BIG, BOLD SINGLE COIL TONE IN A HUMBUCKER COVER.
The Big Singles are one of Lindy Fralin’s original designs. Based off of his desire to improve the tone of a Mini-Humbucker, Lindy created the formula of the Big Single. Lindy was pleased with this tone so much, that he worked it into a standard Humbucker cover. With the Big Single, you’ll get a bouncy, round single-coil tone – with no hum. We pack all the fat-sounding goodness by hand into a great looking No-Hole Humbucker Cover.
FEATURES:
- Hum-Cancelling Thick Single Coil Tone, in a Humbucker Cover
- Lindy Fralin Original Design
- 2-Coil design with a bar magnet for silent, huge tone
- Bouncy, rich, warm
- Can accommodate up to 2 1/4 string spacing
SOUND:
The Big Single is definitely one of our best-selling guitar pickups – for good reason. Clean, yet warm and rich, the Big Single is directly in-between the tone of our Fralin P-92 and our Fralin Twangmaster. It has a beefier, bolder tone than our Twangmaster, but cleaner than our P-92. Treble strings sound warm and fat, and wound strings sound bright, like all single-coil pickups. We can wind these pickups with either 42 or 43 gauge wire. 42-gauge wire will sound cleaner and brighter, and work well with 250K Pots. 43-gauge wire will sound thicker and darker and can work well with 500K pots. The Big Single Sounds bouncy, rich, and full. Great for either clean playing or distortion, this pickup will break up a little earlier than our Twangmaster, and is great for anyone looking for beefy, rich single-coil sound, with no hum.
42-Gauge Sound:
43 Gauge Sound:
FAQ’s:
- Which Output do I choose? The 42 Gauge set will sound more like a traditional Fender. Cleaner, clearer, yet still with a thick midrange. The 43 Gauge set will lean a bit towards a Humbucker by being thicker, and darker with more output.
- What lead do I choose? This depends on your guitar and a few other things. Gibson Lead: Go with this if installing a set into a Gibson-style instrument, where each pickup has it’s respective volume pot. 2-Conductor: Go with this lead if buying a Single, or installing into a Fender-Style instrument.
- What’s the String Spacing? We can accommodate up to 2-1/4″.
- What’s the tonal difference between the Twangmaster Big Single? The Twangmaster is cleaner and clearer. The Big Single will be thicker with more output.
- What Pot do I use? 250K for the 42 Gauge version, and 500K for the 43 Gauge version.
- Wiring Diagrams? Here!
TECHNICAL INFORMATION:
J.C. Opton (verified owner) – :
I put this in the neck of my telecaster. It is combined with a blues special in the bridge which was already there. I talked to Lindy at length about what a good hum bucking pick up would be in the neck. I didn’t want to over power the bridge. We opted with the big single, 42 ga, 6000 winds. It is still slightly more output than the bridge but not massively so.
I absolutely love the sound of this pickup. It is fat and warm like a traditional humbucker but still has that single coil clarity. I love it for blues and jazzy chords. I still get all the tele twang and snap with by bridge pickup. Also, when I combine them in the middle position I get a nice warm, complex sound. Very nice. Also, dead quiet. (it is actually dead quiet in all positions. The bridge of the blues special has a base plate which really quiets it down. When I had the humbucker installed I also shielded the guitar. So that combination of shielding and pickups makes the guitar quiet in all pickup positions)
This combination gives the guitar a tremendous amount of versatility. I have two pretty nice Strats in addition to this guitar. A Jeff Beck with Kinman pickups and a Roadhouse with Texas Specials. Both are very wonderful sounding guitars. But I find myself reaching for this guitar first most of the time.
Jose Manuel Prius Kullik (verified owner) – :
Neck Big Single, Installed in my Tele. Very satisfied.
Better than expectations (were already high), clear, bold, round, warm, soft, not as conventional Gibson type humbucker nor shrill; would say a very personal and sophisticated sound. Have a solid state amp, so the impressions are basically in the clean mode.
Lawrence Thomson (verified owner) – :
The right sound! I have a project guitar that just didn’t quite have the “right” sound. I had used the Big Single in another project a couple of years ago and was impressed with it. After listening to all the YouTube videos, I decided to give it a try in this project. It is the right sound. Think if it as clean with body. No mud, articulate and strong!
Tim Colligan (verified owner) – :
Customer added no additional comments
Jeffrey Whitehead (verified owner) – :
This pickup has become a standard on my guitars. Players looking for sensitivity, responsiveness, and expression fall in love with it.
Bob (verified owner) – :
The guys worked with me to find a pickup that would help get my PRS S2 Starla in more of the Americana/country vibe. I got the 42 gauge standard 6800/6000 wind set with Raw Nickel covers. I’m completely satisfied with the results. Clarity & snap increased. I’ve used the guitar live & for recording since the change and it works great for Americana, blues & country. I put together a quick demo of the original sounds & then the big singles: https://youtu.be/buS3Z1RgTi8
Rick Rutkowski (verified owner) – :
I put a set of Lindy Fralin Big Singles in my Ibanez AS73 Tobacco Burst guitar about 6 months ago. The stock pickups were ok, but not amazing. The Big Singles brought it to life. I’ve always liked single coils better than humbuckers, but single coil noise has always driven me crazy. It was always been worth dealing with the noise, but still annoying. Mr. Fralin had rewound a dead 1969 Telecaster neck pickup for me about 20 years ago and that has been my favorite all along. I have other Fralin’s in a Strat and like them as well. When I heard about the Big Singles I knew they would be worth a try.
I got the 42 gauge standard 6800/6000 wind set with Gibson braided shield and Raw Nickel covers. They look great and sound incredible!
I had previously modded the 500k pots in the Ibanez with a treble bleed cap and resistor to try to retain the highs as I rolled off the volume. I was going to remove these and put in 250k pots as recommended but, I figured there was no point changing something that may not need it. I’m glad I didn’t. I love the 500k with these pickups. For the first time ever, I have full control over my tone! Super bright to full mud if I want it and everything on between. Tonal possibilities are endless with just the three way switch, tone, and volume controls on the guitar. Forget about a bunch of pedals when all you need is a decent guitar good amp and these pickups.
USE YOUR TONE AND VOLUME CONTROLS!!!
Without a doubt, these are hands down my FAVORITE pickups.
All of the tone of single coils and NONE OF THE NOISE! Lindy Fralin is THE Best Pickup Winder on the planet!!!!
For those who care, I’ve been playing for over 40 years. I have many guitars, amps, pedals, etc. from vintage to modern. Enjoy and play most types of music. And I RARELY write reviews, especially long ones. I have no affiliation with Fralin Pickups or any other company.