Let's talk about the middle pup on a Stratocaster.

[Artie]

I am already in the minority as I love the tone of the middle pickup by itself . . .

I don't think you are. I think we don't talk about it much. I love my STK-4 in the middle. But even more than that, I love my Zhangliqun wound/modified SSL-5 middle pup. It's the perfect balance between the neck/bridge exception. It's simply a question of finding that perfect pup for the position. It takes a little more work, and a little more investigation.

The hunt is worth the outcome.

What say yee?

Artie

 

[treyhaislip]

Re: Let's talk about the middle pup on a Stratocaster.

Ha! I always thought I was in the minority on that one!

Per my quote, I am definitely for this middle position!

 

[jeremy]

Re: Let's talk about the middle pup on a Stratocaster.

i like it too but i havent always. its not at rich as the neck pup and doesnt bite like the bridge pup. the real trick is to find a pup that still gives me great notch position tones and a good middle alone sound.

 

[Artie]

Re: Let's talk about the middle pup on a Stratocaster.

We need to post clips. Each, our own, middle pup tone.

 

[JeffB]

Re: Let's talk about the middle pup on a Stratocaster.

Heres an old clip of mine..lots of middle pickup...mostly middle.

https://m.soundcloud.com/jbash-1/jeffreywaynehendrix

 

[kramersteen]

Re: Let's talk about the middle pup on a Stratocaster.

Is it on the to do list?

 

[Liko]

Re: Let's talk about the middle pup on a Stratocaster.

I don't think you are. I think we don't talk about it much. I love my STK-4 in the middle. But even more than that, I love my Zhangliqun wound/modified SSL-5 middle pup. It's the perfect balance between the neck/bridge exception. It's simply a question of finding that perfect pup for the position. It takes a little more work, and a little more investigation.

The hunt is worth the outcome.

What say yee?

Artie

My three favorite positions on a Strat 5-way switch are mid, neck, neck+mid in that order. The mid pickup provides IMO the perfect blend of properties of the neck and bridge tones in a single-pickup sound (not the Tele twang you get from N+B); it has the meat and depth of the neck pickup, but adds a little extra edge and bite from being closer to the bridge. I prefer that position to my bridge pickup for soloing at lower gain settings.

As far as clips, here are some excellent tones from an HSH using the Classic Stack Plus; all of this is middle pickup position, and I love the cleans:

 

[gregory]

Re: Let's talk about the middle pup on a Stratocaster.

We need to post clips. Each, our own, middle pup tone.

I'd love to hear clips; especially something unusual: a departure from the standard Hendrix/SRV fare.

 

[PFDarkside]

Re: Let's talk about the middle pup on a Stratocaster.

i like it too but i havent always. its not at rich as the neck pup and doesnt bite like the bridge pup. the real trick is to find a pup that still gives me great notch position tones and a good middle alone sound.

I think another key is setting the pickup heights correctly too. Then you can walk from 5 down to 1, each a little brighter than the last, each a little more biting. Also, when setting the EQ, I like to do it based on the middle pickup, with tones and volume around 8, so you always have "a little more". When you EQ for the neck at full volume and tone, it sounds great, but then the middle can be just a weaker/brighter version of the neck and the bridge is an icepick necessitating an overwound replacement. Add in a light overdrive that's set to cleanup at 6 and have a bit of grit at 10 (on the guitar) and it's just an all around awesome Strat setup.

Where were we? Ah yes, middle pickups. I count me as a fan.

(Even if you don't like your Strat pickups setup like above, with a slightly hot neck and a hot bridge, a low power middle can get you great crystal clean tones)

 

[Artie]

Re: Let's talk about the middle pup on a Stratocaster.

Heres an old clip of mine..lots of middle pickup...mostly middle.

Sweet! I would call that simple, lazy blues. (I mean that as a compliment.)

My three favorite positions on a Strat 5-way switch are mid, neck, neck+mid in that order. The mid pickup provides IMO the perfect blend of properties of the neck and bridge tones in a single-pickup sound (not the Tele twang you get from N+B); it has the meat and depth of the neck pickup, but adds a little extra edge and bite from being closer to the bridge. I prefer that position to my bridge pickup for soloing at lower gain settings.

Yes. You said it better than I could. Given the right pups, of course.

I think another key is setting the pickup heights correctly too. Then you can walk from 5 down to 1, each a little brighter than the last, each a little more biting. Also, when setting the EQ, I like to do it based on the middle pickup, with tones and volume around 8, so you always have "a little more". When you EQ for the neck at full volume and tone, it sounds great, but then the middle can be just a weaker/brighter version of the neck and the bridge is an icepick necessitating an overwound replacement. Add in a light overdrive that's set to cleanup at 6 and have a bit of grit at 10 (on the guitar) and it's just an all around awesome Strat setup.

Where were we? Ah yes, middle pickups. I count me as a fan.

(Even if you don't like your Strat pickups setup like above, with a slightly hot neck and a hot bridge, a low power middle can get you great crystal clean tones)

Great point. I really need to tweak my Strat pup "heights" a bit more. Especially on my Lipstick Tube Strat.
Good food for thought.

 

[Artie]

Re: Let's talk about the middle pup on a Stratocaster.

Is it on the to do list?

Yes.

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: Let's talk about the middle pup on a Stratocaster.

My priority for a middle position pickup is its contribution to the 2 and 4 selector switch mixes.

My secondary purpose for it is for recording rhythm guitar parts. The - debatably - less characterful sound of the middle pickup alone means that it can sit in a multi-track recording Project mix without distracting unduly from other guitar parts.

 

[ItsaBass]

Re: Let's talk about the middle pup on a Stratocaster.

I have said here many times that the middle pickup on a Strat is my main pickup. It's the "home" position, and I dial in the amp using that pickup, to create a nice, balanced e.q. that works for most (or at least many) things. I then end up with one pickup that is brighter than it, and another that is warmer. What more do you need on a guitar than dark, medium, and bright sounds? If you balance to one of the other pickups as your "normal," it becomes harder to switch around within a song without having to fiddle with the e.q. Making the middle pickup the tonal middle automatically places the neck and bridge ones right where they should be.

 

[SJ318]

Re: Let's talk about the middle pup on a Stratocaster.

I use the Fender '69 middle with a Twangbucker neck, and I have the middle pick up low, and the neck and mid get an improved version of (IMO) what Clapton goes for w/his mid boost middle pickup. The TB neck kills.
I use an ElectricCity full wind '59 (or Freedom) HBucker in the bridge. This comb of mid and HB gives me a strong wonderful tone similar to Alvin Lee at Woodstock, with a touch of quack, this also (IMHO) kills.
When I use the mid alone, it is of course a much quieter sound, but as it is low, a little bump (very) little bump, I get a nice Jimi kind of sound, or even with no bump, if the band comes down. Most especially around the condo.
SJ

 

[treyhaislip]

Re: Let's talk about the middle pup on a Stratocaster.

We need to post clips. Each, our own, middle pup tone.

Totally should do this! I will have to put something down this evening lol

 

[astrozombie]

Re: Let's talk about the middle pup on a Stratocaster.

middle pickup- essential for those "Lenny" type tones. I tend to use a vintage output model just so that it gives me "quack" and doesn't overpower the neck.

 

[BloodRose]

Re: Let's talk about the middle pup on a Stratocaster.

I enjoy all the positions on my "main" strat. My other one too, for that matter. My main strat has a set of Bill Lawrence Keystones in it. Each pup is wound for it's respective position.. my other strat is single single hum. Have a Blue Lace sensor in the neck, Silver in the middle and C5 in the bridge.

The Keystones are all they are quacked up to be.. ba dum dump.... Sorry had to

 

[Mincer]

Re: Let's talk about the middle pup on a Stratocaster.

You know, I never, ever use the middle pickup alone. All of my Strats have the neck & bridge on for the middle position. I like middle & neck, and middle & bridge. But alone, nope.

 

[DrNewcenstein]

Re: Let's talk about the middle pup on a Stratocaster.

My priority for a middle position pickup is its contribution to the 2 and 4 selector switch mixes.

My secondary purpose for it is for recording rhythm guitar parts. The - debatably - less characterful sound of the middle pickup alone means that it can sit in a multi-track recording Project mix without distracting unduly from other guitar parts.

Ditto. It's got "just enough" to hide itself neatly in a mix for rhythms, but also to be noticeably present, without having to change things around in the EQ, knobs (much), or preamp settings. Plus you can kick right back into the bridge or neck or the "+" functions without also tap-dancing.

 

[firebirdguy72]

Re: Let's talk about the middle pup on a Stratocaster.

I think the middle pup is fantastic on it's own. As with the bridge pup in the right context. The bridge pup I feel mostly shines in the cowboy chord area like when playing a slow blues shuffle ala Hideaway or don't lose your cool. Playing the bridge alone in a higher register can be a bit tiresome on the ears after a while... The middle pup IMHO is a lot more versatile. Has the brightness of the bridge, rings out good, bites well but doesn't attack your ears with ice pick. At least not as much as the bridge anyway...