What do you use middle pickups for?

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Breaking the law

New member
Hi all! I was looking at my gear and I suddenly realised.. I never use the middle pickup on any h-s-h guitars.. I've been using them with s-s-s guitars, but it's a totally different deal. I was wondering what do you use your middle pickups for? And in what kind of a guitar? Anyone using them in h-s-h guitars?

Am I missing something with not using them?
 
Re: What do you use middle pickups for?

For me, on a Strat, #2 and #4 position's are my two favorite. Nice, full, rich tone.

On my HSS Genny, same thing with #2.
 
Re: What do you use middle pickups for?

I like to use mine for rythym or for picked notes that require a little brighter tone than the neck but not as bright as the bridge. Clean I like the #2 position, both clean and dirty I like #4.

Luke
 
Re: What do you use middle pickups for?

On my Strats, I never use the middle pickup by itself.

But I use it combined with the neck or bridge pickup ALOT!

Lew
 
Re: What do you use middle pickups for?

Well, that's kinda my prob.. I don't really like the middle pu on it's own.. but i see no point combining it with the hummers either.. I was kinda wondering what eveyone else does.. thanks for your replies, keep 'em coming!
 
Re: What do you use middle pickups for?

I use a HSH ... I love the middle single coil combined with the Bridge hum ... got a great sound. I also use the middle single on it's own when I'm looking for that single coil sound
 
Re: What do you use middle pickups for?

Breaking the law said:
Well, that's kinda my prob.. I don't really like the middle pu on it's own.. but i see no point combining it with the hummers either.. I was kinda wondering what eveyone else does.. thanks for your replies, keep 'em coming!
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If you split your HB's then they sound more like a single coil and sound "better" combined with a single coil middle pickup.

Personally, I don't find that a very exciting tone either!

My guitars with two HB's, including my Strat with HB's, do not have a middle single coil...I'd never use it, so why bother?

Lew
 
Re: What do you use middle pickups for?

Hmm.. I should try splitting the coils.. I got a cheap surplus push-pull pot today..
TheProphet, what pus do you use? I've never found the middle single coil to be interesting..
 
Re: What do you use middle pickups for?

the Bridge is the Full Shred and the middle is a stock ceramic single coil
 
Re: What do you use middle pickups for?

Hmm.. Well, I guess my stock middle pickups aren't what I'm looking for.. I've never liked 'em.. (Ibanez, Squier, Aria, Yamaha)..
 
Re: What do you use middle pickups for?

i have a duck between a C5b and a 59n ... i like it combined with the HBs (split or full) and i like it all by itself ... when combined i like it because it helps me approximate the jimi/srv thang when it's a little gritty and the knopfler-esqe thing when clean ... by itself, i like it cus it's quiet and cus it has a sweet ring to it for chords ... i wish i had gotten the VR instead so as to avoid the 'teeny tiny pole piece' problem when bending strings ...

cheers
t4d
 
Re: What do you use middle pickups for?

DonLduk said:
artie, buy a guitar with a HH setup.
Click to expand...

Heh-heh . . . check my sig.

I've had HH looong before I ever had singles. :laugh2:
 
Re: What do you use middle pickups for?

ArtieToo said:
For me, on a Strat, #2 and #4 position's are my two favorite. Nice, full, rich tone.
Click to expand...

+Pos 5 if we're talking S/S/S

I have a H/S/H and I love pos 2+4, and 2+4 with the buckers tapped.

I like using the mid single for leads sometimes, but it's a lot bloody quieter than the humbuckers so I have to turn the channel volume up on the amp channel/patch and maybe add a little more gain to get it to where I want it...
It sounds great to me clean as well, but the volume drop is a little too much. One day, I'll probably get a higher output single.

I do realise that having a lower output single is what a lot of people prefer, but I'd rather it was more evenly matched with my HBs (C-5+Jazz), but still with a single coil tone. :rolleyes:
 
Re: What do you use middle pickups for?

I just got a Strat, and it's the only middle single I've ever liked. It's a silver Lace Sensor, so that may have something to do with it. The neck is a blue Lace, and bridge is a Duncan Livewire Hot. I like the middle pup for a smoother than the bridge, but brighter than the neck tone, clean or distorted.

I've had a couple H-S-H guitars, and never thought the middle was worth a sh*t. There's too much signal dropout when switching from 'buckers, and besides, I use Invaders, Distortions, etc... so when I have buckers, I wanna be loud & hot! :D
 
Re: What do you use middle pickups for?

Lewguitar said:
On my Strats, I never use the middle pickup by itself.

But I use it combined with the neck or bridge pickup ALOT!

Lew
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Lew, that's the reason why I now use Schaller/Eyb Megaswitch E for all my guitars equipped with 3 PUs. Pos 1 2 4 5 like a Strat, Pos 3 is bridge+neck parallel which I like much better - especially with HBs.
 
Re: What do you use middle pickups for?

psy said:
Lew, that's the reason why I now use Schaller/Eyb Megaswitch E for all my guitars equipped with 3 PUs. Pos 1 2 4 5 like a Strat, Pos 3 is bridge+neck parallel which I like much better - especially with HBs.
Click to expand...

Thats what I did also, on my Genny. But you don't have to buy a Mega-switch to do it. You just swap the neck and middle wires to the switch. It changes the order, but gives you that same functionality. ;)
 
Re: What do you use middle pickups for?

I rarely use the middle pick up on any of my HSS or SSS strats. I sometimes use it to get a mediocre simulation of a telecaster......playing run like hell by pink floyd.
 
Re: What do you use middle pickups for?

ArtieToo said:
Thats what I did also, on my Genny. But you don't have to buy a Mega-switch to do it. You just swap the neck and middle wires to the switch. It changes the order, but gives you that same functionality. ;)
Click to expand...

Considered that too, but wanted to retain the order I'm familiar with
 
Re: What do you use middle pickups for?

keeping important bits of paper stuck to my fridge door :laugh2:

naa, i love 5/2 in the middle. when i'm using a chorus, flange or delay, it has the perfect balance of output and definition.. for chord work where you're backing a guitarist using the bridge pup for leads, i can't do without it.

and you get some lovely percussive sounds by digging in - think john frusciante or franz ferdinand's techniques..
 
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