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19K views 19 replies 19 participants last post by  Devo 
#1 ·
I find myself asking this question whenever it gets in the way.  How often do I use this pickup?  I hate to say this but only about 1% of the time.  When I do it's with the H-S split combo in position 2 or 4.  I guess it's because if I want that 'single coil sound' I could just grab my 74 strat and play away...

On my Jem10 I keep the middle pickup low, almost flush with my pickguard.  It's noisy.  It just gets in the way.

I've decided to create a project Jem body where the middle pickup will not be routed and a 3 position (LP style) switch is installed - just centered and below the neck pickup.  I'll suppose I could tap my humbuckers if I want to.

Has anyone done this or is there a production Ibanez similar to this spec?

Gabe
 
#2 ·
You can do what I do...

Disconnect that garbage single-coil... and lower it completely out of the way... then wire up the two humbuckers with a 5-way switch... (IE Prestige and most S models)

I usually just experiment... make sure positions 1 and 5 are humbuckers and just do random coil splitting from there... which works well enough.  If you need one, I can get you a basic wiring diagram by Friday.
 
#3 ·
I find the middle PU an indispensable tool with the JEM, UVs and any guitar. I think it's just a matter of personal taste and styles because many feel it is useless.

If i were building a custom axe (in fact i have!) i would add EVERY option possible, instead of reducing them. But that is just me. I'd rather have things i dont need now (but might as tastes/styles change) and just not use them. Good luck... glen
 
#4 ·
I agree....with Glen, I love the middle pickup....I can get a terrific clean sound with lots of pop out of the middle/bridge humbucker combo....unfortunately this doesn't have the same amount of gain as just the humbucker alone...and often you have to account for this by bringing up the volume a bit....but I think the middle pickup is great.  It's all about styles and what you're going for.....admittedly, I too only use this pickup just once in a while....and I too keep them (I have more than one Jem) down pretty darn low because they do interfere with my picking; however, I love the option and would be dissappointed if it wasn't there.   Opinions vary!
 
#5 ·
To me the middle PU doesn’t look bad… even if not used. It can get in the way, but you can just crank it down like Jay does. There is one reason I would loose the middle PU though. I would like to have a PU located somewhere between the present positions of the middle and neck. I’m weird… I know. I think there is a tone there that I would really like.

For your idea, I would think that a custom body would be in order unless you feel alright about plugging the hole in the middle, applying a little putty and re-painting. I assume you would re-paint a custom anyway.

I’m no custom guitar wiz, but I have been giving a lot of thought to personal custom specifications. I figure, why build one if I can buy one with most of the features I need. My main reason for a custom is to do some wacky things that Ibanez would never consider. I think a Jem with no middle pickup kind of falls into that category… It’s probably worth it. :)
 
#6 ·
I always thought one of the coolest pickup configurations I've seen was in one of George Lynch's ESP's, it was 1 humbucker that was on rails and had a little electric motor that would move the pickup from the bridge position to the neck position.  I heard a couple of demo things with Lynch playing and the pickup moving back and forth, it sounded really cool, almost kind of a wah / phaser type sound.  The only downside was the guitar looked pretty crappy with a trough cut all the way down the middle of the guitar but talk about making 1 pickup a versatile pickup!
Back to the original topic, I use the single coil on my Jems and UV's quite a bit, mostly for anything bluesy, I don't know what I would do without it really, besides, I think guitars with HSH config look better than just 2 Humbuckers.
But that's just my opinion.
Jeremy
 
#7 ·
Agreed, I feel the guitar 'looks' better with a full pickup config.  Glen makes a good point that it's a matter of personal taste - perhaps it's what YOU want from the guitar.  

Hey Jeremy - If you think Lynch's pickup was cool, you should check out the Roland VG-8 guitar synth.  It allows you to 'virtually' move the pickup anywhere up the fretboard at almost any angle - on the fly!  Of course you can also choose what kind of pickup you want to use too.

Thanks for everyones feedback.  I'll post pictures when I'm done with this custom.  Maybe I'll have it ready for Jemfest?

One more thing - I guess this probably falls more into the 'Mods' category... sorry Glen, I should of posted there!

Gabe
 
#8 ·
Gabe,
         The closest model I can think of to meet your specs is the RG-520. It has just the two 'buckers and no single. It has a fancy-shmancy wiring configuration to try and squeeze-out single coil sounds in the split positions. I've not played one so I don't know how well this works.

                I think Ibanez got a lot of flack for not having a model without the single in the way. Now if they'd just move that da^^n volume knob outta the way! :)  
 
#10 ·
Yep, JPM is 2 hum only bliss, as are the JS models.  I think that if you want the single coil sound the middle pickup on the JEM works great (of course, duh!)  The clean coil tapped JS sound is also very close, but the clean sound on a JPM (while nice) doesn't sound like a single coil...
 
#12 ·
I love the middle pickup sound...as long as it's a good pickup, which, unfortunately, the JEM's isn't.

I've written this on this forum before...it seems like the middle pickups Ibanez puts on all their guitars (the ones that even include them anymore!) are like an afterthought.

I'm much rather replace the middle pickup with a strat pickup or something with a hotter, more defined sound than the Jem's - then I don't have to take my '74 strat (if I only had one!) on the gig.

It really depends on your style of playing.  Straight ahead crunch has no use for the middle p'up.  If that's what you play and the p'up's in your way then go for it...take it out or whatever.  If you have any occasion to play with a clean sound, definitely try something different...even if it's not pink or green.   :p

~Kenny
 
#13 ·
If you're looking for a middle pickup with a little more power, consider a Blue Velvet. I have one guitar set up with Evolutions & a Blue Velvet, one set up with Air Norton-Blue Velvet-Tone Zone, and one set up with Air Norton-Blue Velvet-Steve's Special. The pickup has a great tone, combines well with split humbuckers, and has enough output to make it much more useful (IMHO) than the Jem single coil. As a matter of fact, I'm debating replacing the Evo single coil in my VWH with a Blue Velvet just because it's such a sweet pickup.

--Brent
 
#14 ·
hey bduersch, Sorry for the extremely late reply, but I am in the same situation; the volume drop makes using the single coils difficult. I have a 7VWH with the humbuckers replaced with a PAF pro in the neck and a FRED in the bridge and the original Evo SC in the middle.

did you get the Bridge or the Neck version of the blue velvet?
 
#15 ·
The middle pickup is NOT useless! Ever try playing without distortion? The front mid position sounds beautiful for clean tone! .. With EVOs anyways.

The mid rear gives you kind of a 'Eugene's Trick Bag' kind of tone but sound even closer if the rear pickup is single coil.

What split?
 
#16 ·
It really is a matter of tastes and styles. Personally the middle pup does get in my way. I'm constantly hitting it with my pick. But I love the versatility between the three pups. I recently got a 777DY that I will be removing the black pickguard, and all three pink pups. I've got green PAF humbuckers that will be wired with a 5-way switch. If I need the middle pup, I'll grab one of my other Jems. --rvj
 
#17 ·
The middle pickup is really useful to me, it's really great for clean sounds and getting that in-between twangy distortion tone that Paul Gilbert uses so very much. But my main gripe with the middle pickup is the presence of the volume drop and gain drop everytime you change positions from humbuck to single...pisses me off all the time LOL!

I've always wondered how a fast track pickup would sound in the position of the middle pickup, but I've yet to find on in pink to match my floral :)

Chris.
 
#19 ·
Apples and oranges folks. It's what suits you best.

I could easily get away w/ out the single myself and just do some creative coil-tapping instead. It's not that it's in the way so much (I have a very controlled picking hand) it's just that I guess I don't find the sound that desireable.

It kind of sounds like a bad strat tone. If I really wanted a strat tone, well, I guess I'd play my Strat. ;)

I'd rather a different or more unique tone, like various humbucker splits, then a cloned tone (not sure if that makes any sense).

Also, whoever said they like the volume knobs where they are on Ibanez' is nuts! Gah I hate it! They're way to close to the pickups/strings. Or maybe it's just me. :confused:
 
#20 ·
I share the pain of the middle pickup being in the way of my picking, so I also screw it flat to the plate, but I use it alot in the 2 and 4 positions and occaisonally in the 3.

the problem is that when its screwed so low Im loosing tons of output (reducing the tons of pull though :)) ontop of the fact that the single is a few mv lower that a standard HB anyway. Its somthing I use a volume pedal for on stage and a screwdriver in the studio. then its not so much a problem cause I tend only to use 2-3-4 on low gain or clean settings

Im not so sure how happy Id be without it.

I do agree that whatever stock single coils they use could do with an upgrading to somthing with a bit more tone and punch

Steve
 
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