Lil 'bucker in the Middle

[JB_From_Hell]

After discovering Anders Osborne recently, I watched his Rig Rundown earlier tonight. His black Strat is setup:

Single coil bridge
Lil' Screamin Demon middle
Single coil neck

Seems odd, but his guitar sounds great, and the more I think about it the better I like the idea. I want a 'bucker tone from my Strat, but I'm reluctant to give up the bridge tone, completely unwilling to give up the neck tone, but the middle... I like the middle pickup, but I think he's onto something.

Anybody else tried this?

 

[gregory]

Re: Lil 'bucker in the Middle

Treyhaislip has done it.

It makes plenty sense to me, at least with higher output buckers in the neck and middle. I bet the 59 Neck and Cool Rails Neck would do a fine job as well.

 

[JB_From_Hell]

Re: Lil 'bucker in the Middle

I’m thinking wire 2 and 4 to split the bucket, and I’ll still have 4/5 of what I love about my Strat, plus the humbucker. Seems like win/win, rather than jack of all trades.

 

[Chistopher]

Re: Lil 'bucker in the Middle

I met a guy at a swap meet who had nothing but a JB Jr. in the middle. I can't speak for the tone, he was too bad a player to notice.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Lil 'bucker in the Middle

I am not a big middle pickup fan, but this has me intrigued. If you decide to do this sort of thing, come back and post about it.

 

[gregory]

Re: Lil 'bucker in the Middle

I’m thinking wire 2 and 4 to split the bucket, and I’ll still have 4/5 of what I love about my Strat, plus the humbucker.

Well 2/5 at the very least and I think you'll like the new position 3 as well. I've never been impressed with the split sound of a single sized HB. I bet it would work better with one in the middle rather than the other way around with a true single in the middle and single sized HBs in the neck and bridge, though.

 

[gregory]

Re: Lil 'bucker in the Middle

Have a listen to this:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=vwQ70FMv9o4

I think it shows real promise and am betting it would do really well in the bridge* position. If you keep your single in the middle you won't sacrifice positions 3 and 4; and you might even end up with 6 amazing tones!

Here's an example of the same pickup in the bridge wired in series (@1:20 into the video):
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=qifgdTZ61Uw



(*) even whike noting your reluctance.

 

[PicoRiveraTele]

Re: Lil 'bucker in the Middle

Paul Simon runs a similar setup

IMO, people would prefer the middle position on Strats more often if they were a bit louder and darker in their stock form. The sound of a Turner Mark 1 is very similar to a Strat with a bucker in the middle spot.

 

[PicoRiveraTele]

Re: Lil 'bucker in the Middle

Also keep this mode in mind... a lot of people have Duckbuckers in the middle, and they're wire in parallel stock. Put in a push pull to let it do series, and you'll have a "fat" middle pickup.

 

[Clint 55]

Re: Lil 'bucker in the Middle

IMO, people would prefer the middle position on Strats more often if they were a bit louder and darker in their stock form.

I agree. My Phat Cat bridge in the middle is $$.

OP: Sounds like a secret weapon. I saw Tom from Radiohead had a full bucker in between 2 singles in his Tele. I was like what the hell is that! Could be good!

 

[Chistopher]

Re: Lil 'bucker in the Middle

Funny, most people who've played Black Beauties don't like middle humbuckers. I like my middle pickup clear and bright, because that's where I do most of my cleans.

 

[gregory]

Re: Lil 'bucker in the Middle

I don't give a rat's ass what "most people" say: an SH-5 in the bridge in parallel with a T-Top in the middle is amazing for cleans.

No T-Top? Try an SH-2N or even an SH-1N.

No matter; the OP wants a single in the neck and is reluctant to change the single in the bridge and I don't blame him!!!

 

[JB_From_Hell]

Re: Lil 'bucker in the Middle

Which lil ‘bucker would match up best with Texas Specials?

 

[gregory]

Re: Lil 'bucker in the Middle

Depends on what you want: PAF-style, Duncan Jazz-style or Screamin' Demon-style. They are all good choices.

Of the three for the middle I would probably go with the Lil' Screamin' Demon Bridge. Second choice for the middle would be the Cool Rails.

 

[jeremy]

Re: Lil 'bucker in the Middle

been into anders for a long time. used to have a hot rails in the middle of the black mongrel strat, his rig has changed a bit but he gets a monstrous tone live