How many of you use the middle pickup switch position?

[Dave]

I hear an occasional comment, especially in other forums from people who complain that the Les Paul is a 3 trick pony with less flexibility in tone than a Strat with it's three pickup configuration.

 

I wonder how many of them have discovered the magic of the volume control in the center pickup position. I frequently roll the volume knobs with both pickups turned on and get some great sounds that you will never hear just by flipping the pickup switch with the volumes cranked.

 

Backing off on the neck pup volume is a great alternative to using just the bridge pickup. You get a varying bite with some neck pickup mixed in. It gives you a bright single coil/humbucker clean sound that is pleasant and not shrill at all.

 

Doing the same thing with the bridge volume control removes some of the highs and balances out the middle pickup position in a similar way. This one adds the mellow tone of the neck pickup in with some of the growl of the bridge pup.

 

Using just the neck or bridge pickup is an entirely different sound than playing with the volume knobs with both pups on.

 

Various combinations of volume with both pickups turned on yields a lot of possibilities for new tone. I've recreated a sound similar to a Tele and a Strat using this trick. Google searches don't turn up anything for me, so I would bet that most people haven't discovered this little trick.

 

I would guess that most forum members will say, "I do that all the time" or "I never thought of that!". If you haven't thought of it, give it a try and let me know what you think. I've impressed some Strat and Tele players by demonstrating it to them.

[StewartB]

I hear an occasional comment' date=' especially in other forums from people who complain that the Les Paul is a 3 trick pony with less flexibility in tone than a Strat with it's three pickup configuration.

 

I wonder how many of them have discovered the magic of the volume control in the center pickup position. I frequently roll the volume knobs with both pickups turned on and get some great sounds that you will never hear just by flipping the pickup switch with the volumes cranked.

 

Backing off on the neck pup volume is a great alternative to using just the bridge pickup. You get a varying bite with some neck pickup mixed in.

 

Doing the same thing with the bridge volume control removes some of the highs and balances out the middle pickup position in a similar way.

 

Various combinations of volume with both pickups turned on yields a lot of possibilities for new tone. I've recreated a sound similar to a Tele and a Strat using this trick. Google searches don't turn up anything for me, but I would bet that most people haven't discovered this little trick.

 

[/quote']

 

I use middle all the time. great combinations. I read somewhere that the likes of Clapton, Green, Kossoff, and others of that era would dial their bridge volume to full and add a tiny bit of neck pickup (2 to 3 on the dial) to fatten the sound a little. That is a good sounding combination with a bit of gain/overdrive.

 

Stewart B

[Dave]

I'm surprised that lots of people don't use their volume controls to go from clean to dirty, also. I always adjust my gain for the breakover point with the volume all the way up and play just outside that range. If I need to solo, I just flip the volume to full.

 

I know what you mean about Clapton and the others. There were times when I just couldn't get the tone on a recording until I started playing with the volume in the middle position. It can be magic if that's how the player did it originally.

[Sjael]

I spend probably 90% of my time in the middle position with the bridge dimed and the neck on 3-4/5-6 depending on pickups. Gets me my signature tone, and if I need some clean the bridge pickups in both my good guitars are better for clean anyway.

 

Also I didn't know that Clapton and Friends used the same position. I guess I'm just so cool I figured out their tricks on my own.

[Bender 4 Life]

I "blend" with everything except my Telecaster

[RSDx]

Yup, I do it often ... my LP is usually in the middle position, as I don't care for the stock bridge pup on it's own....the adjustable blen is nice. I do know several folks who always keep their volume and tone controls dimed....very strange habit, given the tonal variety afforded by playing with the knobs this way and that[cool]

[Notes_Norton]

The song I am playing and the mood that I am in determines the pickup switch position and the vol/tone settings. Yes, the center position is included.

 

Insights and incites by Notes ?

[WyldePlayer]

I always play in the middle position when playing on my telecaster. That deep sweet neck tone but also a little high end twang from the the bridge.

[KX36]

I've been playing a lot in the middle position recently because I've been in a very experimentory mood and I've just finished Jimmy Pageing up my Les Paul... and also the crappy switch I bought from Allparts has a habit of springing back to middle and I'm too lazy to keep putting it back. I have to confess the middle position is certainly the one I use least, but I do use it.

[pohatu771]

I use the middle most of the time for my Spirit and Casino. A bit more bridge than neck, in most cases.

[animalfarm]

Everytime I read this thread title, I keep thinking it's

a NEW s*xual position....

"The Middle Pickup Switch" position!

 

Comments like :

"my LP is usually in the middle position"

 

Ahhhrrrgghhhhh!!!!! mind in gutter, mind in gutter......

[PP_CS336]

Since I got my VOXAC30 amp last year I've been experimenting with my guitars in the (the Epi Sheri, Les Paul, and

Gibson CS-336) in the Middle position, as this is a tube amp with great sound as opposed to the Fender Solid State I used to have before this. I do find that you can get some good sounds depending on how you vary the volume of

either of the volume pots in that position, plus playing around more with the tone pots. My Gibson CS-336 really got

me going more on this as it has a nice array of colors when playing around with the guitar knobs once you've already

found that sweet spot on the amplifier. It's a much fuller sound than just using either the neck or bridge pickups on

their own. Most people tend to ignore their middle switch position by using only the rhythm of treble position on the

3-way switch (might as well just have a 2-way then). I forgot which Eric Clapton song this phrase comes from, but

it fits the topic, "It's in the way that you use it."

[Scotland]

I probably use the middle position more than anything else, I do that with all my guitars. The volume pot is probably the most important tone shaper control invented.

[Steven Lister]

Yehp lpDave, middle, bridge, neck, it’s all good! We do love our LPs don’t we?

LPs require more finesse in several ways (setups as another example) if tone and potential is to be maximized. Your middle/volume example is a very good one.

 

IMO the "finesse factor" is a main reason why a lot of players go Strat --- finesse just does not suit their personality. A strat can be abused and still play great. Flick a switch and dramatic tone change. Not so much with buckers and an LP. I think these are some of the important keys to why Strats keep the younger, roudier, stage jumpers happy and an LP is more..., well… (ah to hell with being diplomatic) sophisticated?

 

BTW --- notice also the Tele twang you can coax out of an LP’s bridge pup with finely tweaked volume/tone/reverb/amp settings? Wow the crowds with some retro cool from an LP (if you’re not fortunate enough to own a good Tele).

 

Hitting every BLUE NOTE baaaby..., I'm still playing on:-"

[Dave]

Yehp lpDave' date=' middle, bridge, neck, it’s all good!

 

BTW --- notice also the Tele twang you can coax out of an LP’s bridge pup with finely tweaked volume/tone/reverb/amp settings? Wow the crowds with some retro cool from an LP (if you’re not fortunate enough to own a good Tele).

 

Hitting every BLUE NOTE baaaby..., I'm still playing on:-"

 

I love the Tele Twang and it's located somewhere around full bridge volume / half to 3/4 neck on the dial for me. It's surprising the number of "new" tones that are available on an LP if you take the time to "dial" them in. The clarity just stands out when you find the sweet spots.

[ladyscaglyc]

The switch in the middle with a P90 & a HBer,

volumes at 3/4 each with a preference of a bit more from the bridge PU.

Dial up either one for leads or switch out one or the other (depending on tone mood!)

 

A too cool combo.

[hoss49]

I like the middle position. Just dial down the neck pup abit. To around 7 and it sound great. IMO

[dwe82]

I love the dual-humbucker middle position. That rich sound just can't be duplicated, its why I love Gibson / Epiphone. I use the switch in the middle position probably 90% of the time when I'm playing. I play old-school country....when I'm doing Hank Thompson / Merle Travis / Chet Atkins style picking, the duals are perfect and really capture that late 50s / early 60s sound. When I play Ernest Tubb (Billy Byrd / Leon Rhodes) style, I put the switch on Treble. I seldomly ever use the switch in the top position, unless I'm playing a little jazz (which I don't do that much of).

[Capn Greenfog]

I 'm about to upgrade my pups and electronics so I can't speak for the future, but I've always played my LP in the middle. Mostly bridge with just enough neck to give it some girth.