Do you use all the pickups in your guitar?

[Dru Edwards]

Hey everyone. There are numerous pickup configurations for guitars. The more popular ones are below (H=humbucker, S=single coil):

H-H (i.e. Les Paul)
H-H-H (i.e. custom Gibson)
S-S-S (i.e. Strat)
H-S-S (i.e. Strat / Super Strat)
H-S-H (i.e. Strat / Super Strat)
...

Do you use each of the pickups in your guitars? For example, if you have a Strat with S-S-S (3 single coils) do you use each of the pickups? I'll usually use each of the pickups, even if one might only get 5% usage for that single song ... except for one guitar.

What about you?

[RockerDuck]

As a lead player, the answer is yes. Playing lead above the 12th fret, the neck pickup sounds good on the les Paul, and below the 12th fret, the bridge. On my Strat, Position 2 gets the most use with the bridge for lead. Rhythm playing is generally the middle position no matter what guitar. On my telecaster, Both pickups get alot of use.

[pitner]

On my tele nashville special which has three pickups I use them all but ride the middle bridge combo the most. On my 12 string Schecter Stargazer electric I use the two humbuckers same time with bridge heavy and switched to single coil on the coil tap switch. Gretsch Duo Jet combine the two with the bridge heavy in the mix. Strats same as the tele. Les Paul Jr on has one so it is it! Surfcaster both on with no coil tap activated. Dipinto guitar has 4 single coils wired as 4 singles and 1 position a neck humbucker. I use them all on the Dipinto. Saint Blues has been modified to a 12 pickup combination and 2 lipstick tube pickups. Mostly use neck and bridge/middle combos on that one. There are more but I guess it depends on the guitar and the song.

[sweiss]

I use all the pickup positions on my Strat and Tele.

On my Les Paul I only use the neck only and bridge only positions. I can't get a sound I like in the middle position.

[clintj]

Mine all get used. I tend to use the neck pickups more when running clean, while I find the bridge pickups are more defined when the amp is overdriven. The neck pickup on a semi-hollow does get interesting with some power tube distortion too, very sultry sounding.

[franchelB]

I use the neck and the bridge pickup, but never together.

[Dru Edwards]

I have a Mexi Strat (H-S-S) that I got cheap at a pawn shop last year. Amazing playing neck/action. Think I'm going to take the middle pickup out of the guitar totally since I'm only planning on using the bridge pu, and possibly the neck, but that middle is getting in my way.

[franchelB]

Originally Posted by Dru Edwards

I have a Mexi Strat (H-S-S) that I got cheap at a pawn shop last year. Amazing playing neck/action. Think I'm going to take the middle pickup out of the guitar totally since I'm only planning on using the bridge pu, and possibly the neck, but that middle is getting in my way.

Your call, but I've read that quite a few artists like using that middle pickup. On the other hand, the Richie Blackmore Signature Strat from a few years ago didn't have a middle pickup...probably for the very same reason as yours.

Good luck!

[MBE]

I went several years with a tenuous relationship with my strat's middle pickup. I never used the position 2/4 "quack" tones other than doing bad Eric Clapton impressions in my bedroom, and never found a situation where the I really liked the middle pickup alone more than the neck (I think that a good strat neck pickup is one of the greatest tones of all time).

Then I went 5 years without a strat. When I picked one up again a year ago, I found myself enjoying everything it had to offer - probably because I had been playing 2-pickup Jaguars, Jazzmasters, and Gretsch guitars. I still find the middle 3 positions on the strat to be more "niche" tones that I don't use all the time, but I appreciate them more than I did years ago.

[Dru Edwards]

Originally Posted by franchelB

Your call, but I've read that quite a few artists like using that middle pickup. On the other hand, the Richie Blackmore Signature Strat from a few years ago didn't have a middle pickup...probably for the very same reason as yours.

Good luck!

I have a couple of American Strats and each have a middle single coil pu. If I need the middle pickup I can always use one of those other two guitars but I think I'll remove it from the Mexi strat. I just put in a custom Vineham Triple D pickup (think Super Distortion) in the bridge of the Mexi and it is doing wonders.

You think Blackmore didn't have a middle pickup because he couldn't afford it?

[s2y]

On SSS guitars, I rarely use the middle by itself. Using both outer coils and all coils also makes for cool sounds.

[franchelB]

Originally Posted by Dru Edwards

...

You think Blackmore didn't have a middle pickup because he couldn't afford it?

LOL. I believe it was more like he never used the middle pickup. It's was just in the way. It's been a while since I've read that article in Guitar World. (?)

[Archtop Guy]

Well, yeah, I do use all combinations....

[Mooh]

Yup, all pickups in all configurations. Telecasters, a Gretsch Electromatic, a Godin LG, and sometimes a Strat or Godin progression. I use whatever moves me at the moment or whatever is required for the tune.

[51 Relic]

Yes I have a Jerry Donahue Fret King and yes I use all the selections, all I need for a gig with my GSMini e Rosewood