Re: Any Drawbacks Using a Humbucker For Middle Pickup in a Strat?
Is PT using a super distortion on his LP?
I have never played a three HB guitar. I can see were there would be a difference between using a single size HB in the middle as apposed to a full size, do to the narrower sensing window of the single size.
I haven't seen any pics of Pete with that guitar before. Looks like a couple of minis and a full size. What's up with the extra two switches, any one know?
In 1976, he began using Deluxes with the following modifications (Note: early-1976 models are prototypes, most unnumbered, but some with Letraset stickers and some with handwritten stickers; the final collection, with numbered stickers and white surrounds on the middle-position pickup, began use around August 1976):
DiMarzio Dual Sound humbucker pickup in middle position:
Early 1976, prototype models, with black surrounds.
Beginning August 1976, with white surrounds.
Two additional switches (only one on most prototype models): a two-way coil-tap for the Dual Sound, the other a three-way pickup selector (Dual Sound on/off or all three pickups on).
Control cavities enlarged to house extra switches with a larger custom-made backplate.
Neck at body joint shaved down.
Alan Rogan’s custom straplock system.
Specially built metal jack plates replace the stock plastic jack plate.
Grover tuners.
Gibson 340 Sonomatic .012 strings (.012, .016, .016 or .018 for G, .032, .044, .056).
Truss rod cover usually removed.
At least one guitar in 1976 had its pickups disassembled and the parts coated and sealed in resin to reduce hum and undesirable microphonics.
For 1976, Pete had nine guitars for roadwork, maintained by Alan Rogan and set up for each performance. Pete would select six guitars for the main instruments, with the others for backup. The Gibson 340 Sonomatic strings were changed every set on the primary stage instrument.
