Out of the way middle pickup for Stratocaster

Funkfingers

Rocker said:

Positions 2 and 4 are very useful when backing a singer, a singer singing country and folk songs. 

Sooooooo, that is what Jeff Beck was doing with the bridge and middle pickup sound in the video posted earlier in this thread.

Bridgehouse

Pfft. As a bass player you should be resting your thumb on the middle pickup.

ICBM

Bridgehouse said:

Pfft. As a bass player you should be resting your thumb on the middle pickup.

When I'm playing bass I rest my thumb on the middle of the pick .

jaymenon

Look for the word Strelecaster (and pics) at the bottom of the page.

http://www.zhangbucker.com/strat-singles.html

Will allow you to get a nice sounding middle pickup without interfering with your picking hand...

What is “Strelecaster Styling”?  It is wrapping a coverless Strat pickup twine like a Tele bridge pickup (SEE PHOTO BELOW).  Can be made with just about any color twine.  Samples in the pictures below: red/white/black left, yellow-gold right.

STRELE STYLED PICKUPS

This is not JUST an aesthetic option:  Flatpole with no cover means the coil itself is much closer to the strings compared to a standard Strat* design pickup with Alnico rods that protrude several millimeters above the surface of the flatwork.  The result is livelier pickups with more sustain without losing the vintage tone and clarity.  This means you can also set them lower to avoid the dread "Stratitis" and still get a strong signal.

On the other hand, if you want to have the Strele look while keeping the traditional airy tone, they can be made with the rods raised above the flatwork with whatever stagger you prefer.

jaymenon

I'm based in the UK - don't work for this guy...!

Bridgehouse

ICBM said:

Bridgehouse said:

Pfft. As a bass player you should be resting your thumb on the middle pickup.

When I'm playing bass I rest my thumb on the middle of the pick .

I’m going to pretend you didn’t post that..

ICBM

Bridgehouse said:

ICBM said:

Bridgehouse said:

Pfft. As a bass player you should be resting your thumb on the middle pickup.

When I'm playing bass I rest my thumb on the middle of the pick .

I’m going to pretend you didn’t post that..

And my left one on the E string.

:-P

Funkfingers

jaymenon said:

I'm based in the UK - don't work for this guy...!

No need to apologise. I remember Zhang from when I was on the Seymour Duncan User Group forum. A knowledgable chap and, often, a provider of wise advice. 

Funkfingers

ICBM said:
And my left one on the E string. :-P

Do you scallop the edge off your fingerboard? 

Octafish

sweepy said:

Iirc Hendrix using the middle pickup quite a lot but obviously he’s not an influential Strat player

Ha, I like the middle pickup too! Don't get those who say they hate it, sounds great with drive, a bit honky, a bit raucous, but then I think the 2 & 4 positions are foul.

The only Strat combined pickup sound I like is bridge and neck (which I've got wired in place of the middle/bridge). Has none of that nasal limpness of 2 & 4.