Strat 2/4 positions - overrated

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  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71963
    edited February 2018
    Emiel said:

    It will brighten it up a bit if the bridge was already connected to the tone pot in the first place.
    No, it will not. Whether the bridge or the middle pickup, or both of them, is connected to the tone pot makes no difference to the bridge/middle position - it's the same single tone pot and cap.

    It does definitely brighten the neck/middle position because with both tone pots connected, the effective resistance is halved so it's like turning the tone pot down to about 7 or 8. (Not 5, since they're Log pots.)

    Emiel said:

    I like having the neck and bridge pickups wired to the tone pots (and not the middle), seems to create more balance from pickup position 1 all down to 5.
    I find it makes the middle pickup really 'jump out' too much. I like the middle pickup a lot, and I wouldn't want it to be without a tone control, but that's just a personal thing. I know a lot of Strat players never use the middle at all.

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

    "Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson

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  • p90foolp90fool Frets: 31369
    bbill335 said:
     Neck/middle always sounds like someone trying to copy SRV but ending up in john mayer's ballpark. 

    Plenty of famous people have ended up in John Mayer's ballpark, by all accounts. 
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  • jpfampsjpfamps Frets: 2723
    I have a 3 way on my strat.
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  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71963
    jpfamps said:
    I have a 3 way on my strat.
    Ah, but what settings does it have? ;)

    I've done a couple which go neck/neck+middle/bridge+middle for customers who want their favourite Strat sounds and not the others.

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

    "Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson

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  • impmannimpmann Frets: 12649
    rossi said:
    bbill335 said:

    Bridge/middle has its place for funky/disco cleans.


    This is my first sound check  when I check out any strat .A disco Niles Rogers type bar  cord up top end .I then know is a good un.Some strats  don't hit the spot  very well.I rarely  actually use that sound but I know its there .I am of course mad ........
    Nile Rogers mainly uses the neck pickup... and I was told he has kept the three way in 'the Hitmaker'. Just sayin...
    Never Ever Bloody Anything Ever.

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  • ESBlondeESBlonde Frets: 3576
    On my strat the bridge middle is used plenty, I typically have the tone rolled down on the middle pickup to about 3 to get some fatness back into it, but it sounds great and works clean or driven. That and the bridge on it's own gets most of the use as these are classic strat sounds. I do use other guitars live too so that might make a difference to how I perceive the sounds.

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  • impmann said:
    <snip>
    Nile Rogers mainly uses the neck pickup... and I was told he has kept the three way in 'the Hitmaker'. Just sayin...

    My '73 started off life with a 3-way switch. I still used to find the in-between settings, though. I didn't change the switch until started to misbehave. I expect Niles knows how to do it, too...  ;)
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  • Bridge & middle together sound great on mine - but it is quite a fat-sounding Strat.

    Largely a matter of taste as well....
    Agreed. Bridge on its own is too snappy. Bridge and middle is perfect 
    "Pick your noses up!"
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  • jpfampsjpfamps Frets: 2723
    ICBM said:
    jpfamps said:
    I have a 3 way on my strat.
    Ah, but what settings does it have? ;)

    I've done a couple which go neck/neck+middle/bridge+middle for customers who want their favourite Strat sounds and not the others.
    Just the 3 pickup settings.

    Didn't Blackmore have the middle pickup disconnected?
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  • bbill335bbill335 Frets: 1368
    impmann said:
    rossi said:
    bbill335 said:

    Bridge/middle has its place for funky/disco cleans.


    This is my first sound check  when I check out any strat .A disco Niles Rogers type bar  cord up top end .I then know is a good un.Some strats  don't hit the spot  very well.I rarely  actually use that sound but I know its there .I am of course mad ........
    Nile Rogers mainly uses the neck pickup... and I was told he has kept the three way in 'the Hitmaker'. Just sayin...
    Yeah Nile maybe the king of disco but it doesn't begin and end with him. I was thinking of the spanky ABITWpt2 rhythm sound, which is kind of a disco trope, I feel.
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  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71963
    jpfamps said:

    Just the 3 pickup settings.

    Didn't Blackmore have the middle pickup disconnected?
    Yes. As far as I know his guitars are wired (modern) Tele-style.

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

    "Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson

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  • thebreezethebreeze Frets: 2797
    I like all the positions for various reasons, my favourite being neck and middle together. I would say I use middle on it’s own the least probably (although remain undecided as to whether I prefer playing Sultans of Swing on middle and bridge or just middle on it’s own...).

    As ever, in relation to OP’s current observations, I would say don’t underestimate the tonal effect of different amps.  Some amps can really bring out the richness or subtleties of the pickups whereas another amp may tend to make some sound muddier or non-descript.
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  • NeillNeill Frets: 941
    Jimmie Vaughn say positions 2 and 4 are for wimps.  That's good enough for me.
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  • LebarqueLebarque Frets: 3755
    Wot no mention of Knopfler yet?
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  • LebarqueLebarque Frets: 3755
    I use a superswitch so that there is no tone pot on the 'in between' positions. It gives them the little kick in volume and presence they need. 'Scott Henderson' wiring I believe.
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  • lukedlblukedlb Frets: 488
    Get some axis bold as love lp tones with 2 and 4. I reckon you’ve either got poor pickups or their heights are wrong. You can go more robert cray if you increase the middle height. 
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  • For me the bridge/middle sound is the only sound Strats bring to the table, it's unique and fantastic.  The others are doable better elsewhere or useless.  

    I never got the middle pickup only thing but Gary Moore used it a lot so what do I know :)
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  • Damn, just realised I've been getting things the wrong way around with Strats. I though Bridge and Middle was Position 2 and Neck and Middle was Position 4. I also thought that H.S.S meant Humbucker in the Bridge, but that is S.S.H?

    Or am I still wrong?
    Only a Fool Would Say That.
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  • AlnicoAlnico Frets: 4616
    edited February 2018
    Damn, just realised I've been getting things the wrong way around with Strats. I though Bridge and Middle was Position 2 and Neck and Middle was Position 4. I also thought that H.S.S meant Humbucker in the Bridge, but that is S.S.H?

    Or am I still wrong?
    Shops and manufacturers describe it as "HSS" because we look at them from the front, so left to right make sense that way.
    Players call the switching the other way around because they look down on the guitar and call it from left to right as they see it.

    At least that's what I always just assumed.
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  • VoxmanVoxman Frets: 4718
    ICBM said:
    Does your Strat have the ‘Delta Tone’ hotter-wound bridge pickup? If so that’s why the bridge/middle sound is muddy.

    Normally it’s horribly thin and clicky :).

    I’m not normally much of a fan either, but they do have their uses so I do have a 5-way switch on my Strat-type.

    In particular you need them (with a RWRP middle pickup) if you’re playing anywhere with a lot of electrical noise ;).
    I have a Strat with Delta Tone and the bridge/middle position isn't muddy at all.  
    I started out with nothing..... but I've still got most of it left (Seasick Steve)
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