How do three Humbuckers work, then ?

[chris o'donnell]

After looking round my local guitar shop I got to wonder how a three humbucker SG works. Is the middle pickup an extra bridge or neck. does it work independently,or is it combined. Do all three pups work at the same time.

I didn't ask the sales guys because they were up to their neck in it.

Just curious.

Chris.


PS  working in a guitar shop on a Saturday afternoon looks and sounds like Hell on earth.

[big steve]

the middle pickup is just another pickup. not as bright as the bridge, not as warm as the neck. unless there is some custom wiring, the three switch positions will just be neck pickup only-middle pickup only-bridge pickup only.

[_tom_]

Two of my mates have that Epi SG Custom thing, with the three pickups. I really dont like it. I think, there is one master tone control, and a volume for each pickup. I was confused by the whole thing when I got to play it haha. Plus the middle pickup gets in the way of my pick, which I dont like.

[PhilKing]

the middle pickup is just another pickup. not as bright as the bridge, not as warm as the neck. unless there is some custom wiring, the three switch positions will just be neck pickup only-middle pickup only-bridge pickup only.

Gibsons wiring doesn't allow this, unless you put a push pull pot in for the middle pickup.  The standard Gibson setup is:

1) Bridge
2) Bridge and Middle
3) Neck

I have played with this switch many times and there is no way to wire it for each pickup.  Essentially it is like a on/on/on dpdt switch.

[HJM]

The Dimarzio Petrucci switch would let you get more options I think!

[big steve]

i stand corrected

[PhilKing]

i stand corrected

I  wasn't trying to correct you, I just didn't want Chris looking for something he wouldn't find.  The wiring really does make no sense.  It was Gibson's way of trying to get back sales from the Strat.  I know a few people who have fitted an extra switch in place of one control.  this gives a lot more combinations (each pickup alone or in combination with any other pickup - including all 3).


Hayden, I'll have to take a look at the DiMarzio switch.

[Custom79]

The middle pup in my Les Paul Custom isn't wired in any more, i didn't like the sound and it was getting in the way of my picking.

[rinse_master]

The middle pup in my Les Paul Custom isn't wired in any more, i didn't like the sound and it was getting in the way of my picking.

I'd always liked the look of  3pup Custom, but the pickup gets in the way for me too...

I came up with a pretty good idea for the wiring, you could have the bridge and neck wired to the toggle as normal, a volume for each, a master tone and a independent volume for the middle, so you could blend it in or out. (I was gonna go mental with it and have push pull pots for splits and phasing and all that kinda stuff, but it was not to be   )

[Brow]

I'd always liked the look of  3pup Custom, but the pickup gets in the way for me too...

I came up with a pretty good idea for the wiring, you could have the bridge and neck wired to the toggle as normal, a volume for each, a master tone and a independent volume for the middle, so you could blend it in or out. (I was gonna go mental with it and have push pull pots for splits and phasing and all that kinda stuff, but it was not to be   )

This is (I believe) the same wiring that comes stock on the Gibson Peter Frampton Les Paul :)

It makes more sense to me this way than in the traditional way that Gibson usually wire their 3 pickup guitars (as described in Phil King's earlier post).

Craig

[chris o'donnell]

Thanks everyone.

I thought the three pickup guitar may be more versitile, but it sounds like the third one has been added in for the sake of it.

I'll stick to two humbuckers. They really are limitless in their capabilities, if you put your mind to it.

Chris.