In your opinion, is having a single in a H-S-H redundant?

[Top-L]

One of my Ibanez guitars has a Steve Vai Evolution set, complete with a reverse wound single in the middle. It is wired so that positions 2 and 4 are full humbucking between the HBs inner coil and the single coil.

Honestly, positions 2 and 4 are pretty useful because I can tune the output of the "fake" humbucker by using the height of the middle SC. This way I get two useful "in-between" sounds. I never use the SC by itself. (Should probably change the wiring to do something else.)

Frankly though, I think I could accomplish something similar with just two humbuckers. The in-between humbuckers (lower output) are not all that different than a parallel wiring. And a middle SC is never really as useful as a bridge or neck SC split.

IMO, I'm not a big fan of the middle single. Also, my picking mechanic uses my pinky as an anchor on the body and I can feel the single sometimes.

 

[Mincer]

I can see a middle single not being needed, as you can get a similar sound using both inner coils (or outer coils) of 2 humbuckers. What you can't get without that middle single is the single coil pickup alone. That is a sound 2 humbuckers just can't get, although splitting the bridge or neck and using that alone can get 70% there.

 

[Lewguitar]

A single gets in the way of my picking on a H-S-H guitar. Even more so on a H-H-H guitar.

A true Strat single also pulls on the strings magnetically and causes them to warble if it's set too close to the strings.

It's a personal choice.

It's your guitar.

What do YOU think?

That's all that matters.

 

[Snake Aces]

I do not see how having an additional tonal option could ever be considered redundant. There are a lot of other issues I have with the middle pickup in an HSH, but tone-wise, it brings a unique dip to the party.

 

[jeremy]

i had an ibanez hsh for a long time and i used the single coil for clean tones a fair amount so it depends on what ya like

 

[IMENATOR]

I am adding a second volume knob for the middle SC of my HSH guitar. My goal is to roll back the volume for cleans/mild overdrive and then just flick the switch for distortion sounds, no need to switch channels on the amp.

 

[Top-L]

I am adding a second volume knob for the middle SC of my HSH guitar. My goal is to roll back the volume for cleans/mild overdrive and then just flick the switch for distortion sounds, no need to switch channels on the amp.

Thats a good idea. But you could just lower the pickup til the volume was much less.

 

[superpete]

i only have one HSH guitar, but i dig the tonal options.

 

[idsnowdog]

If you're using a standard 5-way switch then the middle pickup is there to provide traditional strat 2/4 positions or the pickup can be used on its own. However, if you're using a 5-way super switch you can achieve much more complicated wiring schemes with individual pickups and coils in either series or parallel, in or out of phase either with or without a middle single-coil.

 

[zionstrat]

I'm a quack fanatic so I've got a center pickup on practically all of my guitars. Including a Jaguar in between two jazz Masters.

I use the two and four positions primarily for rhythm considering the fact that they are a bit thinner or for quieter leads.

The trick for me, is making sure the center pup is considerably weaker than the bridge or neck as that helps bring on the quack.

To me, the center pup with a another pup is the only way to get good quack. As mentioned before you can use single coils from humbuckers in the PRS kind of approach, to me it's just not quacky enough.

And I rarely use the center pickup by itself, so my center position is usually neck and bridge together.



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[Jack_TriPpEr]

I recently wired a 2 pickup guitar with a Half Out Of Phase option, which added enough "Position 2 / Position 4" type quack when the 2 pickups are combined to make me feel i don't need a middle position singlecoil to get quack. I would concede that the results are not 100% "as authentic" as what you would get with a middle position singlecoil, but i felt it was more than 80% there, which is good enough for me. I also wired in a Master Bass Cut control on this guitar, and tweaking that control, i felt gave me on one end a Position 2 type sound and on the other end a Position 4 type sound.

I too am one of those types of players that feel a middle position singlecoil gets in the way of my strumming.

So if you're willing to put in the work to install a Half Out Of Phase option and a Master Bass Cut option, my vote goes toward the middle position singlecoil being an unnecessary feature.

 

[Mincer]

I never use a center pickup itself, myself, so I don't see a need for it. But it depends on how you work.

 

[eclecticsynergy]

IMO there's nothing like having a true single in the middle.
Set fairly low, it does s couple of things for me:
By itself, instant cleaner tones with pluck, glass & chime that mixing humbucker coils just can't equal.
Second, real quack in positions 2 & 4.

I have one HHH and I hardly ever use it. It really doesn't measure up to the HSH and HSS guitars.

That said, most of my guitars are HH. But having a middle singlecoil is a welcome change when I reach for it.

 

[Artie]

It's all about the wind. Many moons ago, I accidentally poked my new SSL-5 with an Exacto knife. Forum bro Zhangliqun rewound it for me. It's the sweetest middle pup I've ever heard. It's all about the wind.

 

[Cdwillis]

I think a middle single in a HSH guitar is more useful than in a standard SSS strat setup. You can get the quack in 2/4, or a nice single coil spank to contrast with the humbucking tones.

That being said I've never had a guitar with a middle pickup that I really bonded with. That middle pickup gets in the way of my pick too much. That (and the volume knob placement) is why I just never kept any of my strats for very long.

 

[Demanic]

I suppose that it all depends on what pickup and how you wire it.
Two humbuckers in Triple Shots, 7 position switch. Quarter pound RWRP single in the middle.
Jimmy Page would be thrilled.
He'd probably just add a rotary phase switch.

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[GuitarDoc]

I suppose that it all depends on what pickup and how you wire it.
Two humbuckers in Triple Shots, 7 position switch. Quarter pound RWRP single in the middle.
Jimmy Page would be thrilled.
He'd probably just add a rotary phase switch.

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Now you're talking.

 

[IMENATOR]

Thats a good idea. But you could just lower the pickup til the volume was much less.

Yes but if I want good quack then if I lower the middle pickup its gonna sound too thin. Trust me, I have tried this before and that is why adding a second volume control is in my radar. If I want good quack want to crank the volume for the middle pickup, if I want less gain I will back the volume of the middle pickup. For most humbucker when you split it it is already thin sounding so if you lower the middle pickup the quack is too thin, or at least that has been my personal experience so far, maybe I need to try higher output humbuckers for which split seems to be better.

 

[IMENATOR]

That middle pickup gets in the way of my pick too much. That (and the volume knob placement) is why I just never kept any of my strats for very long.

That is interesting, I have never had that middle pickup in the way problem with my Strats. I suppose the problem with HSH guitars is people put a vintage SC and try to balance its output with humbuckers by rising it closer to strings.

 

[Mincer]

Any middle pickup gets in the way of my pick, and my index & middle fingers (for hybrid picking). As a result, I generally use a stronger middle pickup and just lower it a little.