EQ 'ing a single coil to be humbuckerish

[brettchinery]

Hi - any suggestions on how to eq a single coil to sound more humbuckerish

 

My instincts tell me to use the simple eq block to boost mids at 500 - 600 hz, nudge the treble down a bit and increase gain a bit

 

However, any practical advice or suggested settings would be appreciated from the more knowledgeable gurus on here

 

Cheers on advance  

[PeterHamm]

roll off the tone on the guitar is definitely step 1, but in my experience, this doesn't work convincingly at all. Never has, never will.

[cgar18]

Hi - any suggestions on how to eq a single coil to sound more humbuckerish

 

My instincts tell me to use the simple eq block to boost mids at 500 - 600 hz, nudge the treble down a bit and increase gain a bit

 

However, any practical advice or suggested settings would be appreciated from the more knowledgeable gurus on here

 

Cheers on advance  

I use a Seymour Duncan Booster pedal in the efx loop maybe you can try the  Xotic EP Boost see if that helps.IF you like to beef up your single coil then I highly recommend the Seymour.

[Verne-Bunsen]

If I were attempting such alchemy, I'd take a good look at 3 Sigma's Electric Guitar Impulses. Seems like they've taken that particular pursuit to about as high a level as it can go....

https://www.3sigmaaudio.com/electric-impulses/

[shanecgriffo]

tried to post this yesterday but no luck with the site problems- "3sigma guitar impulses 😉 buy one of the humbucker models, they work really nicely"

[mikisb]

Perhaps you can get close to a HB sound with a SC but you'll never hit it really:

 

- most HBs have a lower and less prominent resonance frequency as SCs. So you can lower it with the tone pot - perhaps ;)

Most capacitors on Tone-pots are much to big and lower the resonance to much, but you could try a smaller cap to get the result. A 256 pF cap probably could do the job. Or you just double the length of your guitar cabel wich does about the same ;)

Lowering the tone a bit kills the resonance because of a highter parallel resistance, just turning to zero brings back a significant resonance at a lover frequency - depending on the SC and the tone cap.

In this way, you could imitate the electricals frequency response of a HB.

You could do this also by eliminating the resonance frequency with a para EQ and buid a new one with the para EQ, but you have to know the actual value and this depends on various influences - the cable length is the biggest one. Not easy if you have not the equipment to measure pickups.

This should be the reason why it's difficult to get the desired results with a effect box or an IR - just because the actual output of your pickup is unknown. So where to start. It may only wirk, if your pickup (together with the pots and the cable mach a "typical" singlecoil.

 

- even with the same electrical frequency respone, the SC will not sound like a HB: Even not regarding the exact position (wich makes big differences), a Humbucker with it's two coils "reads" the string amplitude at two positions. At high frequencies/harmonics, the wavelength is small, so for certain frequencies, one coils sees the peak of the wave and the other coils sees the valley. Both mixed togehter gives: Zero! Other frequencies are perfect additions and the most somwhere in between.

These eliminations vary with the string tension and the position you press the string to the fretboard so it's mpossible to simulate by filters but gives a HB his characteristic behaviour.

(These Frequencies also depent on the distance between the two coils, what explains, that SC-size HBs can get closer to a SC-Tone but never get the sound of a standard HB.)

The effect is stronger on the harmonics of the low strings, as for the high strings, the "zero-frequencies" still are outside of the pickups frequency response.

 

Short: The easiest way to get close is a smaller tone-cap and tone to zero, but you'll never get an exact copy of a HB. But together with the band in live situation, nobody but you will notice the difference ;) (the translation of a german expression for things like this would be probably "ant knee throat analysis" :D)

[brettchinery]

 

Perhaps you can get close to a HB sound with a SC but you'll never hit it really:

 

- most HBs have a lower and less prominent resonance frequency as SCs. So you can lower it with the tone pot - perhaps ;)

Most capacitors on Tone-pots are much to big and lower the resonance to much, but you could try a smaller cap to get the result. A 256 pF cap probably could do the job. Or you just double the length of your guitar cabel wich does about the same ;)

Lowering the tone a bit kills the resonance because of a highter parallel resistance, just turning to zero brings back a significant resonance at a lover frequency - depending on the SC and the tone cap.

In this way, you could imitate the electricals frequency response of a HB.

You could do this also by eliminating the resonance frequency with a para EQ and buid a new one with the para EQ, but you have to know the actual value and this depends on various influences - the cable length is the biggest one. Not easy if you have not the equipment to measure pickups.

This should be the reason why it's difficult to get the desired results with a effect box or an IR - just because the actual output of your pickup is unknown. So where to start. It may only wirk, if your pickup (together with the pots and the cable mach a "typical" singlecoil.

 

- even with the same electrical frequency respone, the SC will not sound like a HB: Even not regarding the exact position (wich makes big differences), a Humbucker with it's two coils "reads" the string amplitude at two positions. At high frequencies/harmonics, the wavelength is small, so for certain frequencies, one coils sees the peak of the wave and the other coils sees the valley. Both mixed togehter gives: Zero! Other frequencies are perfect additions and the most somwhere in between.

These eliminations vary with the string tension and the position you press the string to the fretboard so it's mpossible to simulate by filters but gives a HB his characteristic behaviour.

(These Frequencies also depent on the distance between the two coils, what explains, that SC-size HBs can get closer to a SC-Tone but never get the sound of a standard HB.)

The effect is stronger on the harmonics of the low strings, as for the high strings, the "zero-frequencies" still are outside of the pickups frequency response.

 

Short: The easiest way to get close is a smaller tone-cap and tone to zero, but you'll never get an exact copy of a HB. But together with the band in live situation, nobody but you will notice the difference ;) (the translation of a german expression for things like this would be probably "ant knee throat analysis" :D)

 

thanks - great info

 

I appreciate it is an almost impossible but only need an approximation of the sound !!

 

cheers 

[mikisb]

You're welcome :)

Perhaps a measurement of a C-Switch on a vintage style SC 5,6 KOhm could help you to estimate the right size of the tone capacitor:The red line is without capacitor, the left black curve is with 10 nF. Usual tone capacitors are much bigger so this could give you a picture why most people never use the tone pot ^_^

Hint: A SD SH4 with a standard 5 meter cable has a resonance frequency of about 2,7 KHz. But as the peak level is very weak, it's almost a lowpass 12 dB/oct. at 3 KHz.

 

 

[shanecgriffo]

so much info! but i still reckon just go try those 3sigma electric guitar IR's 😉 i bought the PRS custom model .. there is a les paul model too, which i dont have .

[zooey]

Or, stick a parametric or Mesa EQ (or both) as roughly the first thing in your chain, and adjust until you've filled out what you feel is missing. It's not like humbuckers are the Holy Grail, seems like you're just looking for a more full tone.

[cgar18]

so much info! but i still reckon just go try those 3sigma electric guitar IR's 😉 i bought the PRS custom model .. there is a les paul model too, which i dont have .

I still recommend this pedal just put it in the loop anywhere in the chain, but you knew that,and it has a 3 way switch to fatten the single or make it like a humbucker.If its not what you want just ask the store if you can return it.

[jbuhajla]

Hi - any suggestions on how to eq a single coil to sound more humbuckerish

 

My instincts tell me to use the simple eq block to boost mids at 500 - 600 hz, nudge the treble down a bit and increase gain a bit

 

However, any practical advice or suggested settings would be appreciated from the more knowledgeable gurus on here

 

Cheers on advance  

What guitar and single coils are you playing?

[mkornell]

I have this copied down. Unfortunately, I didn't record where it came from and Google isn't giving up the source. So apologies to to original author.

 

<QUOTE>

I was after a quick and easy way to make a single coil sound like a humbucker so I used 3 Parametric EQ's in a line with settings from the Boss EQ-20 manual. It fattens up quite nicely.

EQ 1

Low Freq 30hz, Gain 0db

Mid Freq 200hz, Gain 9db

High Freq 1.6Khz, Gain 9db

EQ 2

Low Freq 60hz, Gain 3db

Mid Freq 400hz, Gain 0db

High Freq 3.2Khz, Gain 6db

EQ 3

Low Freq 120hz, Gain 6db

Mid Freq 800hz, Gain 9db

High Freq 6.4Khz, Gain -9db

High Cut 12.8Khz

Level -6db

(All Q settings 0.7)

For the reverse (That is Humbucker to Single Coil) this gets in the ball park:

EQ 1

Low Freq 30hz, Gain 0db

Mid Freq 200hz, Gain -12db

High Freq 1.6Khz, Gain -9db

EQ 2

Low Freq 60hz, Gain 0db

Mid Freq 400hz, Gain -3db

High Freq 3.2Khz, Gain -12db

EQ 3

Low Freq 120hz, Gain -3db

Mid Freq 800hz, Gain -6db

High Freq 6.4Khz, Gain 9db

EQ 4

Low Freq N/A (Set to 0db)

Mid Freq N/A (Set to 0db)

High Freq 12.8Khz, Gain 12db

 

IOW

A 120Hz -3 dB

B 200Hz -12dB

C 400Hz -3 dB

A 800Hz -6 dB

B 1600Hz -9 dB

C 3200Hz -12 dB

A 6400Hz +9 dB

B 12800Hz +12 dB

</QUOTE>

[shanecgriffo]

wondering if the Op had any luck..?

[brettchinery]

wondering if the Op had any luck..?

Thanks for all the replies - I fully appreciate that it is almost impossible to turn a single coil int a humbucker and you cannot get a strat to sound like a les paul - I just wanted a rough approximation

 

The best simple solution I have found is to use a simple eq block with a boost in gain, bass and mids at 525 and a cut in treble - works OK to fatten up a single coil nicely

[jbuhajla]

Thanks for all the replies - I fully appreciate that it is almost impossible to turn a single coil int a humbucker and you cannot get a strat to sound like a les paul - I just wanted a rough approximation

 

The best simple solution I have found is to use a simple eq block with a boost in gain, bass and mids at 525 and a cut in treble - works OK to fatten up a single coil nicely

Be sure to try the new "Kinky Boost" which is the Xotic EP Booster model. It fattens up my single coils quite a bit and may be useful for your application in fattening up your signal before it hits the EQ you put in. 

[gunpointmetal]

Isn't that what positions 2 & 4 on a five-way switch are for?

[jbuhajla]

Isn't that what positions 2 & 4 on a five-way switch are for?

Those are "anti-humbucker" positions (Single coils in parallel with that far apart physical spacing, "out of phase"y quacky sound)

 

My Deluxe American Strat has the S1 switch which gives you series wiring between single coils, which is more humbuckery sounding. 

[cruisinon2]

Those are "anti-humbucker" positions (Single coils in parallel with that far apart physical spacing, "out of phase"y quacky sound)

 

My Deluxe American Strat has the S1 switch which gives you series wiring between single coils, which is more humbuckery sounding.

Yup...I've got a Strat with Kinman pups with that option, and that's as close as you'll ever get to pulling off this sort of alchemy. It's another tool in the box and a useable sound, but it still leaves a bit to be desired, imho.

 

In the end, a Mini Cooper is never gonna be an Abrams tank, and a single coil can't be EQed, or otherwise miracle'd into a humbucker...😉

[shanecgriffo]

i'll still maintain that the 3sigma impulses do a pretty good job.. no one else tried them?

[eenymason]

No-one suggested the OP get on the Variax bandwagon yet?

I'm gobsmacked!!

[shanecgriffo]

No-one suggested the OP get on the Variax bandwagon yet?

I'm gobsmacked!!

haha he didn't give the impression he was looking at that sort of budget .. no one suggested he just buy a Les Paul either :p

[MusicLaw]

A Les Paul w/ Coil Tapped Humbuckers and Phase Reversible wiring delivers a wide range of tones.