think the tone of a single pickup guitar will be different from two or more pups, due to the minimal wiring and routing in the body.

 

[subversion]

okay, but it seems that most single pickup models come with only the volume knob..

not really... depends on the model/ brand name. i have mine wired to feature:

*a kill switch (volume)
*tone knob

 

[iwantdigimon]

But are these guitars limited in terms of lead playing capability? say, in terms of a P90 pickup..

 

[ShredCow]

Thanks for the inputs, Shredcow! Incidentally, what single pickups guitar do you own? care to share?

This:

For sale though... since I got another guitar...

And I actually treat a C-8 like a single pickup guitar,

I only use the bridge EMG - I absolutely detest the neck EMG-808. So its sort of a single pickup guitar, "in the spirit".

 

[iwantdigimon]

Omg thts fcking beautiful!!!

 

[ShredCow]

But are these guitars limited in terms of lead playing capability? say, in terms of a P90 pickup..

Why is a P90 'limited'?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qoJuKXcr3wM

 

[iwantdigimon]

thanks for the vid, Shredcow! beautiful strat there is that a warmoth?

 

[EugeneSmasher]

I play both leads and rhythm parts on my Ibanez, but the thing is that I always use the bridge humbucker. The other two pickups are almost never used though once in a while I'll use my neck singlecoil. But for me, my preference lies with single pickup guitars. Beauty in simplicity!

 

[iwantdigimon]

thanks for the inputs guys, I'll be thinking of acquiring a single pickup guitar soon, well, just a matter of which now!

 

[subversion]

my other single pickup guitar has only 1 VOL knob but it has a coil-splitter for days when i get bored & in need of tonal variation. i wouldn't say a single pickup guitar would inspire less in terms of lead playing, i know my ideas/ capacity isn't impaired by them.

 

[ShredCow]

thanks for the vid, Shredcow! beautiful strat there is that a warmoth?

It is a Warmoth/USACG parts guitar. Actually, the guitar is routed for H-S-H so I can do something like a Paul Gilbert.

 

[Santa]

It's a one trick pony if you're a one trick guitarist.