SSH or HH Soloist?

[SEAN RAF]

HSH.

Get the HSS and put a Hot Rails in the neck.

That's what I did, still don't use the middle, which is why I wish I'd gone for the SL2. Aside from all else, I think the 2 hum combo looks the best on a Soloist.

[Chad]

I'm surprised how many of you think a middle pickup gets in the way. My technique is far from perfect, yet I get around fine with a middle SC. Do you really dig in that deep when picking? Or maybe you set the pickup too high? I recently bought an SL1T and the seller had the middle pickup higher than it should have been and it did get in my way. I tweaked the setup and it ended up being fine.

With all that babble out of the way, I'd go for a HSS setup. I like the neck/middle combination and you can't get that any other way than with a single in the middle. But if you don't dig that sound or don't need it, then go for HH. I play everything from SRV to jazz to surf to rockabilly to metal. I need a versatile guitar and HSS is my fav for that.

[MetalMedal II]

Do you really dig in that deep when picking?

Yes, I am guilty of being a deep picker. And I need the middle pickup down LOOWWWW..or else I'm hitting it w my pick. So low that it renders it functionless IMO. Actually, I think this is one of the reasons I prefer non-recessed trems as the strings are further up off the body.
But, for 24 fretter, I think I prefer and H-S versus an H-H config. My pick still comes real close to the bridge-side bobbin of the neck humbucker w a 24 fret guitar. This is not an issue for 22 fret guitars though.

[FunkyApocalypse]

HH.

But then again I don't really use neck pickups either.,,

[HoddiDarko]

Hate middle pickups, HH all the way, HS is alright too, but Fuck HSS in the ass

This. I like some strat stye guitars with H/s but god how I hate H S S

[lhrocker]

From a soloist point of view, I like HH, but it would be so cool if they did a HSH combo.

[Glenn KK]

Damn, i hate this kind of decisions

I found a used SL2H for 1000€ (1348$), but it fell two times, so it may have some dents and scratches (i asked the seller some photos).

[pro-fusion]

I find that my picking motion hits the neck pickup on an SL2H just as much as it does the middle pickup on an SL1, since the 24-fret layout moves the neck pickup back a bit compared to, say, a Les Paul. But then my picking hand probably rests closer to the neck than it does for many of you. I pick a little more than an inch below the end of the fretboard on a 24-fret guitar. Soundwise, I prefer a neck HB, which is funny because all three of my 'regular' Soloists are HSS--only my AT Pro has a neck HB.

[Spivonious]

I like to dig in when picking and I hated the middle pickup in the Ibanez S470 I had. I sold it when the pickup started wearing down.

H-S would be my preferred setup. Neck humbuckers just sound flat to me.

[toejam]

I prefer H/H or H/S.
Middle pickups are okay, I can adapt to them, but I do find myself hitting them once in awhile. The best bet is to put a higher output pup in the middle and then keep it much lower.

[pro-fusion]

I think a lot of people lower even regular-output middle pickups, since it's mostly useful for the 2 and 4 positions, and those sound pretty much the same (IMHO) regardless of how high the middle pickup sits.

[toejam]

Good point. I hardly ever used the 2 and 4 positions anyway.

[RacerX]

H

[DrJackson]

I bought my SL1 for versatility, then discovered I'm not versatile...SL2H, you should get what I like...

1+!!!
I bought my SL1 for versatility, then discovered I'm not versatile!
All musics that come to mind and I play needs a Humbucker to sound good! and when I try to play a song with a single coil tone, I can´t think of any:think:
however my friend who played all his life Fender SSS Strats, knows how to get that tone, and he knows many songs that use it... like a Single coil vocabulary

I lower a little the middle PU in my HSS guitar too, not loowww dooown... just a bit, it simply gets in the way of my picking

buy that bloddy HH Soloist!

[Glenn KK]

Another problem is:

I totally fell in love for a used SL1, which is amazing, and can't decide between her and a SL2H.

Ipnotized