HUMBUCKER Vs SINGLE COIL

Back in the day before guitars were electric, they were either flat top acoustic or arch top acoustic. C F Martin and co were the undisputed kings of the flat top but there were many companies building arch tops, Gibson, Guild, Gretch and Epiphone to name but a few. The arch top followed the construction techniques of the violin and cello. The arch top was the chosen instrument for jazz guitarists but as bands got bigger the guitar struggled to be heard. The first pick ups were contact microphones but feedback was a huge problem. The pick ups we know today, the electro magnetic transducer reduced the problem but did not solve it. Feedback is caused by the sound coming from the amplifier and making the top of the guitar vibrate, the whole thing goes back into the amp and the process goes on. The only solution was to make the electric guitar with a solid body and Fender were the first to successfully market a solid electric. So the problem is solved but traditionalists Gibson were still making arch top electrics so they came up with the hum cancelling pick up, the Humbucker. It has two coils with the magnets set at north north and South South so each coil is trying to cancel out the other, the coils are also wound in opposite directions to increase this resistance. So Humbuckers are unnecessary on a solid guitar but people think they are more heavy metal than single coils but the solo on Stairway to Heaven was recorded on a Fender Telecaster, Jimi Hendrix used a Stratocaster and heavy metal guitarists came up with the Super Strat as the perfect Metal guitar

Cool little history lesson, Marko. Thanks!

You'd have to use distortion pedals if you were using an SG with HBs

I know you did, but with a Strat, I said with an SG

You've got to use distortion on anything that requires it. I don't wanna play a whole Slayer song clean

That is obvious.