2 pups or 3?

[AK_NorPine]

Hello there folks,
The un-original idea for my new JZS guitar is the Cu22 triple soapie with an all maple neck. After hearing the clips of Niall's bareknuckle p90 Chopper I'm wondering if I really need that 3rd pup, his got decent quack with 2. My only other electric guitar is a maple necked Suhr Classic T that has 2 suhr strat pups and a broadcaster in the bridge: see exhibit A below:
http://www.acsalaska.net/%7Eavycenterfriends/Photos/suhr_T.jpg

After hearing the clips of Niall's Chopper I'm wondering if I really need that 3rd pup. And I can get the quack tones from the Suhr and I'm interested in covering some different sonic ground with the new guitar. The main argument for the middle pup is for the quack tones eh? The new guitar is replacing a McCarty Std that was too dark for my liking.

Can you guys help me make a more informed decision , 2 pups or 3. I need to finalize my specs soon and I've been scratching my head for a while about this one.

Skip

[Benster]

+1000 for 3 soapbars. they sound like nothing else on earth. it's most likely my spec on my 2nd schroeder. :D

[goof1073]

I say go for it...even if you only use the 3rd p'up 5% of the time. The tonal variations you can get with the 3rd p'up will be worth it!!

[guitarnyc]

3rd PUP always gets in my way when I pick but I'm a heavy/aggressive picker so I say 2 always, but if you are going for tonal variations, I'm sure a 3rd PUP is never a bad thing to have around to play with ;)
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[WinstaBull]

3rd PUP always gets in my way when I pick but I'm a heavy/aggressive picker so I say 2 always, but if you are going for tonal variations, I'm sure a 3rd PUP is never a bad thing to have around to play with ;)

Thats interesting. I have a 3 HB Chopper spec'd and I am going back and forth on the 3rd PUP as well. I am also a 'heavy' picker and have been worrying about this very thing. I guess I need to go down to GC and try out a few 3 PUP guitars and check it out as much as possible in that enviroment.

[AK_NorPine]

Another question are P90s or HBuckers closer to the string than your standard single coil strat type of set up?

[Quinny]

If it's quack you want then IMO a 3rd in the middle is essential. I'm a very heavy handed player myself and have never had an issue with the middle p/up being in the way. One of the 2 most versatile guitars I've ever heard is this one, my first Heatley:

http://i247.photobucket.com/albums/gg128/Penberth1/Heatleys/IMG_0301.jpg

It works just like a 2 pickup guitar if you like, but one of the pots is push/pull to add in the 3rd pickup. The positions I have are B/B+M/B+N/B+M+N/N+M/N (no middle on its own). The middle pup is wound RWRP so is hum cancelling in the relevant positions.

If 'position 2 and 4' quack is what you're after I'm certain you'll love it. Since you're getting a custom build why not have it made with 3.... if for any reason you don't like it it's no trouble to remove the middle and rewire as a 2 p/up guitar, and I'm sure you could talk J into making a cool looking cover for the middle route.

I think Goof summed it up perfectly, and I'm sure you'll spend a LOT of time in those quacky positions. My last tip would be Bare Knuckle Pickups P90s. Seriously, seriously good stuff. Like P90 tone and like quack-y in-betweeny-y tone? You'll love 'em.

Q.

[AK_NorPine]

Havent read this thread for while, but There must be such a thing as a PUSH-PUSH pot?? I found the following over at the Thorn site....


"Here's one from the first Ron Thorn prototype (3 P-90s) that's so simple, and makes so much sense, it's a wonder it hasn't caught on with more guitars.

3-way toggle; one volume; one push-push tone.

The three way selects neck, neck/bridge or bridge. The push-push tone control kicks the middle pickup in or out at any time.

With this simplest of all possible setups, you can get any combination you want with a mimimum of fuss. I find the the push-push quicker and easier for getting the quacky in-between "2 and 4" settings on a 5-way blade. Plus you can get all three pickups on at once."

[WinstaBull]

Here is another idea based on the LP styled controls

3 way switch (neck - neck/bridge/ - bridge)
3 volumes(each pickup) 1 master tone

Basically the middle pickup is always on and you just cut the volume to get rid of it.