Deciding Between SL1 or SL2H?

[RobRR]

SL2H hands down. Quality wise theyre the same, but the SL2H, for me, has better options. No middle single coil to get in the way, the knob placement is much better along with a 3 way toggle, not those shitty blade switches.

[AndyK]

I like the SL-1 because I don't own a Strat, and like the ability to flick on the neck single coil for some cool blues/Strat tones.

[DonP]

One thing I did notice on the SL2H is that the 2 Humbuckers seemed to be a little closer together than I was expecting. I've owned other 24 fret guitars, i.e. EBMM Petrucci and Ibanez RG.

If that's th case, it might be why my SL2H sounds so badass. Getting the pickup under the sweetspot of the strings is very important.

I vote SL2H as well, or a H-S config if they offered it.

[Flatpicker]

you could get an SL-2H and coil tap the neck pup to get close to some of the single coil tones available to the SL-1.
I vote 1 humbucker only
What would that be? An SL-1/2H? Hahaha!

Yeah,
But you can't get the neck and middle single on an SL2 at all.
perhaps if it were H/S/H then it'd be cooler.

[gotwtt]

I prefer the SL1.
It's covers more ground tonally.

+1

[petedz]

I tend to mostly play metal however I occasionally like to play Van Halen and some classic rock & blues type music as well.

SL2H IMHO.

Yes, a middle pickup can get in the way. My main guitar is an S-S-H layout. At first I screwed the middle down as far as it would go, but eventually I balanced it with the other pickups and learned to pick lighter.

[Flatpicker]

I never could understand how that middle pickup get's in the way for some people.
How much of the pick do you have under the strings to hit the pole pieces?

I was always taught to use just the very tip of the pick. I can't imagine I could play and hit the pickup.

[srommes]

I never could understand how that middle pickup get's in the way for some people.
How much of the pick do you have under the strings to hit the pole pieces?

I was always taught to use just the very tip of the pick. I can't imagine I could play and hit the pickup.

No shit. Lower the middle p/u a tiny bit and it shouldn't be a problem. If it is you are using too much pick.

[phill_up]

I never could understand how that middle pickup get's in the way for some people.
How much of the pick do you have under the strings to hit the pole pieces?

I was always taught to use just the very tip of the pick. I can't imagine I could play and hit the pickup.

EVH took the middle pickup out of his HSS guitars

[DonP]

Who uses the middle pickup?

[Flatpicker]

EVH took the middle pickup out of his HSS guitars

That may be, But my question still stands,
How much pick do you have hitting the strings to hit the pup?

It's gotta be about half the length of the pick.

[Ben...]

I've always had a middle pickup on my guitars (One was HSS and the other SSS) and they've never gotten in the way for me. I use it as an anchor when I do sweeps once in a while because my teacher recommended I try it. I think that you should think about if you would use single coils enough to warrant an SL1 or if you need that neck humbucker sound.

[zyx345]

I've always had a middle pickup on my guitars (One was HSS and the other SSS) and they've never gotten in the way for me. I use it as an anchor when I do sweeps once in a while because my teacher recommended I try it.

Thanks to all for all of the replies. Additional replies are welcome as well.

Most of my guitars have been in the "HH" setup except for an Ibanez RG and EBMM Luke II I had which I never used the middle pickup on. The above post is interesting regarding using the middle pickup as an anchor for sweeps.

My ideal setup would be a bridge humbucker and a single coil neck. I played both the SL2H and SL1 at my local dealer but part of my problem is that both guitars felt really nice and the sales guy kept talking to me as I was playing so it was hard to get a good feel for the guitar.

Can anyone also comment if there is a volume drop between the humbucker bridge pickup and the single coil neck pickup on an SL1?

[Jacksons Shred]

It's all a matter of preference. I like the SL1's a bit better myself, they feel different (I hack out the middle pickup btw), and have a less generic tone than the 2H's. It's all preference though.

[DonP]

and the sales guy kept talking to me as I was playing so it was hard to get a good feel for the guitar.

Kindly tell him to buzz off.

This is a big decision. Spend a lot of time with each axe and then make your decision.