The Ultimate SG middle position?

[Bettyboo]

What are the best pair of humbuckers to get that amazing middle position (as well as having great bridge and neck sounds)?

OK, I will premise this by saying:

1) I'm not very experienced, so I really don't know. I'm being a bit of a devil's advocate here...

2) I'm biased!

So, I will kick this off by saying that without a shadow of a doubt the SD 59's, Gibson 57s, Gibson 490s, Bare Knuckle and others cannot and do not generate the greatest possible middle position! That amazing position is reserved for something special that only I have found, and it is this, I'm not sure I should tell you, this is great wisdom that I should probably keep to myself, but in the ethos of ESG here goes:

a Damasio 36th anni in the neck and a Gibson 498T in ta bridge. Cannot be bettered or equalled, end of.

There you have it, you can list your thanks below.

 

[Westernrider]

I'll play. The pickups do play a part in the middle pickup sound. To me there is a greater variable that must be mastered. My ears! And my fingers! They needed to work together. With the switch in the middle position, the best tone came after I mastered the ceremonial tweaking of the volume and tone controls while offering incantations to those who live in the strange eons.



Azathoth have mercy!—the lightning no longer flashes—horrible—I can see everything with a monstrous sense that is not sight—light is dark and dark is light . . . those people on the hill . . . guard . . . candles and charms . . . their priests. . . .

“Sense of distance gone—far is near and near is far. No light—no glass—see that steeple—that tower—window—can hear—Roderick Usher—am mad or going mad—the thing is stirring and fumbling in the tower—I am it and it is I—I want to get out . . . must get out and unify the forces. . . . It knows where I am. . . .

“I am Robert Blake, but I see the tower in the dark. There is a monstrous odour . . . senses transfigured . . . boarding at that tower window cracking and giving way. . . . Iä . . . ngai . . . ygg. . . .

“I see it—coming here—hell-wind—titan blur—black wings—Yog-Sothoth save me—the three-lobed burning eye. . . .only my SG and Marshall stand in the way”

 

[eS.G.]

Tweaking Volume and tone.......are WELL played.
TBTH the BEST middle pup tone I have gotten....was and is from my VOX Virage SC.

 

[Sp8ctre]

3 57's work for me...

 

[Bettyboo]

is from my VOX Virage SC.

Not that beauty you were trying to trade???

 

[Bettyboo]

3 57's work for me...

57s are very nice indeed, but you have, what 3 middle position, on a custom? I've never player one, so am not sure how the switching works. I've always thought it very interesting how 3 closely placed pickups can sound different; do they wind them differently?

 

[eS.G.]

Not that beauty you were trying to trade???

I have decided to keep her Boo. I mean ....unless somebody comes along and offers me full retail for her.....of course.... lol

 

[Bettyboo]

Quite right too. She's a beauty, well a beauty of unusual beauty - as in the beauty is unusual, not that she's unusually beautiful in a conventional sense. I hope that's clear!

 

[dbb]

So, I will kick this off by saying that without a shadow of a doubt ...., Gibson 57s.... cannot and do not generate the greatest possible middle position!

Well I disagree, 57's sound great in that middle position, at least for me.

 

[Bettyboo]

You're right, dbb, 57s do sound great in middle position, just not as great as my 498T/36th combo!

(actually, I've never heard 57s in an SG, so I cannot say, other than internet clips, so this thread is somewhat in jest - there are many many great pickup combos out there)

 

[Biddlin]

I get that you like hot pickups, boo. I actually play a Les Paul with the 36th anni neck pickup/ 498 bridge, quite often. I find the blend interesting, but the already rowdy 498is almost over-powered by the DM anni. If it were my guitar, I'd have to wire different tone caps for each and maybe an on board active eq. I like weaker pickups, when playing "hot," so the effects and amp can do their jobs, most efficiently. 57s and 490s work great for me.
;>)

 

[eS.G.]

Quite right too. She's a beauty, well a beauty of unusual beauty - as in the beauty is unusual, not that she's unusually beautiful in a conventional sense. I hope that's clear!

As mud

 

[Bettyboo]

I actually play a Les Paul with the 36th anni neck pickup/ 498 bridge, quite often. I find the blend interesting, but the already rowdy 498is almost over-powered by the DM anni.

Originally, Betty was gonna be a heavy rock/punk monster, but I've found the 498T very musical and pleasant for blues and jazzier sounds too.

57s and 490s work great for me

57s are clearly great pickups. I don't know the 490s really. On comparison with any pickups, the 57s always do well.

 

[Dave_Death]

Yeah I have the BKP Cold Sweat set and find that the best middle position sound is with the neck full up and the tone on the bridge rolled down to around 7. Where you set the controls is very important.

That guitar also has a custom '50s style harness with 500K CTS pots and WD Music 0.0022uf PIO caps.

 

[Biddlin]

"498T very musical and pleasant for blues and jazzier sounds too."
Yup. I've got one in my spares box and no available vacancies in my stable...Maybe I'll put it back in my LPJ...
Maybe I'll give it all up and move to a tropical clime...
Having that kind of day...Saw a great offer for beach cottage in a fishing village on a tropical isle, uncluttered by tourists... 30' motor launch and a serviceable Jaguar Sovereign in the deal. Maybe it's time to chuck in all the tech and play my ukulele on the white sand beach...
Nah, I just had a rough night. This ones got the Dirty-Fingers and a p-90. Talk about hot!
;>)/

 

[SG John]

I have a set of Manlius "Fat Dianne" PAF humbuckers in my '68 Standard. It has a great middle position sound. Both pickups are real clear, and have a bit of grit at 10. They definitely are well voiced, and work together quite nicely.

 

[Bettyboo]

That guitar also has a custom '50s style harness with 500K CTS pots and WD Music 0.0022uf PIO caps.

Excellent, gotta get the pots and caps into the deal!

Saw a great offer for beach cottage in a fishing village on a tropical isle, uncluttered by tourists... 30' motor launch and a serviceable Jaguar Sovereign in the deal.

That sounds great; wish I had the money.

This ones got the Dirty-Fingers and a p-90. Talk about hot!

That was my original plan, but Thommen didn't have the DF in stock when I was ordering, but they did have a B'stock 498T at about $55, so I changed my plan (I suspect I would have been happy with the DF too).

I have a set of Manlius "Fat Dianne" PAF humbuckers

Never head of them, but a great name, so I'm gonna do a search.

 

[SG John]

Never head of them, but a great name, so I'm gonna do a search.

Mick's a real nice guy, and excellent to work with. I have installed his pickups in several guitars now.

http://www.manliusguitar.com/

 

[purpleplexi]

I have a set of shaws on my SG. They sound good in any position. I dont always used the middle position. But I do like to try different combo's with different tone and volume setting for both pickup in the middle position.

 

[Robus]

I never found a use for the middle position on an SG or LP until......I took up bass and got used to playing a Fender Jazz. Now the middle position makes total sense.