I'm going to try a set of Barden Two/Tones in my next guitar

[Matt_B]

After much consideration, I've decided to try a set of Barden Two/Tones in the guitar I'm going to build in Mike Learn's class in June.

I was going to give this guitar the standard 3 pu + 5 way switch Strat set-up but after reading about the Barden Two/Tones and what they can do, I changed my mind.

The thing that makes the Barden Two/Tones unique is each coil of the humbucker is tapped. This is some Duncan offers on some of their single coils but I've never seen this feature offered on a humbucker. Please note that when I refer to coil tap I'm not misuing the term as some do. Coil tapping means that an output is taken from the coil's wire so you can access just some of the windings. Some folks refer to using just one coil of a humbucker as coil tapping but that is incorrect.

Anyway, when a Barden Two/Tone is coil tapped both coils are used so it's still humbucking but the resulting tone is the same as the S style (Strat) pickup). I think these pickups will finally give the best of both worlds - pure humbucker tones and real single coil tones in one pickup. I've got a set of Bardens in my Tele and they sound like honest to God single coil so I'm sure I will be pleased with the Two/Tones.

[VitaminG]

sounds cool. I've heard plenty about Bardens but not the Two/Tones. Actually, I don't believe I've ever even tried Bardens before.

[Matt_B]

Barden is really known for his Tele pickups and many Tele player swear by them, myself included.

I don't expect the Two/Tones to be the ultimate metal pickup but I have tastes outside that genre which I'm betting the Two/Tones will fulfill.

[VitaminG]

yea, I figured they were more for the jazz/blues set.

I actually like those styles too and am not one of the "strictly metal" dudes. I lack the commitment, perserverence and self-discipline to play the stuff I love, like Nevermore, Evergrey, Scar Symmetry, et al. So my playing falls more to classic & hard rock, which is fine because I like that stuff too.

A nice grainy not-too-gainy tone is very cool too, as is an edge of breakup clean tone that will distort as you increase your attack. I imagined that it's the fans of that sort of sound the Bardens are more geared towards.

[MakeAJazzNoiseHere]

I've wanted to try Barden pickups... I'm especially interested in the humbucker sound but interested in how the singles sound, too.

[Matt_B]

After putting the Bardens in my Tele, I'm definitely going to get a set of their Strat pickups for my Strat but I have to wait until after I get all the parts for the guitar I'm going to build at Mike Learn's class in June.