Suggestions: Humbucker Cleans?

kartman

Inspired
Gang...

For a while, I've been playing single coil pickups almost exclusively and using a limited set of AxeFx amp models for my super cleans (i.e. Deluxe Verb, CA Tucana Cln). Over the past couple of nights, I've decided to switch it up and I'm trying to use a different instrument that is humbucker only. Frankly, I'm not happy with the results I was getting.

I know this is a bit open ended but any suggestions on amps/IRs and/or presets? At first, I made the mistake of keeping the volume control on the guitar way too high. I got closer to what I wanted by lower in the volume, boosting the top end and cutting the mid and bottom.

I realize that, if I want a SC sound, I should use a SC pickup... what I'm after are some ideas from those that like the cleans they are getting from an HB pickup.

Many thanx!
 
Few thoughts...

First, your humbucker pickups will have a lot of say in this. The hotter pickups (typically 8K resistance or higher) are tough to get good cleans out of no matter what. My humbucker guitars are set up with a lower wind (low 7K ish or even lower) neck pickup and a slightly pumped up PAF style in the bridge. I can go from a crunchy Marshall sound (Plexi) in the bridge to a clean and juicy sound in the neck with only pick attack and no volume knob adjustments. For amp types, I like Plexis with the gain dialed down or for a truer clean, I use the Vox AC30 (non top boost) with bass low enough to keep from distorting in that range and treble and cut to taste. For other amps, I find cutting the mids along with controlling the bass really helps keep things clean. Again, this is all for setting up my neck for that type of sound. I don't used bridge humbuckers for cleans. Also, I'm not a huge effects guy so can't help you too much on best practice on cleaner presets. I do like to add, on occasion, a little chorus and slap though to add some dimension but I keep it very lean in the mix.
 
Last edited:
Few thoughts...

First, your humbucker pickups will have a lot of say in this.

Good point... I should have been more detailed. Both instruments I'm trying are PRS. I have a solid body with 57/08s and a hollow body with 58/15s. Don't know too much about these pickups but I have a chance to take them for a test drive.
 
AC20 12ax7, depending on how hot your buckers are and how hard you play you might need to roll input drive down (very touch responsive). Shiver Clean, don't be affair to turn the presence way up. both sound good with many IRs, but there's matching cabs for both in the factory IRs, so a good starting point
 
The 57/08s should clean up pretty well. The neck and bridge are both in the mid to high 7 range. Looks like the 58/15s are a wider range evolution of the 57/08s with a touch more juice...but less juice than the 59/09s which are hotter. I'm betting you'll be able to get decent cleans on the neck in both sets.
 
If you're using fenders with the buckers remember the model defaults to the high input and you should drop the input trim to .5 to simulate the low input
 
If you're using fenders with the buckers remember the model defaults to the high input and you should drop the input trim to .5 to simulate the low input

Good recommendation. Neck pickup and princetone model with input trim on .5 is one of my preferred clean jazzy tones.
 
Good recommendation. Neck pickup and princetone model with input trim on .5 is one of my preferred clean jazzy tones.

Thanx for the ideas. Tried this... better but I still find the tones to be muddy. I started with the neck only but I moved to mixed neck and bridge. The instrument has piezo too and I even starting tinkering with mixing in some of that tone. Maybe I've just been playing single coils too long and I just need to keep tinkering. Heck the AxeFx makes it a blast to experiment and give me ears a chance to adjust.
 
Thanx for the ideas. Tried this... better but I still find the tones to be muddy. I started with the neck only but I moved to mixed neck and bridge. The instrument has piezo too and I even starting tinkering with mixing in some of that tone. Maybe I've just been playing single coils too long and I just need to keep tinkering. Heck the AxeFx makes it a blast to experiment and give me ears a chance to adjust.

I think you nailed it...single coil clean tones are probably not there unless you could split the humbuckers, or, you'd have to go real low wind...lower than you have on the stock PRS pickups.
 
I think you nailed it...single coil clean tones are probably not there unless you could split the humbuckers, or, you'd have to go real low wind...lower than you have on the stock PRS pickups.
Agreed, the inverse would be like trying to get hb tones from a sc. Singles get great tones...just not humbucker ones haha.
 
Normally for humbuckers and a clean signal I really love the middle position with the pickup selector. A PRS on the other hand with the 5 way selector and the 2 and 4 parallel or split inner/outer positions sound amazing. Position 4 is my real favorite, and I can't get enough of how it sounds with low-mid gain patches as well. I keep the volume pot on full and still love the sound I get, but instead run the drive knob lower on the amp
 
Ill second the AC-20.
Yek's patch is a great place to start.

Some things to note for that amp:
- Depending on the tubes used, it's known to do well with both single coil and humbucker pickups. The Axe models both (Yek's preset includes both).
- The real world amps controls are extremely basic, so take a look before messing with too many knobs on the Axe. Not that it'd be bad, but I'd first get accustomed to how the amp is supposed to sound before going down that path.

Also, the Double Verb is great for cleans. Like what has already been said, dropping down the input trim to 0.5 will allow your humbuckers to produce better, rounded cleans!
 
Ill second the AC-20.
Yek's patch is a great place to start.

Thanx so much... I'll tinker some more tonight. I've been missing with the stock Mr.Benson patch but changed the amp to ODS-100 CLN. I'd like to try the AC-20 idea tonight. I have a batch of Yek's presets here but maybe I have the wrong set as I don't see anything obviously AC-20. Sorry for being obtuse but maybe someone can post a link to the presets to which you're referring?

Cheers!
 
Check out the presets that accompanied the Fractal Amp Models threads, there should be a AC-020 in there...

http://forum.fractalaudio.com/threads/fractal-audio-amp-models-the-presets.112594/

OK... these I'm also aware of but they were just basic AMP + CAB for demo purposes, I thought. Maybe I misunderstood the earlier response but I read it to mean that Yek had an AC-20 preset out there that was not just a bare bone demo. I was hoping to experiment with something that was a bit more polished.

As always, thanx!
 
Lower input trim. Get a guitar with single coils. Tone match your guitar to it.

:) This is a angle that I'd not considered! :) Problem is that I own a single coil instrument. I'm trying to get a nice humbucker clean and not a tone match of a single coil.
 
OK... these I'm also aware of but they were just basic AMP + CAB for demo purposes, I thought. Maybe I misunderstood the earlier response but I read it to mean that Yek had an AC-20 preset out there that was not just a bare bone demo. I was hoping to experiment with something that was a bit more polished.

As always, thanx!

Not that I'm aware of, maybe OP who suggested "Yek's preset" knows of another option?

Not sure what you mean by "polish", but I stumbled on this patch someone made with the Gibson Scout awhile ago, was made on an older FW, but sounded pretty good under Quantum 3 when I tried it... there's some extra echo-y verb-y stuff going on w/ expression pedal controls, so might be the more "polish" you're looking for?

#4
 
OK... these I'm also aware of but they were just basic AMP + CAB for demo purposes, I thought. Maybe I misunderstood the earlier response but I read it to mean that Yek had an AC-20 preset out there that was not just a bare bone demo. I was hoping to experiment with something that was a bit more polished.

As always, thanx!

Yek's presets aren't so much basic amp+cab presets but rather baseline tones that have been dialed in to sound good. It's a great starting point for understanding an amps personality. The presets also include reverb. I wouldn't overlook the presets. With the simple addition of some effects that you're after, you'll have some fantastic tones ready to go.

I think the link h.c.e posted is the correct set of patches. You'll find the AC-20 and Double Verb in there.
 
I like the previously discussed upstream 'reduced turns' option - with lower turns you get faster attack - with enough turns reduction, you might get close to the transient response of a single coil, i don't know but it sounds like an idea and if this reduces the output too much, there are cool options.
I'm not a SD salesperson and I've never tried doing this. I did not say this. I was never here, but this preamp looks interesting... and possibly pertinent - and possibly someone has tried it or one like it. I think i want one.. :D
http://www.seymourduncan.com/?s=+BMP-1&post_type=
 
Last edited:
Back
Top Bottom