• From: Wales
  • Registered: 2009-01-09
  • Posts: 220

Topic: New Strat and I need help with the pickups!

I've been playing an acoustic for a while and bought a new Strat a few weeks ago and I love it!  However I'm struggling to suss the pickup switch out.  There are 5 settings, I sussed out that when "down" I get a really clean sound with little bass and the further up the switch goes I get more bass and a dull sound.  The pickups are still the factory fitted ones.

Whats the general feeling about the settings, i.e. what should it be on when I play with distortion, when I practice a bluesy scale or just want a classic strat sound.

I'm pretty new to this and would be greatful of a little direction.

Cheers

Epiphone EJ200  -  Epiphone SG400  -  Fender Strat Blacktop.
Blackstar HT 40 Club  -  Vox VT30 - Behringer ACX ultracoustic 1000

crevs.1972's Website

  • From: A black hole in deep space
  • Registered: 2007-10-28
  • Posts: 7,865

Re: New Strat and I need help with the pickups!

Crevs the 5 posistion selecter switch is for useing split tones the posistion toward the strings splits the middle and rear pickups and the posistion away from the strings splits the middle and front pickups, its all a matter of taste I personally like the middle and front sound for country leads and a clean sound with an edge the other is more a blues mello type its all up to what you prefer smile

"Growing old is not for sissies"

Russell_Harding's Website

  • tandm3
  • Senior Member
  • Offline
  • From: Florida Panhandle
  • Registered: 2006-03-04
  • Posts: 421

Re: New Strat and I need help with the pickups!

The position closest to the neck is the neck pickup.  The next position is a combination of the neck and middle pickup. The middle position is just the middle pickup. The 4th position is a combination of the middle and bridge pickup. The fifth position, or position closest to the bridge is the bridge pickup alone.  I have a Strat and the one thing I can't figure out is why they put two tone knobs on it.  I haven't found a use for either of them.   I use the 5 way switch all of the time and I use the volume knob, but I've never touched the tone knobs.

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  • From: Wales
  • Registered: 2009-01-09
  • Posts: 220

Re: New Strat and I need help with the pickups!

Cheers both, I've experimented with the switch and I tend to go for the switch away from the strings, either on the rear and middle or the rear only, it gives a sharp, agressive sound which I like.

Tandm3, I never use the tone knobs either, sayng that I rarely use the volume, I leave that on full and use the amp, I find if I lower the volume on the guitar it loses sound quality too?

Epiphone EJ200  -  Epiphone SG400  -  Fender Strat Blacktop.
Blackstar HT 40 Club  -  Vox VT30 - Behringer ACX ultracoustic 1000

crevs.1972's Website

  • Registered: 2007-01-29
  • Posts: 533

Re: New Strat and I need help with the pickups!

Stratocasters are Fender electric guitars equipped with three pickups. From top to bottom, they are commonly referred to as the neck pickup (because it is closest to the neck of the guitar), the middle pickup (because it is in the middle) and the bridge pickup (because it is closest to the bridge of the guitar).

The five-way selector switch dictates which of these pickups will be active while you are playing. Starting from top to bottom, where the selector switch would be all the way "up" toward the neck and headstock of the guitar, the positions would be thus:

position 1 - neck pickup only    Typically this is a mellower sound...
position 2 - neck and middle pickup     This is a fuller but mellow sound...
position 3 - middle pickup only            A brighter sound...
position 4 - middle and bridge pickup   
position 5 - bridge pickup only          Country Twang...chicken picking...etc...

Middleaged Redneck sorta guy who refuses to grow up...passion for music, especially Southern Rock but like bout everything cept Gangsta/Hip Hop. Collect guitars, mandolins, and love to ride Harleys.