Any Drawbacks Using a Humbucker For Middle Pickup in a Strat?

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Re: Any Drawbacks Using a Humbucker For Middle Pickup in a Strat?

I like how a thread asking about a humbucker in the middle position of a STRAT turns into a two-page pissing match over Gibson's 3-humbucker setup.

All about 2 strats and one super-strat have been mentioned among all the other non-strats.
 
Re: Any Drawbacks Using a Humbucker For Middle Pickup in a Strat?

Like any guitar model, there's always a few outstanding players that can do great things with them, but I don't think any of us here on this thread are in that category.

Once again we have to disagree I have heard the playing of many of the people in this thread and there are a lot of outstanding players that have posted. You make it sound like a guitar with middle humbucker is a challenge to play and get a decent tone out of. Are you serious that someone has to be an "outstanding" player to deal with a humbucker in the middle position of a guitar? Your statement is bordering on bizarre. If I handed anyone in this thread a Strat (going back to the original post) with a humbucker in the middle position I am sure they could deal with it.
 
Re: Any Drawbacks Using a Humbucker For Middle Pickup in a Strat?

If I handed anyone in this thread a Strat (going back to the original post) with a humbucker in the middle position I am sure they could deal with it.

There's where you're wrong. Blueman335 wouldn't even play a strat if you payed him.
 
Re: Any Drawbacks Using a Humbucker For Middle Pickup in a Strat?

There's where you're wrong. Blueman335 wouldn't even play a strat if you payed him.

I just think it is hilarious to think that putting a humbucker in the middle position of any guitar would cause a musician to forget years of study, training and theory rendering them helpless holding the instrument. Call me crazy but I don't think it takes an "outstanding player" to rock a Les Paul Black Beauty or a Wayne Kramer Stratocaster. I guess the middle position humbucker is the kryptonite of pickups rendering a guitarist powerless to pull off a riff.

Kryptonite-Humbucker.jpg
 
Re: Any Drawbacks Using a Humbucker For Middle Pickup in a Strat?

I'm also having trouble understanding the playing challenge this pickup causes and why anyone would need to pick so deeply as to make contact with a pickup. To me, "digging in" means putting some more angle and velocity to the stroke, not sliding the side of pick against the string.
 
Re: Any Drawbacks Using a Humbucker For Middle Pickup in a Strat?

I'm also having trouble understanding the playing challenge this pickup causes and why anyone would need to pick so deeply as to make contact with a pickup. To me, "digging in" means putting some more angle and velocity to the stroke, not sliding the side of pick against the string.

I think you underestimate how sloppy some people (read: me) are with their picking.
 
Re: Any Drawbacks Using a Humbucker For Middle Pickup in a Strat?

I just think it is hilarious to think that putting a humbucker in the middle position of any guitar would cause a musician to forget years of study, training and theory rendering them helpless holding the instrument. Call me crazy but I don't think it takes an "outstanding player" to rock a Les Paul Black Beauty or a Wayne Kramer Stratocaster. I guess the middle position humbucker is the kryptonite of pickups rendering a guitarist powerless to pull off a riff.

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I put a middle pickup in my telecaster. My fingers undergo severe paralysis every time I simply LOOK at it. I don't even want to know what happens if I try to play it.
 
Re: Any Drawbacks Using a Humbucker For Middle Pickup in a Strat?

I wonder if it's exhausting to know everything and to have to try to enlighten the Plebeians.
 
Re: Any Drawbacks Using a Humbucker For Middle Pickup in a Strat?

Do the stores that sell guitars with 'buckers in the mid position have red lights above the door?
 
Re: Any Drawbacks Using a Humbucker For Middle Pickup in a Strat?

You know the more I think about it a middle pickup could really screw up your tone and affect your playing. No true artist would even consider compromising their tone in that way.

Jimmy-Page-Led-Zeppelin-Gibson-Les-Paul-Black-Beauty-5.jpg


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Clapton_LPCustom_big.jpg
 
Re: Any Drawbacks Using a Humbucker For Middle Pickup in a Strat?

I think some of us are over-thinking and worrying about this too much.
 
Re: Any Drawbacks Using a Humbucker For Middle Pickup in a Strat?

The middle humbucker is the reason this guy is missing his fingertips:

2d77d36.jpg
 
Re: Any Drawbacks Using a Humbucker For Middle Pickup in a Strat?

Iommi. Collen. Hendrix. Beck. Page. Clapton.


all added to the list of my disciples.
 
Re: Any Drawbacks Using a Humbucker For Middle Pickup in a Strat?

Guys - if you are going to mention 3rd bucker music from artists that have recorded since the mid 60's, you'll need to put links. Blueman doesn't play that new-fangled rock and roll stuff.

Also, he has the marketing data, and has discussed this with the CEO's of every major guitar company. It IS for the reason he says it is. The fact that YOU do not agree is not relevant. How many of you remember when you thought pickups with A2's in the neck sounded great, like the PG and the A2P? Blueman explained it to us, and now we know those are bad. Remember when you thought the Custom was just awesome? Then he explained to us how no matter what sound you sought, or what music you played, the C8 was better. Blueman is simply right, and your individual opinions don't matter.

I had a Valley Arts Tele, with a PG neck, Hot rails middle and a Tele single in the bridge. I thought that using the middle to beef up the bridge was great. And splitting it to combine with the neck was fantastic for adding extra slice. And, it gave a nice flat out rock sound in HB mode on it's own. Great rhythm sound. All by simply flicking a switch and no knob twiddling! But I now know that is wrong and got rid of that guitar.

In fact, I'm getting rid of all my real Gibsons and replacing them with Epi's using either C8's or UAO5's. I have played for 30 years and probably owned as many guitars and who knows how many pickups. But I saw that one clip of Blueman playing, and I have never questioned anything since!

He knows what he is talking about. It may have nothing to do with the tone you seek, but you are wrong. You want Blueman tone! Just get on the page and stop arguing.

(Did any of you hear that Billy Gibbons, after reading some of Blueman's posts, is going to have Duncan rework the the Pearly Gates with a UAO5? He can't believe he was using those A2 sounding pups from that 59 all those years and thought it was good! I heard even Seymour himself was wondering what he was thinking!)
 
Re: Any Drawbacks Using a Humbucker For Middle Pickup in a Strat?

(Did any of you hear that Billy Gibbons, after reading some of Blueman's posts, is going to have Duncan rework the the Pearly Gates with a UAO5? He can't believe he was using those A2 sounding pups from that 59 all those years and thought it was good! I heard even Seymour himself was wondering what he was thinking!)

That would be a smart move by Billy as long as he doesn't put the UAO5 PG in the middle position
 
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Re: Any Drawbacks Using a Humbucker For Middle Pickup in a Strat?

God, keep going. Please, just let this continue...
 
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