unclej Posted June 8, 2005 Report Share Posted June 8, 2005 over the weekend i was listening to a steve morse album and while looking at the jewell case i noticed the pups on his tele. it appeared to be (starting at the neck) a humbucker, a tele bridge pup, a tele neck pup and then another humbucker. my partner here at the store thinks there was a fifth pup. anyone know what the rig actually is and how it's switched? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psw Posted June 8, 2005 Report Share Posted June 8, 2005 The original had a midi hex pickup as well!...i'd be interested on getting some opinion on so many pickups...and how are they switched? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psw Posted June 9, 2005 Report Share Posted June 9, 2005 I found an article on Steve Morse in Guitar Player Oct'89 He had retired his old tele but Musicman were making a Steve Morse Model with the same pickup configuration... Steve Morse '89: ...The Music Man has DiMarzio pickups. The lead humbucking pickup has high end and some midrange to it. The bass humbucking pickup is warmer, with more bass; it's very even sounding. With the two humbuckers together, you've got high end and low end, and it's pretty even across the middle. There's no real peaks or out-of-phase sound. The rhythm tone is very neutral-sounding. The singlecoil, which is right next to the lead pickup, is thinner and more hollow. It's got a peaky sound in the midrange, but if you mix that with the humbucking right next to it, it adds a gentle out-of-phase quality, but it's electronically in phase. Then there's the Strat pickup, which is more of the same, only even more pronounced. Blend this with any pickup combination and this comes closest to an out of phase sound. The strat pickup is not used as much, so it's out of the way. Put it all together, and it's just a mish-mash that makes no sense, but it does to me. Looks like it's operated by a five way selector and a three way toggle. He was using a Shadow add on synth pickup at the time...so technically five PUp's in all. The Music Man was made as a copy with the same PUp configuration as the original Tele that was getting worn out and he was concerned that it would get stolen... So...there you go... pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unclej Posted June 9, 2005 Author Report Share Posted June 9, 2005 thanks for the info..wonder how many players could keep up with all of that in the middle of a gig? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jehle Posted June 10, 2005 Report Share Posted June 10, 2005 I met him at a guitar clinic and it was amazing to watch how often he switches pickups in the middle of a riff. The man is a freak of nature. There should also be a link on the MusicMan site about how the guitar is wired up. From what I recall, the 5 position switch is wired with the bridge bucker in the center position so that he can blend the neck and bridge pickups easily. What would normally be the bridge position on the 5 way is the tele pickup. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unclej Posted June 10, 2005 Author Report Share Posted June 10, 2005 my partner here at the store (guitar geek since he was 16) says he had a five way like you said but had another seperate toggle that switched something in and out..couldn't remember what but that he uses it a lot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mledbetter Posted June 10, 2005 Report Share Posted June 10, 2005 it's guys like that i get cracked up at having a signature guitar. Not that he isn't deserving of a sig guitar, but you think you want his sound, then get his guitar with the bevy of switches and VERY personalized pickup configuration and wonder what the hell to do with it. he's amazing to watch play. So much of what he does is blistering chromatic runs but he makes it musical at the same time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thedoctor Posted June 10, 2005 Report Share Posted June 10, 2005 Random strikes of genious seldom come with an owner's manual. Or a warrantee. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jehle Posted June 10, 2005 Report Share Posted June 10, 2005 my partner here at the store (guitar geek since he was 16) says he had a five way like you said but had another seperate toggle that switched something in and out..couldn't remember what but that he uses it a lot. ← Yeah, that would be the switch that turns the Strat pickup on. The five way controls the 2 buckers and the Tele pickup. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unclej Posted June 10, 2005 Author Report Share Posted June 10, 2005 well damn..you mean if i had hendrix's guitar there's a chance i wouldn't sound like him..bummer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jehle Posted June 10, 2005 Report Share Posted June 10, 2005 Check out this GIF of the whole schpeal... http://www.ernieball.com/mmonline/techinfo..._stevemorse.gif Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unclej Posted June 11, 2005 Author Report Share Posted June 11, 2005 man, i just got a headache trying to figure all that out.. thanks for the info though..i did ask didn't i? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thedoctor Posted June 11, 2005 Report Share Posted June 11, 2005 (edited) Great diagram! That would take some getting used to fer sure! Edited June 11, 2005 by thedoctor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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