Steve Morse middle pickup?

[JoeTam]

Having never played a Steve Morse model, I've always liked the look of them, have been thinking about maybe buying one.

Just wondering how the middle pickup is for everybody in terms of being right next to the humbucker. Does it get in the way of anybody's picking?

Never quite cared for middle pickups since I started playing in the '80s, always lowered them out of the way and didn't bother really using them. It's only been the past couple years that I've actually used a middle single coil at times (in my G&L Legacy with a custom shop Seymour Duncan Quarter Pound I had wound for higher output and just keep real close to the pickguard). All input welcomed. Thanks!

-Joe

 

[beej]

They do look pretty cool (in my book)

It's never affected my picking, but I often use my fingers in addition to a pick, and hitting the polepieces did occasionally bother me. As a result, I lowered it slightly. (Recently I've replaced with with a Lollar Blonde with no staggered pole pieces, so it's now a non-issue.) Fwiw, in the Y2D, they've gone with a pickup with no stagger which I think is a better bet.

The thing about it being a middle pickup is that it's not exactly that- a pickup in that position has it's own unique sound, different from a typical Strat middle pickup. On its own, it's bright- works well for clean bits. But it shines combined with the bridge pickup.

Anyhow- you'll have to see what you think. If you're more of a humbucker player you should be fine.

 

[JoeTam]

Cool, thanks! I've always been more of a humbucker guy, but do enjoy the singles sometimes for more clean stuff. Been debating a little between the Morse and an Axis. I did play an Axis many years ago and remember liking it, but the single coil option these days is looking cool. Might have to see if I can find a local shop around that's got one.

 

[xjbebop]

I read somewhere years ago that Steve designed that setup with the single to set lower than 'normal' to give him the sound he wanted...
So it's all designed for that pup to set low to the body. For what that's worth...

 

[JoeTam]

Well, that's good to know. Thanks for that.

 

[racerx]

I never had a problem with mine, if I had a hard-tail I would still have it. I just didn't bond with the Floyd version (typical despite my best efforts).

 

[JoeTam]

I never had a problem with mine, if I had a hard-tail I would still have it. I just didn't bond with the Floyd version (typical despite my best efforts).

I don't mind Floyds, but I've been debating whether I want a Morse model with one or not. I know they made some with non-recessed Floyds for dive bombs only, that might be a better option at this point in my life.

 

[fbecir]

Hello

The first thing you have to understand is that the EBMM Morse guitar was designed by God Himself (if somebody on this forum tells you that God is called John P or Steve L, he is clearly wrong). Thus, this guitar is perfect.
As you can see, my opinion is completely unbiased !

For me, the bridge single coil is not a problem for picking. But the slanted single coil can be a problem.
On my guitar, the bridge single coil is a bit higher than the bridge humbucker. It gives me a sort of Tele sound when it is alone. Combined with the bridge humbucker, it gives clarity.
The slanted single coil is quite low. Alone, it gives you a cleaner sound when you have distortion. Combined with the other pickups, it adds some clarity. You can do a lot of thing with this pickup. The only downside is that alone with a clean sound, the volume is much lower than with the other pickups. Thus you need a compressor to boost the volume.

Last point : the Floyd Rose. In my opinion, it is an heresy ! Steve uses the Floyd version only on a few songs.
The Morse with its 3 switches and 2 knobs is quite complicated. With a Floyd, it is too much !

Hope that helps

 

[beej]

Hah! I love your enthusiasm

 

[JoeTam]

Hello

The first thing you have to understand is that the EBMM Morse guitar was designed by God Himself (if somebody on this forum tells you that God is called John P or Steve L, he is clearly wrong). Thus, this guitar is perfect.
As you can see, my opinion is completely unbiased !

For me, the bridge single coil is not a problem for picking. But the slanted single coil can be a problem.
On my guitar, the bridge single coil is a bit higher than the bridge humbucker. It gives me a sort of Tele sound when it is alone. Combined with the bridge humbucker, it gives clarity.
The slanted single coil is quite low. Alone, it gives you a cleaner sound when you have distortion. Combined with the other pickups, it adds some clarity. You can do a lot of thing with this pickup. The only downside is that alone with a clean sound, the volume is much lower than with the other pickups. Thus you need a compressor to boost the volume.

Last point : the Floyd Rose. In my opinion, it is an heresy ! Steve uses the Floyd version only on a few songs.
The Morse with its 3 switches and 2 knobs is quite complicated. With a Floyd, it is too much !

Hope that helps

Thanks. Although the 4-pickup version looks cool, I'd probably never use the slanted pickup and just go for the Y2D.

 

[racerx]

Thanks. Although the 4-pickup version looks cool, I'd probably never use the slanted pickup and just go for the Y2D.

I had a Y2D - fantastic guitar. I'll probably snag up another one if I can find a reasonably priced purple sunset again!

 

[manuel82b]

Hey,

the Key to the single coils is how to used it.

 

[JoeTam]

Hey,

the Key to the single coils is how to used it.

Oh, I've seen that video before, and I know how to use them, I like their sound, just have always preferred humbuckers. Though, 6 days after I started this post, I did wind up buying a Y2D which I'm enjoying very much! Check out my other thread: Y2D coming soon!

 

[beej]

Btw, the single in the Y2D is different than the one in the standard Morse. Humbuckers are the same though.

 

[JoeTam]

Btw, the single in the Y2D is different than the one in the standard Morse. Humbuckers are the same though.

Interesting. What were the two singles in the standard, and what's the one in the Y2D?

 

[manuel82b]

I own two Y2D models (also two standard models). I never recognized that the single coils are different...

But imho the biggest difference between the standard and the Y2D is the neck which is way thinner on the Y2D model.

 

[beej]

The singles are all Dimarzio. In the standard Morse, the bridge single is the HS-3 wired in split mode. The neck single is custom (personally I find it pretty bland). The single in the Y2D is also custom (I'd love to get one if they'd sell it separately). You'll note that the poles are flat on the Y2D, not staggered like on the Morse.

As for the necks- when they introduced the Y2D, the neck in Steve's #1 had been worn down quite a bit. They used that profile for the Y2D, and then for the Standard Morse as well. So in recent years, they have the same neck

 

[JoeTam]

The singles are all Dimarzio. In the standard Morse, the bridge single is the HS-3 wired in split mode. The neck single is custom (personally I find it pretty bland). The single in the Y2D is also custom (I'd love to get one if they'd sell it separately). You'll note that the poles are flat on the Y2D, not staggered like on the Morse.

As for the necks- when they introduced the Y2D, the neck in Steve's #1 had been worn down quite a bit. They used that profile for the Y2D, and then for the Standard Morse as well. So in recent years, they have the same neck

Good to know about the pickups. I did know about the Y2D neck profile modeled after the original worn-down standard.

As far as the middle pickup on my Y2D, do you mean they're all supposed to be flat? Because I do have a stagger, at least on the G & D strings.

 

[beej]

I guess I should walk that back. You're right- there is a stagger, it's just that the cover on the Y2D is flush with the other poles so it's less obvious.

 

[tbonesullivan]

I checked the listings, and both the Y2D and Standard Morse have a "Proprietary custom wound" single coil for the bridge. The pole pieces are are not flat, but they for a continuous radiused arch, without the lower B string pole piece.

The Standard Morse "Neck" single is listed as being a DP-108 Vintage with the lower B string pole piece. Interestingly, I looked at pictures of the current Sparkle morse... and it looks like the neck single is installed backwards, as the pole piece under the A string is the low one.