Can Input EQ simulate single coil from humbuckers?

V

VidarAus

Experienced
Sorry if covered before - posts I could find were old and before input eq existed.

Could input eq be used to shape a humbucker into a single coil sound? Or is there another way to do this?

Thanks
 
I have heard some impulse responses for different types of humbucker style pickups that sound kind of close. But I dont believe you can fake it with EQ.
 
you can try a tone match. Works surprisingly well though not totally convincing. And then of course you are missing all of the phasing effects of the in between positions
 
The two coils of an humbucker interfere and you get some chaos there, tones get added up and substracted...kind of comb filtering.
Using a pre eq you can do something about the overall shape and impact, so that the same sounds that worked well with SCs also work well with HBs.
That does not mean that you can create the illusion of playing SCs.
 
The second-best approach IMO is
  1. Do a coil split of your pickups. Replace the toggle switch of your guitar with one of those models mentioned below which is appropriate to your wishes and needs (assumed your pickups are splitable)
    https://www.freewayswitch.com/products
  2. do several tone matches with the single coil guitar of your choice and the corresponding tone switch positions
  3. place the tone match(es) into your preset(s)
But, remember ... you still play a humbucker guitar. The different scale lenght and the different string tension remains.

Therefore, the result will be more or less convincing depending on your guitar, the pickups, your playing style and your expectations.

The best approach IMO is: play a single coil guitar to sound like playing a single coil guitar.
 
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Coil splitting does a decent job. I have the jimmy page setup on my les paul, and while it doesn't sound like a fender, it does get a refreshingly different tone.
 
I've spent many hours, during many days, trying to make a Fender Custom Shop Fat'50 (single coil) sound like a Seymour Duncan Antiquity Texas Hot (single coil). No matter what I've tired, I could not get that characteristic sparky smoked chime on the high notes. Until I decided to purchase the Seymour Duncan Antiquity Texas Hot to repace the Fat'50. Then I instantly got what I was looking for.

Now I've been experimenting experiment to get that Gilmourish bell-like tone of the Fat '50 with the Texas hot, but I cannot get there. So I wish I had another Strat to install the Fat' 50.

Go figure how to get the nuances of these pickups with a humbucker...
 
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Piing said:
...Now I've been experimenting experiment to get that Gilmourish bell-like tone of the Fat '50 with the Texas hot, but I cannot get there. So I wish I had another Strat to install the Fat' 50...
Click to expand...

In a nutshell, you just explained why I have multiple Strats. I'm fond of buying used but decent-playing MIM Strats and replacing the pups with various upgraded ones. The pre-loaded pickguards from 920D Custom (Sigler Music) are a pretty decent deal price-wise, and are dead easy to drop in a guitar.
 
Regarding the coil-split, my two guitars with humbuckers (JS2450 and RG550 with Gravity Storm) sound sterile in the coil-split position. They lack personality
 
Piing said:
Regarding the coil-split, my two guitars with humbuckers (JS2450 and RG550 with Gravity Storm) sound sterile in the coil-split position. They lack personality
Click to expand...
instead of totally cutting the second coil, try wiring in a resistor between the coil and ground (3.3) on the bridge. You'll get back some hum cancellation and the pickup won't sound so strident. You could also try cutting the outside coil.
 
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