3 PUPs - middle's in the way

[Bogner]

Square pegs never fully fit inside round holes perfectly. Best case scenario are "gaps" in functionality. If I were in your position, I would keep the guitar as is and adapt or simply sell it and get something that works for you. I have tried for years off and on to "learn" to work with a middle pickup in a guitar to no avail. I have sold some amazing guitars that I probably should have just yanked out the middle pickup and kept. I can understand if the guitar is really meaningful to you or you are attached to it to want to keep it and no worries there. If that IS the case, leave it alone and keep it. If that is not the case I would sell it and get something aligned and better suited to your playing needs. Good Luck!

 

[chadd]

Thanks for the opinions, but before I give up (remove the middle pup or sell the guitar), I'd like to know whether my idea will work. There must be reasons Frampton & others like 3 pup Gibsons and that this guitar was made. (Not to mention strats!)

All advice & replies are appreciated, but I'd like to start with finding out if my idea is doable. I bulleted 3 specific questions that I hoped could be addressed by the knowledgeable folks on this pickup forum.

Anyone know if it can be done or why it can't?

1: Physically possible
2: Tonally, it's going to be extraordinarily difficult to find something that fits tonally and in terms of volume that much farther from the pickup.
3. Other than what I already suggested, at the bottom of the page linked below, the author shows that the pickup can be lowered dramatically and mentions a method.
https://www.planetz.com/riviera-p-93-middle-pickup-mods/

 

[SoPro]

the author shows that the pickup can be lowered dramatically and mentions a method.

Chadd - You found a gem! It didn't look like there was a spacer but I'll check it out.
Thanks very much

 

[beaubrummels]

Keep in mind, that lowered pickup was only used as a humbucking coil for the other two, not as a sound producing middle pickup.

 

[nexion218]

I avoid middle pups too due to my hand size. On my Dinky, where the hums are a bit closer together, even the neck pickup is a little too close... Salt in wound: its an EMG, so it has to sit close to the strings....

 

[SoPro]

Sorry for delayed response. Turns out, there is indeed a spacer under the neck pup, but not under the middle one.
Only options are to give up (sell guitar) or to try my idea of using a dogear ring w/ a mini humbucker (or firebird pup) lowered enough to be non-problem.
Refining my original questions:

1. Since I already have a variety of 2 pickup guitars (incl. a 2x P90 SG, a 2x humbucker "LP style", and a G&L F100 w/ 2 MFDs), I thought 3 pups would be interesting to try. Does 3rd pup offer useful tonal additions or is it mostly a gimmick?
2. If you are a fan of a 3rd one, what mini (or firebird...) pup would you recommend to go a little farther from strings than "normal"?

thx