The middle pickup.....why?!

[JimmyMoorby]

Ive been playing guitar for over 10 years and would like to think im into lots of styles of music but when it comes down to it I mainly like rock or metal type music.  I've always been a 2 humbucker kinda guy and make use of the bridge and neck (But NEVER combine or split) and love super strats but I find my self loving the sound of traditional strats more and more and its only a matter of time before I get one.  I love customizing and im unlikely to buy any strat stock and and have an idea of what I want to the bridge and the neck but ive no idea what to look for in a middle pickup!!

Any strat or pickup experts care to point me in the direction of strat players who often use the middlepickup or how to effectively combine it with other pickups.  Absolutely no clue on this so any feedback welcome.  Maybe I could just leave it stock if im not gonna use it?  Maybe I need to buy the bugger first and see?!

Also as a side issue any one had any experience with the ESP LTD ST-203/213's?  I know theyre far cheaper than a USA strat but other than the pickups are they on par?

[Philly Q]

I'm not a Strat or pickup expert, but it seems to me the main purpose of the middle pickup (albeit probably unintentionally) is to produce cool funky sounds in the "in between" positions (2 and 4 on a five way switch).  In those positions you get a thinner, "quacky" sound, often referred to as "out of phase", but in fact the pickups are in phase, in parallel.

It's true that not many players use the middle pickup on its own - it's kind of "neither one nor the other" - so in a way I think the choice of middle pickup is less crucial than the choice of neck or bridge pickups.  In most sets, the neck and middle pickups are the same.  The bridge pickup is often slightly overwound so it's not overpowered by the neck model.

One of the few Strat players I know who uses the middle pickup a lot is Robin Trower - he tends to use it as his default rhythm sound because it's less bright and piercing than the bridge.  Then he solos mainly on the neck pickup (but does switch back and forth quite a bit).

[Telerocker]

+1 to Philly's contribution. I use the middle-IT in my strat quite often for rhythm-parts like in Walking on Sunshine. The middle is also essential, as Philly explains, for the Fenderish quacks in fourth and second position.

[38thBeatle]

I use the middle pickup a fair bit-on its own as a rhythm sound and in various situations I will try to see if it fits what I am doing.Rather obviously it is midway between the more mellow neck pickup and the bite of the bridge but the classic sound, as Philly has said, is the combination which hendrix used a bit and dozens of players such as Robert Cray and Eric Clapton have used. You do get that hollowed out "quack" as everyone seems to describe it. In its place I quite like it and there are the two options, i.e middle and neck or middle and bridge. Similar but different and sometimes, for me, it just works.
The only thing I would say is that you ccan lose a little volume or oomph with it. Once you get the guitar you will be able to hear for yourself and decide. I justy see it as something to have in the arsenal of sounds that a Strat can deliver.

[Andrew W]

One of the few Strat players I know who uses the middle pickup a lot is Robin Trower - he tends to use it as his default rhythm sound because it's less bright and piercing than the bridge.  Then he solos mainly on the neck pickup (but does switch back and forth quite a bit).

Exactly who first sprang to my mind too. I get the impression RT uses the middle position a lot because some bloke named Jimi Hendrix did too. I believe David Gilmour uses the middle quite a bit too, especially when combined with a lot of fuzz. I love the middle Strat position, I probably use it more than the bridge to be honest.

It really does pay to spend a good deal of time setting the heights on a Strat's pickups just so to get the in between pick-up sounds right as well as the individual pickups themselves. If you do, you get 5 very distinct and very usable tones.

[blue]

i use the middle pickup quite a lot myself, it has more bite than the neck, and more character than the bridge.  but it's all personal preference.  Richie Blackmore removed his middle pickups, just had an empty cover in the scratchplate

[gwEm]

as others have said, the middle pickup on its own is really nice for clean or mostly-clean rhythm. its also nice for the quacky sounds when combined with the bridge or neck.

in my opinion though when you load on some gain, to harder rock levels, then the middle pickup loses some of its relevance. Its harder to distinguish its special tone from the neck pickup and those cool quacky tones aren't quite so useful. it depends on the rig though, since some people use the middle in a hard rock context. but certainly for me, i rarely use it.

also, if you drop the middle pickup from the wiring, you can very easily setup the bridge and neck together, which I think sounds absolutely amazing on a strat. i know theres various ways to get that combination, but without a middle pickup you just need a three way switch.

[Philly Q]

also, if you drop the middle pickup from the wiring, you can very easily setup the bridge and neck together, which I think sounds absolutely amazing on a strat. i know theres various ways to get that combination, but without a middle pickup you just need a three way switch.

I've got a cool wiring diagram which uses a five-way superswitch to give you neck+bridge instead of either neck+middle or bridge+middle (whichever you prefer).  So you end up with another sound which is almost like the middle position on a Tele (of course you could use the same wiring on a Tele with a Strat middle pickup, and keep all the Tele sounds plus a couple of extra Strat sounds)

[nkay]

Yep, I don't use it on my strats or superstrats. It just gets in the way.

First time I saw a photo of Malmsteen's strats back in the 80's with the middle pickup screwed all the way down flat and level with the pickguard, I did the same :)

[JimmyMoorby]

Some interesting points.  I'm toying with the idea of having a neck pickup with more power or output as I always solo with neck pups and never with the bridge.  I'm thiking this would save using a stomp box to get a different tone or more volume. Does any one else do this with their pickups?

[gwEm]

Some interesting points.  I'm toying with the idea of having a neck pickup with more power or output as I always solo with neck pups and never with the bridge.  I'm thiking this would save using a stomp box to get a different tone or more volume. Does any one else do this with their pickups?

yeah, actually I have experimented with that and think its a good way. it also involves the neck pickup being quite bright so it doesn't go muddy. strat pickups are great for that. in fact, i still like the effect of the booster so only set the neck pickup with the merest hair more output. i like that bridge+neck setting, so its not good for me if the neck dominates too much.

[gwEm]

also, if you drop the middle pickup from the wiring, you can very easily setup the bridge and neck together, which I think sounds absolutely amazing on a strat. i know theres various ways to get that combination, but without a middle pickup you just need a three way switch.

I've got a cool wiring diagram which uses a five-way superswitch to give you neck+bridge instead of either neck+middle or bridge+middle (whichever you prefer).  So you end up with another sound which is almost like the middle position on a Tele (of course you could use the same wiring on a Tele with a Strat middle pickup, and keep all the Tele sounds plus a couple of extra Strat sounds)

funny you should mention the tele bridge+neck sound.. but i guess that is the original Fender which did that ;) I "discovered" the Fender neck+bridge combination first on my modded Squier Cyclone.

depending on the guitar, i only really use one of the "quack" sounds. so that five way "super switch" would work. how wez set it up on one of my strats is a noload blender pot to fade in the neck pickup in any of the positions.

i wonder what a bridge+middle series wiring would be like - something i've never tried.

i don't like having too many options on a stage guitar, but its great to mess about with at home.