Switch in the Middle Position

[Trans-Am]

...you can never go wrong with the middle switch, it is a safe medium until you rip it up on the first or third which sounds just right from the takeoff.

 

[EdMcL]

Hum-cancelling Funk-A-Thon with this thing here
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

 

[Joseph Palmer]

I was never a fan of the bridge-only position on my Standard (Still not.)

Last fall I added phase and Series-parallel switches to the bridge pickup and now I'm a very
happy camper. This combination allows for a wide range of color when rocking the Bridge / Neck ratios.

With both push-pull switches in, it's 50's wiring, and with both out, its a clean tone monster.

The only weird thing is that when the Bridge pickup is in parallel, the volume control is very noisy, but it's clean when in series. I'll have to think about that.

J.

 

[Nihon Jim]

I'm in the middle position about 85% of the time, bridge tone at 10 and neck tone at 2-3. I roll off the neck volume for tone control, sitting alot at 7 or 8. With everything on 10, the neck volume rolls like a mini wah between 7 and 10. It's a classic with 496r and 500t.

+1

My LPs, 335s and SG all love the middle pup position. And I use similar tone settings (neck tone 4-5) while dialing volume to taste.

If only my guitar playing skill was the equal of my ability to get the guitar to sound great. :jim

 

[Edward]

I was never a fan of the bridge-only position on my Standard (Still not.)

...The only weird thing is that when the Bridge pickup is in parallel, the volume control is very noisy, but it's clean when in series. I'll have to think about that.

J.

You may have inadvertantly split the coil ...or otherwise accidentally grounded one coil so you're not really getting both in parallel. So your single coil has that characteristic noise. Check your connections, especially for unintentional grounding/shorting, perhaps

Edward

 

[Classicplayer]

Does anyone have a favorite setting or two when playing in the middle position with pickups that have coil taps on the volume controls?


Classicplayer

 

[Ryan Givhan]

when im playing in a band with another guitarist, i usually stick on the bridge pup. but when im playing in a 3 piece, i use the middle and neck positions a lot more.

my favorite right now for lead is middle position with both volumes dimed and the neck tone all the way down, maybe around 1 if its too muddy, and the bridge tone around 8-10

 

[BaconSoda]

I removed the pole piece screws from my neck pickup, making it a noiseless single coil. Since doing this, I have found it MUCH easier to get some nice middle position tones. I have standard wiring.

 

[lure555]

I'm always baffled when I hear people say the middle position is "unusable." It's been my go-to clean tone since getting into LPs over 20 years ago. My bridge is set a little bright and semi-dirty so the middle will be cleaner and the neck down and dirty. Can't imagine limiting the LP to just one pickup.

 

[thinlizzy1]

I like to keep my switch in the middle When I am playing rhythm. I have both tone knobs all the way up I have my treble pick up knob all the way up to 10 and my rhythm pick up Knob at about seven. I have always loved that sound, Snowy White used to play with the switch in the middle all the time.

 

[6403TV]

I’m guessing 50’s wiring makes a big difference in using the middle position, making it easier to blend volumes? My Special currently has modern wiring and there’s a massive hot spot going from full volume to 8/9, meaning the neck sounds either on or off. Do higher quality pots also make a difference here?

 

[charliechitlins]

Since I switched over to the ‘50s wiring, I pretty much leave it in the middle and just add or remove a little neck or bridge pick up as needed.

This.
Rolling a little off one pickup will make the other predominant, but it will still sound fatter/more midrangey than just the one.
I, too, spend a lot of time in the middle.

 

[c_wester]

The middle postion with great pickups and great pots with the Peter Green mod.
And abit to much volume on the amp then dial it back and search.
There is so much gold in those hills it is silly.

 

[Any Name You Wish]

I'm all over the place, going from one switch position to another, between songs, during songs. No favorite, they all get used, although when my lead comes up I slap it down to the bridge or up to the neck - hardly ever use the middle for lead except for semi-lead two string hybrid finger picking stuff, and sometimes for jazz. Sometimes I get lost and don't know where I am.

 

[Cliff Adams]

My primary tone comes from both pickups, with the bottom volume knob at 8, all the others at 10.

 

[Bryansamui]

Jimmy Page lived in the middle position live....More so than either the neck or bridge.