3 humbucker configuration - help!

[Gibsonated]

Okay so I want to put a 496R and a 500T in my Epi G-400 custom. Only thing is, it has 3 humbuckers. So what should I put in the middle position? I would like something that provides a good clean trebble sound (unlike the 500T)
Thanks

 

[ItsaBass]

Re: 3 humbucker configuration - help!

Remember that you don't ever get that pickup by itself. The only way you hear it is in parallel with the bridge pickup. So you are looking for a pickup that sounds like you described, but when it's in parallel with a 500T.

 

[Condemned soul]

Re: 3 humbucker configuration - help!

Wiring and controls should be simple. Simple makes easier to use. Had an early 70's three pup LP Custom that went thorough many changes. Here is the final and favorite rewiring. I didn't do the work myself so I cant give schematics. This setup gave the guitar a tone that I really liked smoother bass and top end in the middle position. It was wired for neck, neck and middle, and the bridge, with these pups in the respective spots - 59 neck, 59, bridge, and JB.

Would this rewiring be a good fir for the OP?
Would a Jazz neck or bridge be good in this situation?

 

[GilmourD]

Re: 3 humbucker configuration - help!

Remember that you don't ever get that pickup by itself. The only way you hear it is in parallel with the bridge pickup. So you are looking for a pickup that sounds like you described, but when it's in parallel with a 500T.

Didn't somebody make a 6-way switch that fits in a Gibson type installation?

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[Gibsonated]

Re: 3 humbucker configuration - help!

Well I'm really interested in playing metal and hard rock - hence my neck and bridge pick up selection - but I heard that the 500T is bad for cleans so I was thinking maybe I should put a 496R in both the neck and middle positions and the 500T in the bridge and use the middle humbucker for the more treble-like clean work. What do you guys think?

 

[beaubrummels]

Re: 3 humbucker configuration - help!

Every 3-humbucker guitar I have, or have had, it seemed the intent of the middle pickup was to soften, mellow out and warm up the treble pickup; at least that was the effect I heard. I haven't come across any 3-humbucker guitar that was wired to allow the middle pickup by itself, yet.

But I will say, if you do a typical 3-HB wiring, you will want the middle pickup to be weaker than the treble pickup; or else you'll want to lower the middle pickup toward the body more than the others. Because if it's a hot middle pickup, it will sound like loud mud when switched in with the treble pickup.

 

[Gibsonated]

Re: 3 humbucker configuration - help!

Okay so do you have any recommendations as to which p'up i should use in the middle?

 

[Christopher Caruana]

Re: 3 humbucker configuration - help!

Im pretty sure the Peter Frampton les paul custom has a '57 classic + in the middle position. I think it goes: '57 (neck), '57+ (middle), 500t (bridge)

 

[beaubrummels]

Re: 3 humbucker configuration - help!

Okay so do you have any recommendations as to which p'up i should use in the middle?

For what it's worth, all the 3-HB guitars I've owned, the middle pickup was the same model as the neck pickup, only barely slightly hotter.

 

[Gibsonated]

Re: 3 humbucker configuration - help!

Thanks for the replies Chris and Beau! good help

 

[Juanhanglo]

Re: 3 humbucker configuration - help!

Why not wire up 3 individual volumes and a master tone with a regular 3 way switch. You could get any combo of pickups that way.
If you set the switch to the bridge, you just turn up the middle volume to get the two at once. You could get the middle by itself by turning the bridge volume down. Same for the neck position. The middle position yields all three, giving all 6 possible combinations.
My friend had a 69(72?) Lespaul wired this way. Being a noob at the time i thought it was dumb to lose the separate tone controls. Years later i learned that the middle by itself is a great sound, not too sharp, not too dull.