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Adding A Neck Pickup To A Single-pickup Guitar


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i've got this single-pickup B.C. Rich Gunslinger, which sounds absolutely amazing for distorted rhythm stuff...but i'm not too crazy about it for leads and clean tones because i prefer a neck pickup for that, and i'd like it if i could have this guitar as a more useable #1 gig guitar....so i'm wondering, if i rout a cavity for a neck pickup and add a pickup switch (no new knobs or anything), how much (if at all) will it affect the tone of the bridge pickup with the guitar as it is now?

here's a pic:

GunslingerEdge-sm.jpg

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The addition of a neck pickup won't change the sound of the bridge pickup when the bridge pickup is selected alone. The addition of a neck pickup will give you a richer sound when both are selected. Think les paulish. It's not going to sound just like a(good) les paul though, especially with that maple neck. You might conside using a Seymour Duncan JB in the neck. A tone knob has the potential of giving you a wide range of tones as well. Just food for thought.

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The addition of a neck pickup won't change the sound of the bridge pickup when the bridge pickup is selected alone.

right, i know that electronically speaking it shouldn't affect anything, i'm just trying to make sure that the resonance won't change drastically and change what i love about the tone of the guitar.

The addition of a neck pickup will give you a richer sound when both are selected. Think les paulish.

right, i know that...although that particular sound isn't something i use often at all

It's not going to sound just like a(good) les paul though, especially with that maple neck.

i don't expect (or particularly want) it to....i just want a smoother lead/clean tone

You might conside using a Seymour Duncan JB in the neck.

nope....i think i'd take the Joe Barden i have in the neck position on my Ibanez RG750....get the matching set :D....and then put some different pickups in the Ibanez, or at least a different one in the neck.

A tone knob has the potential of giving you a wide range of tones as well. Just food for thought.

a tone knob is something totally useless to me....i remove them from all of my guitars that have them. if i want less treble, i'll take it off at the amp. i don't want an extra knob that could accidentally get knocked and screw up my tone.

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Removing the wood isn't going to effect your tone noticeably; that factor was consideration when I answered the question originally.

Why do you ask questions you (think you) know the answer to?

because i like to be reassured and make sure i'm not coming up with ridiculous ideas....i would really hate to kill what i love so much about the tone of this guitar and i want to be absolutely sure before i do anything/have anything done.

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unless its a pickup with super strong magnets, it wont matter too much.

the biggest problem with putting a neck pup in some guitars, eg.a les paul jr,

is that it can cut into the neck tenon, weakening the joint.

but thats only with set necks. if its a bolt on, it should make balls all difference

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