Pickups & General beginnerquestions - Korina Explorer

[MC87]

Hi

 

I got a Korina Explorer (my first guitar) which I think is brilliant.

 

I've been playing unamplified up til now, just to learn the basics of guitar playing.

 

I have some newbie questions regarding going electric.

 

Firstly when is each pickup used what are the differences between the two? Apparently the bridge pickup is used for lead lines and the neck for chords?

 

Secondly, a really silly question, on my Explorer which way do I have to flick the pickup selector to get which pickup (assuming im sitting down with the guitar held parallel to the floor, what does up and down on the selector correspond to?, I know neutral is both pickups).

 

Thirdly, what does the tone control do? I assume leaving it at 0 lets the natural guitar tone get through and turning it up adds some sort of coloration to the tone?

[StewartB]

Well, if you have virtually no knowledge of how the electrics work it would be good to take the guitar back to the shop where you bought it and ask one of the sales people to show you how it works. But as a bit of help ....,,,

 

- Neck pickup is usually warmer and more bassy - can be used for chords and rhythm;

- Bridge pickup is oftern used for lead playing - generally a sharper brighter tone;

 

With the switch in the middle both pickups are working and you can mix the sound by changing the two volume controls to dial in more sound from one or other pickup. Middle positions are my favourite then I blend the sound by using the two volumes and the tone. You need to experiment with this.

 

Having the switch down (towards the floor) should mean that only the bridge pickup is on, having it up means the neck is one - middle means both working.

 

The tone control on "0" would give you a very muffled sound - on "10" a very bright sound. The solution initially would be to have it on 5 or 6 then change it to suit your taste or the type of music.

 

Good luck