I thought I simply didn't like neck humbuckers…

[Aceman]

I think that could be true a lot of times.But I find that the neck doesn't necessarily sound like a bridge with the tone (trebble) turned down, but rather it has a fuller tone.

Agree. That's part of why I don't try to match Bridge/neck usually. They just "don't" so I go Balls-out power bucker in the bridge for rock, and a classic PAF style in the neck. Usually, but not always. Different pickup[s for a diverse guitar vs a "two sounds" for one style deal.

 

[GuitarDoc]

Agree. I very rarely try to "match" bridge and neck pups. What's the point. Two pups are for two different sounds not two of the same. I also find that when I have two very different sounding pups, I get some really good combination sounds.

 

[Chistopher]

I've been wanting to give that one a try for a while. What is it like?

So the bridge sounds like a drier Custom Custom. The neck is very dark with regards to higher treble such as "air" and "sparkle" but has enough high mids to where it doesn't sound like there's a blanket over the amp. A lot of low mids, but no boominess or woofiness to it.

It's very good for clean jazzier sounds, or higher gain Slash style leads.

 

[gsammo79]

I'm a Duncan Jazz fan. I snagged up one of the 35th anniversary Jazz neck and it rocks.

 

[Sirion]

See, I thought I hated bridge pickups. I just had to find those I liked.

Your distaste for bridge pickups is well known around (and in no way do I seek to challenge your right to opine thus). Which ones have you found that work for you?

 

[Mincer]

Your distaste for bridge pickups is well known around (and in no way do I seek to challenge your right to opine thus). Which ones have you found that work for you?

I love the Custom Custom, and the Hybrid. I've come to use bridge pickups a little more, but nowhere near the amount I use neck pickups.

 

[chadd]

Hot Take: People who want a Jazz, or especially a Demon or Full Shred, in the neck don't like neck pickups. They really want to use the bridge with the tone turned down a touch.

Pretty much spot on for me. I don't solo a lot, so the FS neck is perfect for a slightly fuller version of my bridge tone. I used to dial my bridge pickup in so fat that anything would be mud in the neck. I've moved slightly beyond that point in recent years

 

[Chistopher]

xHH would catch on a lot more in the "no neck" crowd if we had a generational guitar player who tried it

 

[Aceman]

xHH would catch on a lot more in the "no neck" crowd if we had a generational guitar player who tried it

What I love about the HH combo of a HHH guitar - the Middle/Bridge combo for rhythm

 

[ErikH]

Screamin' Demon in the neck is a great setup with same in the bridge or hotter. Ran dual Sceamin' Demons for a long time in one guitar.
The APH-1, PGn, '57 Classic are probably my top PAF class neck options.
The Suhr SSVn that's in my Goldtop sounds great. Still evaluating it with the SSH+ in the bridge but so far, so good. If I change 'em out, a set of PGs it is.

 

[Sirion]

xHH would catch on a lot more in the "no neck" crowd if we had a generational guitar player who tried it

I own three guitars with that configuration, actually. Even so, I prefer the genuine HH: the middle humbucker somehow seems to have less character, even though it is nice to put a hotter humbucker there than in the bridge if it is used primarily for soloing.

 

[Chistopher]

I feel the allure of middle pickups is only gained if you control your picking location. Pick near the neck, it sounds like a clear neck pickup; pick near the bridge it sounds like a thicker bridge pickup, pick in the middle and it has a very dry percussive sound.

 

[AdrianSD]

What I love about the HH combo of a HHH guitar - the Middle/Bridge combo for rhythm

Series or parallel? Hope I didn't sound too dumb, but that got me thinking.

 

[Aceman]

Series. I'm playing Hard rock mostly. Could work for other things.

 

[PS412]

Living without a bridge pickup is easy.

 

[jeremy]

Series. I'm playing Hard rock mostly. Could work for other things.

the two pups are individually wired in series, but in parallel with each other in almost all configurations ive seen

 

[Aceman]

the two pups are individually wired in series, but in parallel with each other in almost all configurations ive seen

Really? Why aren't the neck and bridge in parallel then???

Can we get a Gibson schematic here? New to me - but never thought about it.

 

[ErikH]

Neck and bridge in a standard HH setup are parallel with each other. In a HHH setup, stock anyways, the 3-way toggle is neck, middle+bridge, bridge. There isn't a neck+bridge option without modifying the wiring, usually by giving the middle it's own dedicated volume by sacrificing one of the tone controls.

 

[donaldr]

I love the Custom Custom, and the Hybrid. I've come to use bridge pickups a little more, but nowhere near the amount I use neck pickups.

What do you have in the neck position?

 

[Rex_Rocker]

Living without a bridge pickup is easy.

I guess. If you don't play Metal. Or Rock. Or Punk. Or Grunge. Or Surf. Or any of the fun genres (J/K).

Or Country.