It really comes down to what kind of sound you’re looking for. For the styles you mentioned, it seems like you need at the very least a SSS Strat and a HH Les Paul or SG. So I’ll break down those two pickup configurations for you.
SSS traditionally, they’re configured with a 5-way switch, and that’s what makes a Strat so versatile. With that configuration you have a master volume pot, and separate tone pots for the middle and bridge pickups. Traditionally, the bridge pickup has no tone pot, and this makes that pickup extremely bright and jangly. You’ll also notice the slanted position of that pickup, which basically picks up the treble side closer to the bridge than the bass side, which also adds to its very bright characteristic. When you go to position 2 on the five-way, you’re now using both the bridge and middle pickups in parallel mode. This tone was very popular back in the 60’s. In fact, back then, the Strat didn’t have a 5 way switch, it was a 3 way, but many discovered that if you just move the switch right in between the bridge and middle positions, you could activate both those pickups and give you a very distinctive tone. It got popular enough that Fender started to make starts with a 5 way switch instead.
As you move to position 3, then that’s the middle pickup by itself, which is also a tone that only a Strat with a middle single coil can produce. Then 4, which is middle and neck and five which is the neck. Those two positions are Blues country right there. Some of the most iconic Strat tones come from that neck pickup. You’ll recognize it instantly. Simply put, nothing sounds like a SSS Strat. If configured in HSS, then pretty much everything I said applies, except, that now you have the fat humbucker tone on the bridge. If you can split-coil that humbucker, then you basically have the humbucker or single coil tone in that bridge. But...no split humbucker will ever sound like a true single coil. I’ll also add that “noiseless” single coils are not single coils (they’re basically stacked humbuckers so they look like single coils), and therefore will never sound like a true single coil.
Ok and now to a traditional LP with HH configuration. LP’s are versatile in their own way too. For example, both pickups have their dedicated volume and tone pot. And many also come with coil splitting which brings the versatility to 11. The fat humbucker tone of a Les Paul is just as rock and roll as you can get.
In short, you need both! [emoji23] [emoji450]
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