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Single humbucker advantages?

Raman

Raman

Feb 19, 2003
2,223
3,273
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Montreal, Qc
#1
Hi,

I've mainly played dual humbucker basses, as well as a single humbucker + piezo bass for the last few years. But I've been looking for a more growly sound and started reading about single humbucker basses after realizing that some of my favorite rock bass players use that.

Recently, I got to try a Stingray and a Bongo at the store. Both were great and I pretty much fell in love with the latter. But the store didn't have all the different pup combinations. So I've been reading several forum threads where people compare the sound and tonal variety between HH, HS and H.

I assumed that, for a rock sound, a HH or HS combo would be ideal. (I don't do much slap at all: To give you an idea, think bands like The Breeders, The Cure and Metric.) I thought that having 2 pups would insure more tonal variety (I tend to use only one bass for all my needs). But then I read that some bassists think 2 pups actually "water down" the sound on a Stingray or a Bongo. I'm not sure exactly, but if I understood well it has to do with the bridge pup not being at the same spot on a dual H over single H basses...

Is that correct? And, in a general manner, do you see any advantage in a single H over 2?


Thanks in advance for any input.
 
#2
AFAIK, the bridge pup on a Stingray H vs. HH is in the identical position, no change. I currently have an H but have owned a few HH's in the past. I found no "watering down" of the sound at all between the two. I have heard that some hardcore slappers (I am not one, btw) prefer the H as the neck pup on the HH simply gets in the way. I don't know if the preamp is any different with the H vs. the HH, perhaps some MM experts will chime in here to comment.

I'm very happy with the sound and versatility of my single H Stingray (I play classic rock, blues and country), but I wouldn't mind getting an HS in the future. I will say that, having owned several Stingrays, Sterlings and a Bongo over the years, that the actual quality of Music Man stuff is consistently top notch.
 
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#3
Thanks. I think the comments I read did concern the Bongo more. They mentioned that the bridge pup was in the "sweet spot" on the H, but closer to the bridge on the HH. I don't know if that's accurate or not.
Otherwise, if they're in the same spot, I'd assume you could simply turn down your neck pup and get the single H sound, while keeping more tonal possibilities.
 
#4
"They mentioned that the bridge pup was in the "sweet spot" on the H, but closer to the bridge on the HH. I don't know if that's accurate or not". For the Bongo, that is correct. Sterling Ball himself has posted on the EBMM forum that the single H Bongo is his favourite for that very reason.
 
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#6
it's a much more fundamental experience.

you get used to moving around the single pickup and how slightly repositioning your hands can change the tone much more noticeably. big fan of single humbuckers.
 
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#10
UK Philip said:
it's a much more fundamental experience.

you get used to moving around the single pickup and how slightly repositioning your hands can change the tone much more noticeably. big fan of single humbuckers.
Click to expand...

Your comment reminded me that I used to play like that a lot more, years ago on my very first bass. It's an Ibanez Axstar, headless, rosewood body, dual humbucker and passive electronics. Not much growl to it, neither much EQing possibilities, but a very deep and steady sound. And massive sustain! That bass was fun, steady and reliable, plus the neck is butter. It was perfect when I played electro and dub a lot. (Plus I had a Simoneau jazz bass to play rock on the side.)
With the Axstar, I'd find myself often turning on a single one of the pups, or going 80/20%, and moving hand positions a lot to shape the sound in what were otherwise repetitive patterns.
Now, with my EDA905, I spend more time twiddling the knobs too. But there is the fact that I use a pick more often with my current band (that Breeders/Pixies/Cure bass sound...).

It'll be nice to play with my first bass again. My nephew just gave it back after I lent it to him during his high school years. And my main bass is at the luthier for the week. I'll restring it later tonight (BEAD) and I will play it like an old lover. :)
 
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#11
Warwick double duck. Dual MM humbuckers that can be played in serial and parallel.

or if the money is tight get the rockbass double buck, awesome bit of kit.
 
#13
I've had quite a number of dual humbucker basses to date but lately have been getting into the single HB basses like the Ray. A single HB has more growl to it whereas a dual HB has a more balanced deep sound . It's that growl that many preferred and made the Stingray more popular than the MusicMan Sabre which had 2 HB pickups many years ago.
 
#15
I compared my HS bongo with a friend's H bongo and the difference was staggering-
the HS was more versatile but was cleaner sounding
the H was a snarly grindy beast.
totally different basses.
 
#16
I agree, yet IME single humbucker basses lack in lowend

It's not that they don't have it, it's that they don't have plenty of

And I don't mean Fender Telecaster Precision here

I know (and love) MusicMan approach and its lonehumbucker bite is quintessential, and I gotta tell Ibanez TripleCoil Atks' too. But as with both, the attack is ferocious, the growl (with onboard preamp as well) is glorious, lows are thin and dry, while you really need'em if your band wall of sound requires

I own pair of G&L L2500 (dual humbucker) and Bongo 6 with Dream Theater's John Myung inca silver and HS offering.
While neodymium magnets are excellent, front single is great to retain a proficient lowend for the whole sound to expand

Cheers,
Wallace
 
#17
^ That makes sense, however he's talking Stingray. Active onboard bass EQ. There's an amp too. And strings. No shortage of low end whatsoever to be had.

Admittedly it wouldn't be the first choice for dub or perhaps Motown. A passive J or P would be respectively. That said, there's no reason you couldn't perform those and any other genre credibly on a single-H Stingray.

What's the best bass for ________? It really does come down to the lines and the player.
 
#18
Thanks for all the answers. I'm getting a better picture.

I don't play dub anymore (there's only so much a human brain can take, even a bassist's...). And if I did I'd simply use the Axstar, which is plenty deep and round with massive low end. What I'm really after these days is that growly sound. In rock, I find it cuts through and adds presence without making the whole band sound heavy footed.

As for missing low end... My current bass is a single H, placed in the sweet spot, and I can dial in plenty of low end, with a little help from the amp and preamp. Except it's not growly at all. I end up adding grit to the sound through the piezos. That combination works for me and I'm quite happy with the sound I'm getting. But there's a certain quality that I've noticed to the Stingray and Bongo sounds: Like it comes more naturally to those basses. (Difficult to explain it better.)

This said, if I understand correctly, there would be a big difference here between the Bongo and Stingray. I can understand the advantage of a single H Bongo, but what's the point of a single H Stingray if, as Bobalu mentions, the bridge pup is in the exact same spot as the double pup versions? Might as well get a HH or HS and turn down the neck pup when you want the growl, while keeping the possibility of using it for dept. More variety that way, no?
 

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