Middle Single-coil on Ibanez..blues?

[kap_x]

I've been working a lot with my old ibanez recently (S-Series, Thin Mahogany body, Rosewood fretboard, maple neck, HSH).
Right now, I have a 59N in there, I'm about to swap magnets and make a PG+ into a PG for bridge..but that leaves the middle.

I have a duckbucker bridge/middle in the mid position, but I goofed up the wiring a looong time ago (i was young, and wiring a 2 conductor 59N with a Duckbucker M and 4 conductor bridge is STILL confusing as hell!).

I want to be able to pull off some bluesy strat (Stevie Ray Vaughan Cleans, like Riviera Paradise) leads. Obviously, its no strat, but I'm hoping for a decent sound.

You guys think the duckbuckers B/M in middle will do ok? Or should I get something like a Cool-rails N/M?

Oh, I don't really need to match the other pups all that much, because I don't play live, and I record generally in pieces. But if you'd like to include matching, I wouldn't mind

 

[CornBread]

Re: Middle Single-coil on Ibanez..blues?

You guys think the duckbuckers B/M in middle will do ok? Or should I get something like a Cool-rails N/M?

those are the same pups. and are a good choice too!, i would do the rails.

try GHS Strings Nickel coated "simi flats" for really good SRV tone, the bigger the beter on the bass side!

 

[bloodswords]

Re: Middle Single-coil on Ibanez..blues?

i have the Hot Stack STK-S2 in my Ibanez S540. the idea was to get a hot single coil to match the Invader & Full Shred in the same guitar but upon decreasing the guitar volume, this one twangs to impress- a pleasant surprise.

 

[frankfalbo]

Re: Middle Single-coil on Ibanez..blues?

The duckbucker you have is fine. It seems your 59 has single conductor cable, so you won't be splitting it. Therefore having a hum cancelling middle pickup will mean there's no sc hum when combined with the 59. If you coil split the bridge pickup, then you'll have hum in that position, but that's no big deal.

 

[tone4days]

Re: Middle Single-coil on Ibanez..blues?

i have a 540s that i put a C5 in the bridge, a duck in the middle, and a 59 (4-wire) in the neck ... from my first hand experiences:

1st - if you can, put a rails in the middle instead of a duck for one simple reason ... if you bend strings, there is a VERY NOTICEABLE drop off in volume as the string passes away from the teeny tiny pole piece of the duck .. if you use a rail, the string is always over the rail when you bend a string, so the volume response is not effected

2nd - you are going to have to decide what kind of sounds you can live with in position #2 (n+m) ... without being able to split the neck, it will be somewhat unbalanced, so you might not get the 'notch' tone you hope for ... if you can, install a push/pull or minitoggle on your bridge pup to be able to split it for cool tone in switch pos. #4 (b+m) ... i installed a coil-split on the neck and bridge so i could combine the middle with a split bridge or neck - much better balance

3rd - you usually have to raise the rails/duck much closer to the strings than a typical strat middle pup in order to get best results - you'll need to experiment for yourself to find the optimal placement

try a Vintage Rails if you can - if it isnt hot enough, try a cool rails or even a hot rails ... don't laugh - the hot rails blends very well and you can always roll the volume knob off a bit ... frank gambale uses a HR in the n and m positions of his signature yamaha and gets great chirpy tone out of it

good luck
t4d

 

[frankfalbo]

Re: Middle Single-coil on Ibanez..blues?

1st - if you can, put a rails in the middle instead of a duck for one simple reason ... if you bend strings...

3rd - you usually have to raise the rails/duck much closer to the strings than a typical strat middle pup in order to get best results...

try a Vintage Rails if you can

I agree completely. The great thing about the vintage rails (or other rails) in the middle is that when you do raise it closer to the strings, the pick glides over it instead of catching on strat pole pieces. At least if you start with your duckbucker, it will give you a good idea of how the VR will sound. Also its not that hard to add a coil split cable to your 59, if you are into pickup surgery.