Author Topic: Middle Pickup Question (Read 4960 times)

Crazy_Joe · « **on:** July 07, 2006, 02:39:11 PM »

I'm planning on buying an Ibanez Prestige 1570 pretty soon, pickups are HSH so i've decided it will be Nailbomb - ??? - Cold Sweat.
I don't know what to put in the middle, i've never had a middle pickup before or a single coil before, i'm not even sure how i'm going to use it when playing, at first i just though put anything in there since i won't use it much, but then i thought there isn't much point in getting the guitar if i'm not going to use it. So i've been looking at single coils, i'm very much a metal player too. I though my best bet would be a Trilogy in the middle, but hey, what do i know!
Any suggestions guys?

JamesHealey · « **Reply #1 on:** July 07, 2006, 02:49:33 PM »

I have the Miracle Man, Irish Tour, Cold Sweat combination and thats quite good, I think the IT would sound even better with the Nailbomb in the bridge though it's got that honky grindy mids that the Nailbomb has.
The IT is plenty loud enough next to the Miracle Man so i dont think ur gonna have an output problem next to a Nailbomb.

As for the CS neck.. amazing ;)

Crazy_Joe · « **Reply #2 on:** July 07, 2006, 03:34:46 PM »

May i ask what kind of situation you would use the middle pickup in?

Sifu Ben · « **Reply #3 on:** July 07, 2006, 03:36:10 PM »

Depends on what you want from the single coil really. In terms of complementary sound, an Irish Tour would give you a good balance. If you wanted full on shred all the time, then a Trilogy would probably be good, and if you wanted major gain all round then the Sinner would be the one.
If it was my guitar I'd get the Irish Tour though.
BTW, what was wrong with the Washburn?

Sifu Ben · « **Reply #4 on:** July 07, 2006, 03:45:45 PM »

You'd typically use it for cleans, or with the split humbuckers for funk or blues tones (or cleans again).

Elliot · « **Reply #5 on:** July 07, 2006, 04:27:03 PM »

If your'e a metalhead who normally uses humbuckers I would say that the benefit of the middle single coil is probably that of a contrasting sound rather than a complimentary one. I.e. no point going from high gain to high gain because you are just replicating what you have.

The scenario I am thinking of is to flick between high gain stuff into something vintagey or funky - kind of like Hendrix Little Wing (which is a classic middle single tone) or something like that. In which case I would go with the Irish Tour - you get a near balanced gain plus a hot vintage tone for contrast or for lighter playing.

I think that makes some kind of sense :)

Crazy_Joe · « **Reply #6 on:** July 07, 2006, 04:38:18 PM »

Quote from: Sifu Ben

Depends on what you want from the single coil really. In terms of complementary sound, an Irish Tour would give you a good balance. If you wanted full on shred all the time, then a Trilogy would probably be good, and if you wanted major gain all round then the Sinner would be the one.
If it was my guitar I'd get the Irish Tour though.
BTW, what was wrong with the Washburn?

The Washburn had no fret markings and i'm not sure if i'm ready for that yet as i have only been playing (properly) for about a year.

And Elliot yeah i understood that and i think i know what your getting at, a lot of Irish Tour recommendations, and i don't just play metal so that could be another benefit of the Irish tour.

dave_mc · « **Reply #7 on:** July 07, 2006, 06:08:59 PM »

I use my middle pickup in my rg for srv-type bluesy stuff and more vintage tones, but then I play a bit of everything...

deg0ey · « **Reply #8 on:** July 07, 2006, 06:41:31 PM »

A possible way for people to help you more, is that if you were to buy the guitar and leave the stock single there for a while...That way you can see what you actually would use the middle single for - and then buy the appropriate BKP :)

dave_mc · « **Reply #9 on:** July 07, 2006, 08:48:25 PM »

^ yep. Only problem being it depends how much the stock single sucks- I know my old stock single was pretty poor, so I hardly ever used it... EDIT: and I had that exact same stock single, the Ibanez S1...

but it should let you know a little bit. :drink:

Crazy_Joe · « **Reply #10 on:** July 08, 2006, 12:44:12 PM »

Well the word is that these pickups really suck.

dave_mc · « **Reply #11 on:** July 08, 2006, 10:15:48 PM »

well they aren't great...

Crazy_Joe · « **Reply #12 on:** July 09, 2006, 04:04:36 PM »

lol that's the nice way of putting it.

dave_mc · « **Reply #13 on:** July 09, 2006, 05:55:11 PM »

^ well I suppose the basic gist is they're "alright" if you haven't tried anything any better. I mean, they're better than westfield pickups, lol.

But yeah, if you've tried anything pickup-wise that's even remotely decent, you're going to think that they're pretty cr@ppy...