What's the advantage of this pickup arrangement?
- Thread starter Jaan
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Re: What's the advantage of this pickup arrangement?
I see only disadvantages to be honest. That middle pickup is not nearly as tight and bright and open sounding as a bridge pickup nor is it as fat and full as a neck pickup. A humbucker in the middle is ONLY wise when you have a 3 humbucker guitar when you want the look of a 3 humbucker guitar. Then you should only wire up one coil when you do the electronics (i.e.: use a push pull to engage that middle pickup and route the lower coil to the neck humbucker and the upper coil to the bridge humbucker). Only then is it smart. Otherwise, nop.
In my opinion
I see only disadvantages to be honest. That middle pickup is not nearly as tight and bright and open sounding as a bridge pickup nor is it as fat and full as a neck pickup. A humbucker in the middle is ONLY wise when you have a 3 humbucker guitar when you want the look of a 3 humbucker guitar. Then you should only wire up one coil when you do the electronics (i.e.: use a push pull to engage that middle pickup and route the lower coil to the neck humbucker and the upper coil to the bridge humbucker). Only then is it smart. Otherwise, nop.
In my opinion
freefrog
Well-known member
Re: What's the advantage of this pickup arrangement?
It's a seven strings. in my understanding, the goal of the mid pickup is probably to avoid any muddiness from the bassiest transducer excited by the lowest tuned strings.
In th 80's, some Super Strats used by heavy metal players had the same kind of layout, probably for similar reasons.
That said: bridge and mid humbuckers are something special. I've somewhat appreciated it in a 3 PU's LP Custom back in the days. With a bit of electronic tweaking, they can also sound close to the 2d position of a Strat. If you like that kind of sound, this pickup arrangement can be interesting.
It's a seven strings. in my understanding, the goal of the mid pickup is probably to avoid any muddiness from the bassiest transducer excited by the lowest tuned strings.
In th 80's, some Super Strats used by heavy metal players had the same kind of layout, probably for similar reasons.
That said: bridge and mid humbuckers are something special. I've somewhat appreciated it in a 3 PU's LP Custom back in the days. With a bit of electronic tweaking, they can also sound close to the 2d position of a Strat. If you like that kind of sound, this pickup arrangement can be interesting.
Clint 55
OH THE DOUBLE THICK GLAZE!
Re: What's the advantage of this pickup arrangement?
I made one. It's pretty cool for a rawk vibe. Yeah it's possible to be more versatile but noone freaks out when people build 1 bridge hum axes now do they? The middle hum has a really good bright rhythm sound. A neck hum sounds nice and fat and liquid but the middle hum is still liquid and doesn't sound all sloppy clean.
I made one. It's pretty cool for a rawk vibe. Yeah it's possible to be more versatile but noone freaks out when people build 1 bridge hum axes now do they? The middle hum has a really good bright rhythm sound. A neck hum sounds nice and fat and liquid but the middle hum is still liquid and doesn't sound all sloppy clean.
beaubrummels
Well-known member
Re: What's the advantage of this pickup arrangement?
Those are Fishman Fluence pickups. Kind of a different animal.
Those are Fishman Fluence pickups. Kind of a different animal.
Sirion
Well-known member
Re: What's the advantage of this pickup arrangement?
I've never owned a HH guitar like that, but I usually find neck humbuckers farty and lacking in detail, so I can see going for a middle humbucker instead if one wanted something crisper yet still rounder than the bridge position. It will not give you the conventional neck humbucker sound, which can be a good or a bad thing, depending on your tastes.
I've never owned a HH guitar like that, but I usually find neck humbuckers farty and lacking in detail, so I can see going for a middle humbucker instead if one wanted something crisper yet still rounder than the bridge position. It will not give you the conventional neck humbucker sound, which can be a good or a bad thing, depending on your tastes.
GreenKamikaze7
New member
Re: What's the advantage of this pickup arrangement?
These originally came about in the 80's with guys like Vivian Campbell (Dio/Def Leppard).
The guitar in the OP is a Stephen Carpenter signature model. This has been the configuration on these guitars for many years now, per Stephen's request. When Stephen was first starting out, Page Hamilton from Helmet gave jim one of his ESP Horizons which had the humbucker in the bridge and the slant single in the neck. This H/H/Slant SC configuration has been a signature configuration of the Stephen Carpenter model since it was introduced. Shortly after that, he had the middle humbucker added. Stephen has always been a fan of Vivian and the looking his old Kramer's - like the one posted above - and said that he just did it because it looked cool. He also said that he did away with the slant single in the neck because he never used it.
Coming from someone that has the new LTD re-issue Sonic Blue SRC & has done this configuration on a few of the SC-207's (one with passives and the other with actives...), I will say this much about it:
Its definitely a very unique configuration tonally. You get a really unique tone (IMHO) better than a normal B&N position 2 HB middle position in position 2. Its warmer, but it's not muddy like a normal middle position would be typically. And if you experiment with the coil split on both the B & M HB's, you can really get some new diverse tones from that 2nd position.
Position 4 with the middle HB and neck SC is equally unique. If you like darker, warmer and fluid neck positions, then this would be right up your alley! Its hard to describe it... And again, coil splitting the Mid HB will make it a bit cleaner and a bit more Strat-like in this position.
These originally came about in the 80's with guys like Vivian Campbell (Dio/Def Leppard).
The guitar in the OP is a Stephen Carpenter signature model. This has been the configuration on these guitars for many years now, per Stephen's request. When Stephen was first starting out, Page Hamilton from Helmet gave jim one of his ESP Horizons which had the humbucker in the bridge and the slant single in the neck. This H/H/Slant SC configuration has been a signature configuration of the Stephen Carpenter model since it was introduced. Shortly after that, he had the middle humbucker added. Stephen has always been a fan of Vivian and the looking his old Kramer's - like the one posted above - and said that he just did it because it looked cool. He also said that he did away with the slant single in the neck because he never used it.
Coming from someone that has the new LTD re-issue Sonic Blue SRC & has done this configuration on a few of the SC-207's (one with passives and the other with actives...), I will say this much about it:
Its definitely a very unique configuration tonally. You get a really unique tone (IMHO) better than a normal B&N position 2 HB middle position in position 2. Its warmer, but it's not muddy like a normal middle position would be typically. And if you experiment with the coil split on both the B & M HB's, you can really get some new diverse tones from that 2nd position.
Position 4 with the middle HB and neck SC is equally unique. If you like darker, warmer and fluid neck positions, then this would be right up your alley! Its hard to describe it... And again, coil splitting the Mid HB will make it a bit cleaner and a bit more Strat-like in this position.
GreenKamikaze7
New member
Re: What's the advantage of this pickup arrangement?
And also, you CAN still find guitars with this configuration to them... ESP has discontinued the SC 6-string models with this configuration a while ago, and Kramer is still making the Nightswan models like this IIRC (dont quote me on that, I could be wrong...).
And also, you CAN still find guitars with this configuration to them... ESP has discontinued the SC 6-string models with this configuration a while ago, and Kramer is still making the Nightswan models like this IIRC (dont quote me on that, I could be wrong...).
bigcupholder
New member
Re: What's the advantage of this pickup arrangement?
I think it looks weird but I can see how it would sound better for high gain. The neck pickup is always too fat and muddy for high gain IMO. Moving it to the middle could cure that while still giving a tone that's distinct from the bridge.
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I think it looks weird but I can see how it would sound better for high gain. The neck pickup is always too fat and muddy for high gain IMO. Moving it to the middle could cure that while still giving a tone that's distinct from the bridge.
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Sirion
Well-known member
Re: What's the advantage of this pickup arrangement?
No, that is correct. They are difficult to get owing to high demand, but they are being made.
No, that is correct. They are difficult to get owing to high demand, but they are being made.
Re: What's the advantage of this pickup arrangement?
Well, no, that's not true. It depends on the pups you have chosen for your guitar. You can have a very thick fat sounding bridge pup and a very bright articulate neck pup in the same guitar. In fact, that is very common.
Well, no, that's not true. It depends on the pups you have chosen for your guitar. You can have a very thick fat sounding bridge pup and a very bright articulate neck pup in the same guitar. In fact, that is very common.
Gtrjunior
New member
Re: What's the advantage of this pickup arrangement?
Getting in the way of the pick is my biggest problem with any middle pickup.
I have my Strat’s middle pickup lower than the neck and bridge.
It suits me fine there anyway. I usually use the bridge or neck only and when I do use position 4 the middle gives me just enough quack without interfering with the pick motion.
Getting in the way of the pick is my biggest problem with any middle pickup.
I have my Strat’s middle pickup lower than the neck and bridge.
It suits me fine there anyway. I usually use the bridge or neck only and when I do use position 4 the middle gives me just enough quack without interfering with the pick motion.
Aceman
I am your doctor of love!
Re: What's the advantage of this pickup arrangement?
While I only have 3 Pickup guitars with Humbuckers....
That Configuration would be useful to me. You can switch from a bright crunchy lead sound to a much warmer - but not overly fat/dark/muddy by going to both pups on.
I love that for rhythm vs lead on those 3 Humbucker guitars.
While I only have 3 Pickup guitars with Humbuckers....
That Configuration would be useful to me. You can switch from a bright crunchy lead sound to a much warmer - but not overly fat/dark/muddy by going to both pups on.
I love that for rhythm vs lead on those 3 Humbucker guitars.
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