Three Humbuckers but what to buy? Technically.

[sugarcool6]

I have a Les Paul with three Humbuckers but it could be handy to know in case of changing pickups in the future, wich ones to buy.

Not as much as brand preference, but what is the middle one? In case of replacing it. Obviously there is one Neck pickup, one Bridge pickup, but the one in the middle, is it a seperate kind of 

humbucker, dedicated specially for that position or is it a neck or bridge pickup that is wired for the middle position?

Sorry if this is a beginners/newbie question, but that's what I am, a beginner and therefore I'd like to know more via this forum.

 

[SteveFord]

What year and model Les Paul?  That way you can get the pick up designation and how they wired it up.

[sugarcool6]

You are now talking about the wiring, I am asking about the humbucker itself. Is a humbucker designated to one position (Neck or Bridge or Middle) or are humbuckers

all the same but the difference is in the wiring?  In other words are there only humbuckers or is there a Bridge-humbucker, Neck-humbucker, Middle-humbucker?

 

By the way to answer your question I have a "Vintage Boulevard Black 1003" -Les Paul guitar with three humbuckers and I have a real Gibson Les Paul with only two humbuckers.

 

Edited May 28, 2022 by sugarcool6

[rct]

Neck and middle are the same.

rct

[mihcmac]

A lot of the Les Pauls that came stock with 3-pickups if black were referred to as Black Beauties, if not usually Customs. Since they have 3 pickups and a 3-way selector switch, there could be a lot of variation in how they were wired..

Below are 2 current 3-pickup Les Pauls that are wired differently for different functions.

Controls   Master Volume and Tone shared by Neck and Bridge Pickups, Second Volume and Tone for Middle Pickup (independent of P/U selector toggle switch), CTS Potentiometers, Paper in Oil Capacitors  3-Way Switchcraft

Controls.   2 Volume, 2 Tone, CTS 500K Audio Taper Potentiometers, Paper-in-Oil Capacitors, 3-Way Switchcraft

Edited June 1, 2022 by mihcmac

[sugarcool6]

Thanx for your answers but I would like to know, if a guitarist owns a  black beauty with three pickups. And he/she has to replace them.

Obviously one bridge, one neck. But what humbucker is used as the middle one? Is it an extra bridge or neck humbucker?

I am not talking about the wiring but the actual humbuckers.

 

[Sgt. Pepper]

2 hours ago, sugarcool6 said:

Thanx for your answers but I would like to know, if a guitarist owns a  black beauty with three pickups. And he/she has to replace them.

Obviously one bridge, one neck. But what humbucker is used as the middle one? Is it an extra bridge or neck humbucker?

I am not talking about the wiring but the actual humbuckers.

 

Its your guitar and you can put in what you want. But as rct alluded, I think he means the neck and middle are the exact same pup for both spots.

[Rabs]

If you have a multi meter (you can get them quite cheap) you can measure the resistance of each pickup and that will tell you exactly what to look for.