You have to remember Clapton also has his strat custom wired, that said he does use the middle pup quite a lot. I use my middle pup a lot because I like the tone.
One of my fave comments i read years ago (Lowell George?) was I can make a Strat sound like a Les Paul but i can't make a Les Paul sound like a Strat. Leo and crew got it right the first time.
@@glenkepic3208 omg yes! strats and similar guitars rule! Love the HSS config with a stacked tone pot to get the quack in the 2nd position. or coil tap/splitter? not an expert in the area of electronics but Strats are so freaking versatile.
Middle pickup is so underated. However, Clapton and even John Mayer use it all the time. It's really good with overdrives especially when you stack overdrives. Very balanced between neck tones and bridge tones.
Highly recommend any strat owner getting a "Gilmour" switch installed that activates the neck pickup on demand. All three activated as well as the bridge and neck together are the tones you hear all the time on records yet never can quite get. Essentially, it is a 7 position switch. Trust me. Do it.
@@youropionmattersnot I have one and while I play with the bridge + neck a lot, I really haven’t played all 3 pickups and I really think I should. Can you think of any examples of songs that use all 3? Or any sort of reference songs that have a similar sound?
I was messing with my strat recently and realized the middle position (which I’d barely ever used), sounds great with big open chords and arpeggios. It’s like the Strat’s take on an acoustic guitar and I’m here for it.
Jerry Garcia is well known for using the strat middle pickup, listen to anything from the Europe 72 tour, his modded strat middle pickup is all over those albums
His best tones were Alligator on the middle pickup. I play a hard tail strat with a flat pole 50's pickup in the middle position and it gets that sound. Also after years of hating strat bridge pickups I found a simple solution, hook up the bridge pickup to one of the tone pots. In a stock strat they're wide open, one wire swap and the ice pick is gone. Like Rhett says most strat player never use the middle, which also means they aren't using the middle's tone control either!
Finally, someone realizes what I've been enjoying for the past few years. The sound is clear and crisp and can be punchy with volume up when wanted. Thank you Rhett for mentioning this very usable and complimenting option.
Been playing over 50 years and just got my first one, a G&L Tribute. Love it, so much fun! Fun having with all the possibilities. I found working on pickup height very important. Your right about neck tending to be muddy. Have to agree on the middle. Love the way a strat fits my body. Good episode!
Playing 42 years and bought a used 2011 G&L Tribute a couple years ago. Natural swamp ash body with a hot rail at the bridge and Fender noiseless pickup at the neck along with Fender locking tuners the previous owner installed. I've owned MIA and MIM Strats but never loved them like this import with the mods for a fraction of the price.
If anyone wants to get the brittle and the shrill out of the bridge pickup sound, experiment with the tone knob. Some more modern strats have the 2nd tone knob control the bridge pickup as well. Mine does. If I roll it off to about 5-7, I dial out some of the harsh shrill, dial in a bit of warmth, but still keep the bright and crunchy. Sounds nice.
I totally agree. It took me way too long to figure it out but rolling off the tone knob has made all the difference in getting rid of the bridge harshness. But, like you say, you still keep the brightness. Amen to using the tone knob!
if you want to solve the problem for good without messing with the knobs every time you want to play a solo. get a stra bro 90 for the bridge .it's a single coil sized p 90 made by seymour duncan for the strat with tons of low mids. nothing sharp, harsh or thin. a single coil at the bridge was always a bad idea, only jeff beck got away with it and john suhr commented that he used "dark sounding pickups". single coils are not good for drive there are other options out there.
I rarely use the bridge pickup on my Strat. But when I do I want to have that bite. I almost never use my tone knobs anyway. If I need a darker sound I use different pickup, picking position, mute the strings... Or use a different guitar.
Doug Martsch of Built to Spill is one of the first players that comes to mind when mentioning middle pickup on a Strat, “Carry The Zero” is the perfect example.
He's the first person that comes to my mind as well. Doug has said in interviews that his strat's are wired so only the middle pickup is functional. this in combination with his fender bassman is literally orgasmic 🤣 "Living Zoo" is prob. my favorite example of his "sound"
I do a similar thing, but my tone knob controls my bridge pickup, so the bright middle pickup & the dull bridge pickup cancel eachother out & do a really cool thing
Robin Trower has stated in many interviews how he uses the middle pickup quite a bit. Hendrix used it a lot also, listen to Band of Gypsys live. It’s no secret it’s a great tone.
Always loved the middle pickup on my Strat, was almost shamed out of using it by Scott Grove saying it was stupid and no one serious was using it. Crazy. It’s a great balance between the too-dark neck and the too-brittle bridge.
I don't think Scott Grove is the best source for advice, he's kinda hardwired that his way is THE way . He has a lot of knowledge but he filters his knowledge through his opinions.
@@garycoates4987 I like those quacky tones in the hands of the greats, but in my hands they just don’t sound right. I like two single coil pickups better in series, which a standard Strat won’t do.
I’m a long time Strat player and I never understood why people didn’t like the middle. I’ve been playing that pickup for years and it always gives me what I need. Enjoyed the video as always!
I had Lindy Fralin build my pick up set for my custom Strat, and he used a vintage Strat pick up in the neck, a pure PAF humbucker for the bridge, and a Texas Special pickup for the middle. So I use my middle pick up a lot. It sounds fantastic.
Thank sounds like exactly what I want. The Fralin Texas special pickup sounds like a Tele bridge pickup to me. So putting that in the middle of a Strat with a humbucker in the bridge would give me my three favorite pickup sounds in one guitar. Epic
I'm so glad somebody finally talked about position 3. I've been thinking about getting a Strat for a long time but I never really enjoyed listening to the 1 2 and 3 positions, and a Tele always did the neck position better in my opinion. But I've been listening to one guitar player on TH-cam quite a lot lately who tends to use position 3 a lot and it sounded exactly how I wanted it to sound. absolutely love it.
Couple of my strats do not have the tone control connected to the bridge - rewired and took it away from the middle position put it to the bridge and definitely made a huge difference for a lead tone... Very smooth, round and great sustain when complimented with a great overdrive
Cool video Rhett! I've been using the middle pickup on my Strat a lot over the past several years. I find it really versatile, whether with clean or overdriven tones. You also mentioned about the bridge pickup being harsh and tough to use for some things; I agree, so I had a mod done to my Strat where I now have only one tone and the volume is where the other (closest to the strings) tone used to be. The remaining tone control controls all 3 pickups, which has given my bridge pickup a whole new lease on life. Far more usable! The whole thing started because I was so used to my Music Man EVH having the volume control farther away from my right hand (which I prefer). The discussion with the tech went from there to the tone controls and pickups. Now my Strat is amazing!
I was in fact sleeping on this position until this video, and for the past few months I've been using it a TON. Directly changed my playing for the better, thank you Rhett!
@@yaniv-nos-tubes i would have to agree. After building my design I didn’t realize how much I would love it. I constantly come back to it. It just has everything I want and need, and with it being a single pickup guitar it is truly the place where simplicity meets versatility!
Rhett,, u have THE most interesting vids! I’m 69 and have learned so much that I skipped over. My one man band has benefited greatly with yur informative vids! Keep em’ coming! I’m a fan!
Another great video Rhett! I love using the 2 and 4 positions where the middle blends with the bridge or neck more than the middle by itself. All depends on amp/cab and overall tone you're going for!
I'm starting to see some serious mojo from Rhett. Rythm, tone, timing, feel all coming together. I think you may need a cool rim hat and a music tattoo on a fore arm to complete the look. Rhett got rythm!
Me Too !!! I love the strat middle position. You said very well it still retains some nice attack and it has a good balance of bridge brightness and neck warmth. No other guitar sounds alike. Thank you Rhett 👍
The same goes for the mid position on guitars whether it's with P90s or humbuckers on Gibson Les Paul's, ES 335's SG's and others. I found that much of the guitar parts on the records from the 60's and 70's used the mid position. They really have a different kind of expression as far as tones go.
I'm currently rebuilding and upgrading my first Squier Strat that hasn't been playable in 20 years. Can't wait to hear those Lace Sensors. Thanks for the tips, hoping to finally do the Strat thing!
I have all my Strats (5 of them) wired to a configuration that gives me two more than standard settings; bridge and neck as well as all three plus master tone. The Neck/Bridge setting is close to but slightly different than Middle. All three is just something else entirely. This is what I like about the Stratocaster; it's utter versatility.
I love the middle position, especially for clean settings and I play it even more than 2 or 4 at times. Agree with your criticism of bridge tones sounding too brittle and harsh for some purposes. l modded my Strat to have a global tone knob instead of separate ones for the bridge and neck -- that way I can get some mellow tones out of the middle position too by rolling back the tone, the simplified circuit leads to a clearer tone and overall it just makes more sense to me.
My strat has a bunch of mods, but the one relevant here is removing the tone pot from the middle pickup and putting it on the bridge. I usually use neck and bridge, or position 2 and 4 in series (which is the main thing that my strat does that's special) for leads, and then go to that middle pickup and roll my volume back to get a rhythm sound. It has some thump, it has some sparkle, and with the volume knob rolled off a bit it thickens nicely and just works for a rhythm sound. I feel like on a lot of older budget strats, such as my first guitar, the middle pickup lacked that magic due to the poor quality of the pickups. I have some seymour duncans in my current strat and I have to agree with Rhett that it's one of the best strat sounds out there
Love your channel, love your guitar "gun for hire" work with others... but lord almighty, I do love it when you just groove out on a jam like this intro. Killin' it, bruh... absolutely killing it.
Strats are great and pretty much mandatory equipment for the serious electric guitarist, and all positions have their sonic strong suit and "best used for" application. Jeff Beck puts on a clinic of strat switch flippery conjuring a wide array of vibes and tones every time he picked up a strat. One last little note - a really great fix for the bridge position excessive treble issue is to switch the tone control pot from the middle to the bridge pickup and it's super easy to do, as it only requires moving one wire from the 5 way switch from the middle pickup terminal to the bridge pickup terminal. By doing this now you can take some of the treble away with the tone control, and even achieve a rather meaty humbucker type tone which would be impossible with the previous tone control arrangement, and as well there is a sort of unexpected bonus by the fact that removing the tone control from the middle pickup it adds just a little bit of high-end brightness to the middle pickup that makes the in-between positions sound a bit more chimey spanky clucky and funkier to my ear, and the best part is that you dont have to buy anything, just move one wire that's all. People have asked me numerous times "How are you getting that humbucker sound out of a single coil bridge pickup ?" ... that's how. I've done this mod for a few friends and the repeat comment is "I don't know why Fender doesn't wire them like that, as moving that one wire just makes it sound better, more diverse without losing any traditional sounds..." Check this easy mod out, I believe you will be pleasantly surprised, and if you didn't care for that, move the one wire back. Enjoy !
In my early years playing guitar and learning on a Strat I felt like positions 2 and 4 were so cool because it was instantly in the ball park of Stevie and Jimi and John but the better I got the more I prefer the neck and middle because I was able to play more dynamically and get my tone that way rather than relying on the instant pretty effect of 2 and 4. Just my two cents. Every position is great on a strat
I respect and understand your view and perception of the different sounds you can get from a strat. And if you like the middle pickup sound, thats wonderful. Still, I think you’re missing out the versatility and dynamics of the sounds that you really can get out of it. Personally, I love the ability to choose the sound that serves the actual song I’m playing the best. Like you I, love the middle pickup by it self, but in some songs it’s just too anonymous and generic. And it’s hard to determine what guitar that´s being used. I love it when you can hear the characteristics of a certain guitar. As opposed to something that just sounds - guitar. Anyway, love your work and your willing to share your knowledge and thoughts about this wonderful instrument.
I like the bridge pickup in my Player Strat as well as all the other positions you mentioned. Also I ended up with two Player HSS versions and they are my favorite Strats. Bridge HB sounds great and powerful and in pos 4 it splits the coils so you still get the fantastic blend of the others. And the second tone knob only controls the bridge pickup, genius!!
You guys really have to stop saying that positions 2 and 4 are "out of phase." They're not. Out of phase means something specific. If a pickup is reverse wound but the same polarity, or if it's the same wind but reverse polarity, THAT will cause actual phase cancellation, which causes a massive loss of low end. That's not what's happening in a Strat. The middle pickup is reverse wound AND reverse polarity, so it's perfectly in phase with the other two pickups. All that does is cancel the hum. The reason it sounds "thin" or "quacky" is because the two pickups are running in parallel. If you were to wire the pickup selector to work in series in positions 2 & 4, you'd get a thicker sound.
2 and 4 positions are NOT out of phase - they are in phase, in parallel. Wire them in series and you won't worry about them sounding weak. Other than that, I fully agree - third position is a banger on a good strat.
I don't understand any of that...but my strat sounds pretty quacky and out of phase in position 2. But *not in position 4, that is actually my fav position by a mile, it's sound sort of like the neck but with more clarity and presence. I'm not sure why the 2 post sounds out of phase while the 4 doesn't.
I recently rewired mine to a 3 position switch as I always found 2 and 4 useless for my style. Unbelievable how hard it was to find a reference for this or a diagram. I did find one with a vid using tone 2 as a blend control for the middle to N/B. After messing with different caps and PU heights I am very pleased with the results. Kinda have the best of 3 and 5 position switches with no volume loss, bonus having all three at once too! Thanks Rhett, always look forward to your knowledge.
Of course Strat players like the 2 & 4 positions because you still get the twang but with fuller sound and the benefits of using those pickup combinations as, in effect, a selectable bridge or neck humbucker because the single-coil middle pickup is wound and wired out-of-phase. I agree that the middle pickup by itself is a sweet sound usually overlooked. Glad to see you featuring Squier! I'm a longtime Epiphone fan who has acquired a few Squiers in the last couple years and like Epiphones they are great guitars in their own right and killer bang-for-buck for folks like me that can't afford or justify spending a helluva lot more on a Gibson or Fender these days. I know you can pretty much buy or get the hookup on whatever you want to play but I appreciate you giving attention and support to brands and models that many of us more budget-constrained players are interested in and can better afford. I do have a couple 'nicer' guitars in my modest collection but I'd be proud to have a Strat just like the one you played in this video.
I love the middle pickup on a strat for strumming open chords. It always sounds so full and full of life. Every time i pick up a strat, I switch it to the middle and play an open G chord. Great way to test out the instrument.
I agree. I've been gigging with a Squire Affinity for 2 yrs ( $100 pawn shop find ) I use the middle pu for rhythm 90%, neck for solo. Underrated guitars.
YES!! finally someone talks about the middle pickup of the strat 💚 I use it because it has a middle tone (literally) between the bass and treble, and I use the tone knob of the middle pickup around 8 or 9
after 47 years playing,i have bought myself my first strat 2009 deluxe,,for that clean bell like sound,,,no guitar neck ever touched an old shergold masquerader had one since 1981
One of my favorite guitar players, Doug Martsch of Built to Spill, pretty much plays a strat exclusively in the middle position, and is able to get great sounds and a lot of variety.
Very cool. I read an interview with Robin Trower years ago where he said he uses the mid pick up the most. Found it funny when he said that when he and Fender were going over the specs for his sig model, he had a preference for the neck and mid pick ups (can't recall what), he told them to put whatever they wanted in the bridge slot "...I never use it". I believe a Texas Special is in there. I've been playing S type guitars for years but usually lower the mid pup a bit so it's not in the way of my pick. Sounds good in 2 or 4 but abit weak on it's own.
I've been discovering my strat middle pickup those days too and it is indeed amazing ! With some slapback delay and spring reverb you get awesome surf sounds! Great video as alwas Rhett, thank you !!
For the past few years I've strictly been playing Les Pauls, and mostly on the bridge pickup. I recently went back to playing my Strat and playing it on the middle pickup. It's all i play now.
Couldn’t agree more. Had a Mexican strat from the 90’s. Had hot rails in the bridge and neck when I bought it. Always went to the middle pickup only position when I played it. Sounded best in that position for me.
I love the middle pickup. The neck and bridge pickups have a lot of flavor, but the middle pickup is super neutral which gives you better flexibility when shaping your tone with pedals. It’s kind of like how pedal platform amps are super neutral sounding so that they let the pedals shine
I totally agree ! Middle position on my strat is my go-to sound when I pick it. I play a lot of funk music, often associated to position 2 and 4, I've tried those of course, but always back to the fuller sounding middle position. Overdriven tones are also amazing on that pickup. I love it !
The strat tone is why I started to play guitar. I love everything about that punchy bell like tone. I just bought one of the 40th aniv Squier Jazzmasters and I shit you not it's one of the best guitars I've ever owned. Squier has for sure upped their game.
Thanks for sharing the information Rhett! I always use the neck or bridge (HSS) humbucker… I just recorded a track with the middle pick up after watching your video, and the Stratocaster cuts through the mix beautifully!
I agree 100% ...I have been a strat player for over 50 plus years...... majority of time using the first position or third position on my strat ... lately I have been migrating toward the middle position and enjoying it .... Recently in the last year or so I have stepped out of my comfort zone and bought a Gibson Les Paul standard and a les Paul jr. . I kept them for about a month or so and just couldn't bond with humbucker pickups or a P90 that was in the junior... so I sold them both .... about two months ago I got a wild hair to get a PRS S2 ... I saw a video you did on PRS guitars and you seem to lean towards the S2 , so I decided to get one ..... that now is for sale . All three of those instruments played very well ..... I have my strat that I bought in 1970 when I was 14 and that will be 53 this year....I bought a 2007 mim strat several years ago .... I put noiseless pickups in and swapped out the rosewood neck for a maple neck .... I have just come to the conclusion that my mind is so bent on strat tones for myself I will stop buying other guitars and just enjoy the two strats I have . Dont know if my narrow mind set is good or bad ... it is what it is ... kepp up the good work you do ....I find all your videos entertaining and mostly very informative... Thank You
My favorite Strat setup is HSS with a splittable humbucker. No ice pick, almost all of the other sounds you've described and the added girth that a humbucker brings.
@rhettshull first off thank god someone with a voice is putting this out there, I’ve been an advocate of middle position on the strat for years, but like you say - it’s the cliches that everyone goes to. Don’t get me wrong I love those sounds but that middle pick-up is just as you described. For anyone wanting proof then all you need do is listen to David gilmour who was a heavy user of that middle position, can’t argue with that tone 😂. I can’t recommend it highly enough and you’ve all just heard it here on a budget line squire strat and it sounded amazing. Keep up the great videos man and hoping to get to see you love when you’re next in the U.K. (ps any plays to come play in Scotland??)
So true. Middle position is great, and one of my favorites for some clean sounds right on the edge of breakup. I feel like people sleep on the tone controls on strats too. A distorted strat on the bridge/middle position with the bridge tone rolled all the way down makes a great fuzzy lead tone.
I built a Strat Pickguard with 3 way switch and the following pickups: Neck SD Cool Rail for those sweet mellow neck sounds, Bridge SD SH5 Ceramic Magnet humbucker for screaming rock and in the middle a Fender Hot Alnico 3 Singlecoil for the classic Strat tone. This guitar does it all!
Clapton has played nearly whole concerts without changing from the mid pup position. It is one of my fav sounds from a strat.
Albert hammond from the strokes literally had his strat wired where its the middle pickup whatever switch position it is.
You have to remember Clapton also has his strat custom wired, that said he does use the middle pup quite a lot. I use my middle pup a lot because I like the tone.
Exactly, this is what I came here to say!
i actually falled in love with the middle position when i was learning how to play key to the highway from the derek & the dominos album, layla
@@zillmer448great song brother
Strats are so smooth and versatile. They've stood the test of time for so long, and there's still so much to do with it. Cheers Rhett.
Give me a Tele any day.
@@narvul - I prefer Telecasters too. Or at least songs played on Teles.
One of my fave comments i read years ago (Lowell George?) was I can make a Strat sound like a Les Paul but i can't make a Les Paul sound like a Strat. Leo and crew got it right the first time.
@@jimferris9447 rather have a strat if you want a guitar that won't dig into your ribs though.
@@glenkepic3208 omg yes! strats and similar guitars rule! Love the HSS config with a stacked tone pot to get the quack in the 2nd position. or coil tap/splitter? not an expert in the area of electronics but Strats are so freaking versatile.
Middle pickup is so underated. However, Clapton and even John Mayer use it all the time. It's really good with overdrives especially when you stack overdrives. Very balanced between neck tones and bridge tones.
Highly recommend any strat owner getting a "Gilmour" switch installed that activates the neck pickup on demand. All three activated as well as the bridge and neck together are the tones you hear all the time on records yet never can quite get. Essentially, it is a 7 position switch. Trust me. Do it.
@@youropionmattersnot I have one and while I play with the bridge + neck a lot, I really haven’t played all 3 pickups and I really think I should. Can you think of any examples of songs that use all 3? Or any sort of reference songs that have a similar sound?
That tone... 🔥💞🏆🤯
@@justraaay you won't find any. i have that option and i never use it. it sounds like a very bad acoustic electric, like plastic.
Couldn’t have said it better! This is the exact concept in my Matador model. A single pickup in the middle position. Simplicity meets versatility! 👍
I was messing with my strat recently and realized the middle position (which I’d barely ever used), sounds great with big open chords and arpeggios. It’s like the Strat’s take on an acoustic guitar and I’m here for it.
Jerry Garcia is well known for using the strat middle pickup, listen to anything from the Europe 72 tour, his modded strat middle pickup is all over those albums
His best tones were Alligator on the middle pickup. I play a hard tail strat with a flat pole 50's pickup in the middle position and it gets that sound. Also after years of hating strat bridge pickups I found a simple solution, hook up the bridge pickup to one of the tone pots. In a stock strat they're wide open, one wire swap and the ice pick is gone. Like Rhett says most strat player never use the middle, which also means they aren't using the middle's tone control either!
My fav Jerry sound too and the easiest path to cope those plucky tones. There really are few middle position pickup guitars out there.
That is the tone that got me playing strats. I'm a strat guy through and through, and a middle pickup guy at that.
Came here to say this!!
Finally, someone realizes what I've been enjoying for the past few years. The sound is clear and crisp and can be punchy with volume up when wanted. Thank you Rhett for mentioning this very usable and complimenting option.
Been playing over 50 years and just got my first one, a G&L Tribute. Love it, so much fun! Fun having with all the possibilities. I found working on pickup height very important. Your right about neck tending to be muddy. Have to agree on the middle. Love the way a strat fits my body. Good episode!
You’ve got some great tone controls on your G&L. Quite different than Fender tone control.
Playing 42 years and bought a used 2011 G&L Tribute a couple years ago. Natural swamp ash body with a hot rail at the bridge and Fender noiseless pickup at the neck along with Fender locking tuners the previous owner installed. I've owned MIA and MIM Strats but never loved them like this import with the mods for a fraction of the price.
If anyone wants to get the brittle and the shrill out of the bridge pickup sound, experiment with the tone knob. Some more modern strats have the 2nd tone knob control the bridge pickup as well. Mine does. If I roll it off to about 5-7, I dial out some of the harsh shrill, dial in a bit of warmth, but still keep the bright and crunchy. Sounds nice.
Just wired the tone pot to the bridge there recently, makes a big difference!
I totally agree. It took me way too long to figure it out but rolling off the tone knob has made all the difference in getting rid of the bridge harshness. But, like you say, you still keep the brightness. Amen to using the tone knob!
if you want to solve the problem for good without messing with the knobs every time you want to play a solo. get a stra bro 90 for the bridge .it's a single coil sized p 90 made by seymour duncan for the strat with tons of low mids. nothing sharp, harsh or thin. a single coil at the bridge was always a bad idea, only jeff beck got away with it and john suhr commented that he used "dark sounding pickups". single coils are not good for drive there are other options out there.
I rarely use the bridge pickup on my Strat. But when I do I want to have that bite. I almost never use my tone knobs anyway. If I need a darker sound I use different pickup, picking position, mute the strings... Or use a different guitar.
Pretty much all modern strats have the second tone pot for the bridge and the other one for both middle and neck.
Doug Martsch of Built to Spill is one of the first players that comes to mind when mentioning middle pickup on a Strat, “Carry The Zero” is the perfect example.
You beat me to it!
I think he only plays on that middle pu.
He's the first person that comes to my mind as well. Doug has said in interviews that his strat's are wired so only the middle pickup is functional. this in combination with his fender bassman is literally orgasmic 🤣 "Living Zoo" is prob. my favorite example of his "sound"
It's just great sound for fuzzed-out indie rock. Marissa Paternoster of Screaming Females is another example of that.
‘Perfect from now on’ one of the most epic albums ever !
The middle pickup has become my favorite for the reasons you mentioned. It's a good balance and still very Straty.
Yes, middle pickup for the win 🥇 check out my Matador model. I go all in on the middle pickup!
One of my favourite sounds is position 2, tone at about 3, and tons of gain, it sounds like a cocked wah and I love it
I do a similar thing, but my tone knob controls my bridge pickup, so the bright middle pickup & the dull bridge pickup cancel eachother out & do a really cool thing
I use the middle pickup probably 80% of the time strats, and I've never understood why people didn't do the same. They are great for R&B and pop
Very true ! Specially in a live context moreover.
Robin Trower has stated in many interviews how he uses the middle pickup quite a bit. Hendrix used it a lot also, listen to Band of Gypsys live. It’s no secret it’s a great tone.
My wife bought me an Affinity Strat for Christmas. It’s now my number one guitar. I LOVE it!
Always loved the middle pickup on my Strat, was almost shamed out of using it by Scott Grove saying it was stupid and no one serious was using it. Crazy. It’s a great balance between the too-dark neck and the too-brittle bridge.
I almost never use the 2 and 4 positions
I don't think Scott Grove is the best source for advice, he's kinda hardwired that his way is THE way . He has a lot of knowledge but he filters his knowledge through his opinions.
@@marpsr me neither,, I really don't like the "quacky" tones
Who?
@@garycoates4987 I like those quacky tones in the hands of the greats, but in my hands they just don’t sound right. I like two single coil pickups better in series, which a standard Strat won’t do.
I’m a long time Strat player and I never understood why people didn’t like the middle. I’ve been playing that pickup for years and it always gives me what I need. Enjoyed the video as always!
I had Lindy Fralin build my pick up set for my custom Strat, and he used a vintage Strat pick up in the neck, a pure PAF humbucker for the bridge, and a Texas Special pickup for the middle. So I use my middle pick up a lot. It sounds fantastic.
Thank sounds like exactly what I want. The Fralin Texas special pickup sounds like a Tele bridge pickup to me. So putting that in the middle of a Strat with a humbucker in the bridge would give me my three favorite pickup sounds in one guitar. Epic
@@joateon Exactly. The Fralin Texas special, when put in the middle or bridge position, gives a slightly Tele vibe that is just awesome.
I'm so glad somebody finally talked about position 3. I've been thinking about getting a Strat for a long time but I never really enjoyed listening to the 1 2 and 3 positions, and a Tele always did the neck position better in my opinion. But I've been listening to one guitar player on TH-cam quite a lot lately who tends to use position 3 a lot and it sounded exactly how I wanted it to sound. absolutely love it.
Couple of my strats do not have the tone control connected to the bridge - rewired and took it away from the middle position put it to the bridge and definitely made a huge difference for a lead tone... Very smooth, round and great sustain when complimented with a great overdrive
Cool video Rhett! I've been using the middle pickup on my Strat a lot over the past several years. I find it really versatile, whether with clean or overdriven tones. You also mentioned about the bridge pickup being harsh and tough to use for some things; I agree, so I had a mod done to my Strat where I now have only one tone and the volume is where the other (closest to the strings) tone used to be. The remaining tone control controls all 3 pickups, which has given my bridge pickup a whole new lease on life. Far more usable! The whole thing started because I was so used to my Music Man EVH having the volume control farther away from my right hand (which I prefer). The discussion with the tech went from there to the tone controls and pickups. Now my Strat is amazing!
Sounds great, guys! Jimmie Vaughan is one player that uses the middle pup quite a bit.
Yes! Totally agree! The middle p'up is where mine rests most of the time. Most players sleep on it, and I rarely ever use the 4th position.
Albert Hammond Jr uses the middle pickup in both the Strokes and his solo work to great effect. It's my favorite strat sound.
He rigged his switch up so the bottom position is just the middle pickup so he can't knock it out of place.
I was in fact sleeping on this position until this video, and for the past few months I've been using it a TON. Directly changed my playing for the better, thank you Rhett!
My main guitar has one p90 in the middle and it is all I need. I love it. It is crazy versatile!
it is the best tone that no one knows of, you see so many superstrats with 2 humbuckers and nothing in the middle such a waste.
@@yaniv-nos-tubes i would have to agree. After building my design I didn’t realize how much I would love it. I constantly come back to it. It just has everything I want and need, and with it being a single pickup guitar it is truly the place where simplicity meets versatility!
Rhett,, u have THE most interesting vids! I’m 69 and have learned so much that I skipped over. My one man band has benefited greatly with yur informative vids!
Keep em’ coming! I’m a fan!
Interesting that Clapton mainly used the middle pickup on a single strat for most of the show when I saw him in 2021. Sounded great
Another great video Rhett! I love using the 2 and 4 positions where the middle blends with the bridge or neck more than the middle by itself. All depends on amp/cab and overall tone you're going for!
That snare drum sound 🔥
Something about a deep snare, man
I agree! The middle pick-up is a well rounded sound and packs a punch when used with overdrive or distortion.
I'm starting to see some serious mojo from Rhett. Rythm, tone, timing, feel all coming together. I think you may need a cool rim hat and a music tattoo on a fore arm to complete the look.
Rhett got rythm!
I agree, He is getting better.
Everything but the tattoo.
Me Too !!!
I love the strat middle position. You said very well it still retains some nice attack and it has a good balance of bridge brightness and neck warmth. No other guitar sounds alike. Thank you Rhett 👍
The same goes for the mid position on guitars whether it's with P90s or humbuckers on Gibson Les Paul's, ES 335's SG's and others. I found that much of the guitar parts on the records from the 60's and 70's used the mid position. They really have a different kind of expression as far as tones go.
I'm currently rebuilding and upgrading my first Squier Strat that hasn't been playable in 20 years. Can't wait to hear those Lace Sensors. Thanks for the tips, hoping to finally do the Strat thing!
I have all my Strats (5 of them) wired to a configuration that gives me two more than standard settings; bridge and neck as well as all three plus master tone. The Neck/Bridge setting is close to but slightly different than Middle. All three is just something else entirely. This is what I like about the Stratocaster; it's utter versatility.
Adding a push-pull (or push-push) pot to activate the neck pickup regardless of the switch position is an easy and super useful mod.
Agreed, I just started using the middle pup a lot.
I love the middle position, especially for clean settings and I play it even more than 2 or 4 at times. Agree with your criticism of bridge tones sounding too brittle and harsh for some purposes. l modded my Strat to have a global tone knob instead of separate ones for the bridge and neck -- that way I can get some mellow tones out of the middle position too by rolling back the tone, the simplified circuit leads to a clearer tone and overall it just makes more sense to me.
Jerry Garcia loved the middle position in the strat. Built it into his later guitars and played it most often
My strat has a bunch of mods, but the one relevant here is removing the tone pot from the middle pickup and putting it on the bridge. I usually use neck and bridge, or position 2 and 4 in series (which is the main thing that my strat does that's special) for leads, and then go to that middle pickup and roll my volume back to get a rhythm sound. It has some thump, it has some sparkle, and with the volume knob rolled off a bit it thickens nicely and just works for a rhythm sound. I feel like on a lot of older budget strats, such as my first guitar, the middle pickup lacked that magic due to the poor quality of the pickups. I have some seymour duncans in my current strat and I have to agree with Rhett that it's one of the best strat sounds out there
Love your channel, love your guitar "gun for hire" work with others... but lord almighty, I do love it when you just groove out on a jam like this intro. Killin' it, bruh... absolutely killing it.
BREAKING: LOCAL TH-cam GUITARIST DISCOVERS STRATOCASTER SWITCH HAS FIVE POSITIONS
Just want to say that Rhett you are amazing and really appreciate your YT videos.
Hey Rhett that looks like a classic vibe not an affinity. Great guitar that punches above its weight class.
Yep looks like a classic vibe.
it's a classic vibe! =)
yup its a 60s classic vibe
Strats are great and pretty much mandatory equipment for the serious electric guitarist, and all positions have their sonic strong suit and "best used for" application. Jeff Beck puts on a clinic of strat switch flippery conjuring a wide array of vibes and tones every time he picked up a strat. One last little note - a really great fix for the bridge position excessive treble issue is to switch the tone control pot from the middle to the bridge pickup and it's super easy to do, as it only requires moving one wire from the 5 way switch from the middle pickup terminal to the bridge pickup terminal. By doing this now you can take some of the treble away with the tone control, and even achieve a rather meaty humbucker type tone which would be impossible with the previous tone control arrangement, and as well there is a sort of unexpected bonus by the fact that removing the tone control from the middle pickup it adds just a little bit of high-end brightness to the middle pickup that makes the in-between positions sound a bit more chimey spanky clucky and funkier to my ear, and the best part is that you dont have to buy anything, just move one wire that's all. People have asked me numerous times "How are you getting that humbucker sound out of a single coil bridge pickup ?" ... that's how. I've done this mod for a few friends and the repeat comment is "I don't know why Fender doesn't wire them like that, as moving that one wire just makes it sound better, more diverse without losing any traditional sounds..." Check this easy mod out, I believe you will be pleasantly surprised, and if you didn't care for that, move the one wire back. Enjoy !
In my early years playing guitar and learning on a Strat I felt like positions 2 and 4 were so cool because it was instantly in the ball park of Stevie and Jimi and John but the better I got the more I prefer the neck and middle because I was able to play more dynamically and get my tone that way rather than relying on the instant pretty effect of 2 and 4. Just my two cents. Every position is great on a strat
Playing The Meters on the 3 position, outstanding!
I respect and understand your view and perception of the different sounds you can get from a strat. And if you like the middle pickup sound, thats wonderful. Still, I think you’re missing out the versatility and dynamics of the sounds that you really can get out of it. Personally, I love the ability to choose the sound that serves the actual song I’m playing the best. Like you I, love the middle pickup by it self, but in some songs it’s just too anonymous and generic. And it’s hard to determine what guitar that´s being used. I love it when you can hear the characteristics of a certain guitar. As opposed to something that just sounds - guitar.
Anyway, love your work and your willing to share your knowledge and thoughts about this wonderful instrument.
Thank you for playing the Meters! Also, Jerry Garcia was a BIG middle position player on Alligator
The Strat has MANY great sounds. THAT (…and amazing ergonomics) is what makes it such a great guitar.
I like the bridge pickup in my Player Strat as well as all the other positions you mentioned. Also I ended up with two Player HSS versions and they are my favorite Strats. Bridge HB sounds great and powerful and in pos 4 it splits the coils so you still get the fantastic blend of the others. And the second tone knob only controls the bridge pickup, genius!!
Always loved the middle pickup-really captures the sound of the wood and is perfectly balanced. Well done, Rhett.
You guys really have to stop saying that positions 2 and 4 are "out of phase." They're not. Out of phase means something specific. If a pickup is reverse wound but the same polarity, or if it's the same wind but reverse polarity, THAT will cause actual phase cancellation, which causes a massive loss of low end. That's not what's happening in a Strat. The middle pickup is reverse wound AND reverse polarity, so it's perfectly in phase with the other two pickups. All that does is cancel the hum. The reason it sounds "thin" or "quacky" is because the two pickups are running in parallel. If you were to wire the pickup selector to work in series in positions 2 & 4, you'd get a thicker sound.
2 and 4 positions are NOT out of phase - they are in phase, in parallel. Wire them in series and you won't worry about them sounding weak. Other than that, I fully agree - third position is a banger on a good strat.
Yep! They are reverse wind reverse polarity which puts the guitar signal in phase, and the hum out of phase for noise cancellation
Strats sound WAAAAY better when the middle pickup is nonrwrp.
The middle pickup is reversed so that they are out of phase, even if wired in parallel.
I don't understand any of that...but my strat sounds pretty quacky and out of phase in position 2. But *not in position 4, that is actually my fav position by a mile, it's sound sort of like the neck but with more clarity and presence. I'm not sure why the 2 post sounds out of phase while the 4 doesn't.
The middle pickup on a PRS Silversky sounds soooo good
I recently rewired mine to a 3 position switch as I always found 2 and 4 useless for my style. Unbelievable how hard it was to find a reference for this or a diagram. I did find one with a vid using tone 2 as a blend control for the middle to N/B. After messing with different caps and PU heights I am very pleased with the results. Kinda have the best of 3 and 5 position switches with no volume loss, bonus having all three at once too! Thanks Rhett, always look forward to your knowledge.
I love the middle pick up on my strat. I use Neck and the middle pick up almost always..... I´m with you bro.
Agree. The middle pickup on my Modern Eagle V is one of my favorite sounds ever, and I love the middle pickup on my Strat as well.
Oh man, the Modern Eagle V is amazing, and nobody talks about that middle single coil. It’s so good.
I designed a guitar with a P90 in the middle position and it is amazing. So versatile for being a single pickup guitar!
Of course Strat players like the 2 & 4 positions because you still get the twang but with fuller sound and the benefits of using those pickup combinations as, in effect, a selectable bridge or neck humbucker because the single-coil middle pickup is wound and wired out-of-phase. I agree that the middle pickup by itself is a sweet sound usually overlooked. Glad to see you featuring Squier! I'm a longtime Epiphone fan who has acquired a few Squiers in the last couple years and like Epiphones they are great guitars in their own right and killer bang-for-buck for folks like me that can't afford or justify spending a helluva lot more on a Gibson or Fender these days. I know you can pretty much buy or get the hookup on whatever you want to play but I appreciate you giving attention and support to brands and models that many of us more budget-constrained players are interested in and can better afford. I do have a couple 'nicer' guitars in my modest collection but I'd be proud to have a Strat just like the one you played in this video.
The slepton is one of the most overlooked particles.
I love the middle pickup on a strat for strumming open chords. It always sounds so full and full of life. Every time i pick up a strat, I switch it to the middle and play an open G chord. Great way to test out the instrument.
I agree. I've been gigging with a Squire Affinity for 2 yrs ( $100 pawn shop find ) I use the middle pu for rhythm 90%, neck for solo. Underrated guitars.
Right on Rhett. :) I use it all the time, roll some tone off/on and you can have some serious tonal versatility.
I love the middle position too and use it very often.
Love the middle pickup!
YES!! finally someone talks about the middle pickup of the strat 💚 I use it because it has a middle tone (literally) between the bass and treble, and I use the tone knob of the middle pickup around 8 or 9
yes!, strat middle pickup at tone 8 is goldilocks.🎸
after 47 years playing,i have bought myself my first strat 2009 deluxe,,for that clean bell like sound,,,no guitar neck ever touched an old shergold masquerader had one since 1981
Cuts through the mix like a boss
One of my favorite guitar players, Doug Martsch of Built to Spill, pretty much plays a strat exclusively in the middle position, and is able to get great sounds and a lot of variety.
Very cool.
I read an interview with Robin Trower years ago where he said he uses the mid pick up the most.
Found it funny when he said that when he and Fender were going over the specs for his sig model, he had a preference for the neck and mid pick ups (can't recall what), he told them to put whatever they wanted in the bridge slot "...I never use it". I believe a Texas Special is in there.
I've been playing S type guitars for years but usually lower the mid pup a bit so it's not in the way of my pick.
Sounds good in 2 or 4 but abit weak on it's own.
The middle pickup on my 2020 mim strat is so badass...smooth
Been using it for years - it’s my favorite position on the strat and a big reason why I play them!
I too love rhe middle pickup, especially with the kingtone classic switch! I recommend it for all strats!
The Meters riff totally sounded proper middle pickup! I learned something as a lifelong Strat player! Thanks
Very well done Rhett. Thanks for the post.
I use the middle pickup extremely rarely, on my strat.I will reconsider!
Love the middle position, it's all over the record I'm working on. Great minds Rhett
Cool vid. I gravitated to the middle pup when I started playing Strats. Definitely underrated and underused IMO
I've been discovering my strat middle pickup those days too and it is indeed amazing ! With some slapback delay and spring reverb you get awesome surf sounds!
Great video as alwas Rhett, thank you !!
I don't have a strat any longer, but the middle pickup position was always my happy place. Very rarely ever changed it.
Hey Rhett, nice intro! Can see some good Posen influences there :) Thanks for all your videos.
I LOVE the middle pickup on a Strat. Great vid
The neck pickup with a bit of sculpting from and eq pedal is my favourite. Cut a little bass, boost the kids a little and it sits perfectly in the mix
For the past few years I've strictly been playing Les Pauls, and mostly on the bridge pickup. I recently went back to playing my Strat and playing it on the middle pickup. It's all i play now.
Couldn’t agree more. Had a Mexican strat from the 90’s. Had hot rails in the bridge and neck when I bought it. Always went to the middle pickup only position when I played it. Sounded best in that position for me.
Fun Fact:
In Fender dealer literature from the early 60's the middle pickup is referred to as the "Main" pickup.
Hi! I used to use that position every time that i was playing arpeggios. Great sounding position. Keep up the good content!
I love the middle pickup. The neck and bridge pickups have a lot of flavor, but the middle pickup is super neutral which gives you better flexibility when shaping your tone with pedals. It’s kind of like how pedal platform amps are super neutral sounding so that they let the pedals shine
I totally agree ! Middle position on my strat is my go-to sound when I pick it. I play a lot of funk music, often associated to position 2 and 4, I've tried those of course, but always back to the fuller sounding middle position. Overdriven tones are also amazing on that pickup. I love it !
The strat tone is why I started to play guitar. I love everything about that punchy bell like tone. I just bought one of the 40th aniv Squier Jazzmasters and I shit you not it's one of the best guitars I've ever owned. Squier has for sure upped their game.
I love the middle pickup and I like that you're spreading the message too :)
Great brother................last night gig I used the middle a bunch
Thanks for sharing the information Rhett!
I always use the neck or bridge (HSS) humbucker…
I just recorded a track with the middle pick up after watching your video, and the Stratocaster cuts through the mix beautifully!
I completely agree. This has been my favorite pickup for years...
I agree 100% ...I have been a strat player for over 50 plus years...... majority of time using the first position or third position on my strat ... lately I have been migrating toward the middle position and enjoying it .... Recently in the last year or so I have stepped out of my comfort zone and bought a Gibson Les Paul standard and a les Paul jr. . I kept them for about a month or so and just couldn't bond with humbucker pickups or a P90 that was in the junior... so I sold them both .... about two months ago I got a wild hair to get a PRS S2 ... I saw a video you did on PRS guitars and you seem to lean towards the S2 , so I decided to get one ..... that now is for sale . All three of those instruments played very well ..... I have my strat that I bought in 1970 when I was 14 and that will be 53 this year....I bought a 2007 mim strat several years ago .... I put noiseless pickups in and swapped out the rosewood neck for a maple neck .... I have just come to the conclusion that my mind is so bent on strat tones for myself I will stop buying other guitars and just enjoy the two strats I have . Dont know if my narrow mind set is good or bad ... it is what it is ... kepp up the good work you do ....I find all your videos entertaining and mostly very informative... Thank You
Spot on Rhett , this video is the kick in the pants I needed . I'm definitely going to start using the middle pickup !
My favorite Strat setup is HSS with a splittable humbucker. No ice pick, almost all of the other sounds you've described and the added girth that a humbucker brings.
@rhettshull first off thank god someone with a voice is putting this out there, I’ve been an advocate of middle position on the strat for years, but like you say - it’s the cliches that everyone goes to. Don’t get me wrong I love those sounds but that middle pick-up is just as you described. For anyone wanting proof then all you need do is listen to David gilmour who was a heavy user of that middle position, can’t argue with that tone 😂. I can’t recommend it highly enough and you’ve all just heard it here on a budget line squire strat and it sounded amazing. Keep up the great videos man and hoping to get to see you love when you’re next in the U.K. (ps any plays to come play in Scotland??)
So true. Middle position is great, and one of my favorites for some clean sounds right on the edge of breakup. I feel like people sleep on the tone controls on strats too. A distorted strat on the bridge/middle position with the bridge tone rolled all the way down makes a great fuzzy lead tone.
I built a Strat Pickguard with 3 way switch and the following pickups: Neck SD Cool Rail for those sweet mellow neck sounds, Bridge SD SH5 Ceramic Magnet humbucker for screaming rock and in the middle a Fender Hot Alnico 3 Singlecoil for the classic Strat tone. This guitar does it all!
I'm usually 1 or 5 with the humbucker. Gonna definitely play with 3 now. Thanks