Stingray Pickup Configuration: 4H vs. 4HH vs. 4HS

[mgauge]

I have a single H and Im happy as can be with the tone I get, still I am curious as to the HH... I may just go try one out when I have money to 'burn'..

I guess that means no time soon...

 

[renniw]

I have a sterling HH and 95% of the time it's been used as a single H (position 1).

But the day I feel like changing tone, I can.... and honestly, I didn't ear a difference between a single H and a HH in position 1, but the usual IMHO and YMMV applies....

EDIT : I have the wrong bass model... anyway... My comment still applies to sterling owners... and may help stingray...

 

[i_got_a_mohawk]

I must admit, at first I stuck with the bridge H mainly, but I'm nearly always on the setting that just uses the outer coils of each pickup these days

 

[Geddyfleaharris]

I have a SR4 HH and just got a Sterling 5 HH. I have owned 4s in each model before with just a single H. Didn't do it for me. The HH is the way for me. I use position 4 almost all the time on the SR4 and so far that is the position I am using on the Sterling. On the Sterling that gives you the inside coils if I remember correctly from a video I watched this weekend. Not sure what that means on the SR4. I just like the sound.

I do use other positions on occasion and I like having the flexibility whether I use them or not.

 

[chunkstyle]

i like the HS, as it's the only one out of the group that lets you isolate a single coil. i find the neck humbucker a little too muddy and dark and the single in the neck position sounds great. it also allows for the inner coils sound that so many people like on the HH.

but the volume drop off is silly. just fix it already.

i know the reason why the volume drops off, but there are basses out there that mix humbuckers and singles with no volume drop off... the passive Tony Franklin is an excellent example.

 

[metron]

i like the HS, as it's the only one out of the group that lets you isolate a single coil. i find the neck humbucker a little too muddy and dark and the single in the neck position sounds great. it also allows for the inner coils sound that so many people like on the HH.

but the volume drop off is silly. just fix it already.

i know the reason why the volume drops off, but there are basses out there that mix humbuckers and singles with no volume drop off... the passive Tony Franklin is an excellent example.

Does everyone have the same volume issue with the HS configuration? Is it a pretty substantial volume difference between settings?

 

[Barfy]

I have a related question. Is HH going to be substantially louder than H? Or, will it more effectively cut through a dense, noisy mix? I mean, is it like the difference between a single and double barrel shotgun in terms of what can potentially happen when the trigger is pulled? Is it a hatchet as opposed to a large knife, in terms of cutting through the mix?

 

[Bobster]

It's about 15%? quieter. The "fix" from Sterling Ball himself, is to make sure the HH is set within string distance tolerances, (most folks apparently get it too high) and to play with the volume at 7 instead of 10 to allow some ajustment room when shifting to the S.