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Bridge/Neck PU balance and a crazy theory

Any Name You Wish

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 15, 2021
Messages
493
So my R9 neck PU has always been just a tad quieter than the bridge and I always turned it up about 1 tick to balance them. Then I finally got around to raising the neck PU so that they had the same volume at 8 on the vol knob. Unexpectedly, the middle switch position got quite a bit louder, so when going from either neck or bridge pickup to the middle position there was a noticeable gain. Hmmm. So I put the neck PU back to where it was originally and the middle switch position was equal to the bridge once again. I then had a thought that perhaps this was on purpose so that when playing on the "Rhythm" switch setting (neck PU) you would be just a bit quieter than the "Treble" (bridge PU) or middle switch position. Sort of an old remnant from when the Les Paul was intended to be a jazz guitar. I wonder.
 

Señor Verde

Active member
Joined
Jan 13, 2005
Messages
621
I like the neck pickup to be at least as loud as the bridge, maybe just a little louder. I play lead and rhythm with in all pickup positions, so the volume should be equal and neck pickups often doesn't naturally cut through like the trebly bridge pickups.
 
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