Noiseless single coils

Rollin Hand · Sat Jan 25, 2025 12:31 pm

Total flier question nere: anyone know of any good, inexpensive noiseless single coils? Pondering the idea for my RG560. If I add a Tone Zone to it, I kind of want to improve the other pickups as well.

BatUtilityBelt · Sat Jan 25, 2025 3:57 pm

I have a Fender Deluxe with N3 noiseless, but they're not my favorite pickups... they're a bit sterile to my ears. Some of the S-switch tones are interesting though.

idiotsdelight · Sat Jan 25, 2025 8:13 pm

Bill Lawrence (Wilde) makes an affordable noiseless. Hell, his standard Keystones are practically hum free.

Tonray's Ghost · Sat Jan 25, 2025 9:29 pm

Have you considered rail pickups ? Single coil format but essentially mini humbuckers. I might be converting my Strat clone soon if I indeed get another single coil Strat down the line

golem · Sun Jan 26, 2025 8:49 am

I'd tend to agree that Wilde makes the best inexpensive noiseless pickups. I haven't tried every set, but the ones I've tried can be a bit hi fidelity for some. Use an EQ and you can get it down into more traditional single coil tones. I'd stuggle to recall which ones I've used.

Rollin Hand · Sun Jan 26, 2025 3:13 pm

Tonray's Ghost wrote: ↑Sat Jan 25, 2025 9:29 pm Have you considered rail pickups ? Single coil format but essentially mini humbuckers. I might be converting my Strat clone soon if I indeed get another single coil Strat down the line

I don't want the rails -- I am really aiming at the single coil sound, but without the hum. The Ibanez pickups don't get it done for me.

As for the Wildes,....maybe.

thepezident · Mon Jan 27, 2025 9:57 pm

Rollin Hand wrote: ↑Sat Jan 25, 2025 12:31 pm Total flier question nere: anyone know of any good, inexpensive noiseless single coils? Pondering the idea for my RG560. If I add a Tone Zone to it, I kind of want to improve the other pickups as well.

Ask @andrewsrea to build you a set. He built a set of 3 singles for my Squier that I never showed off.
I told him the characteristics and he hit the mark. And they're are pretty darn noiseless........

thepezident · Mon Jan 27, 2025 9:59 pm

thepezident wrote: ↑Mon Jan 27, 2025 9:57 pm
Rollin Hand wrote: ↑Sat Jan 25, 2025 12:31 pm Total flier question nere: anyone know of any good, inexpensive noiseless single coils? Pondering the idea for my RG560. If I add a Tone Zone to it, I kind of want to improve the other pickups as well.
Ask @andrewsrea to build you a set. He built a set of 3 singles for my Squier that I never showed off.
I told him the characteristics and he hit the mark. And they're are pretty darn noiseless........

Also...to add....once upon a time I had a set of Wilde pickups...also very noiseless and stratty sounding.

Rollin Hand · Tue Jan 28, 2025 1:32 pm

Well, at $88US a pickup (plus exchange, plus shipping, etc.) the Wildes are out.

I wondered as well about the Guitar Madness Artec Giovanni noiseless models. They probably won't totally suck.

mozz · Tue Jan 28, 2025 3:31 pm

Most all true single coils are going to pick up noise. Try finding the source of the noise. Also, some single coils have the start winding on the outside, others have the start winding on the inside, could make a difference, i never did the experiment.

Rollin Hand · Tue Jan 28, 2025 6:36 pm

mozz wrote: ↑Tue Jan 28, 2025 3:31 pm Most all true single coils are going to pick up noise. Try finding the source of the noise. Also, some single coils have the start winding on the outside, others have the start winding on the inside, could make a difference, i never did the experiment.

It's less about the noise, and more about "if I change the bridge pickup, might as well..."