Are You Using the Right Pickup? How to Use the Pickup Selector on Your Guitar for Beginners

Are You Using the Right Pickup? How to Use the Pickup Selector on Your Guitar for Beginners

Hey guys, Brad Litton from SimpleGuitar.com. This blog post transcribes my YouTube lesson on the three-way switch on a Les Paul–style dual-humbucker guitar — any brand, same idea.

The switch chooses which pickup is hearing the strings and sending that to the amp. Each pickup has its own sound.

What the Labels Say

On a real Les Paul:

• Rhythm (one end of the switch) = neck pickup
• Treble (the other end; some people say "lead") = bridge pickup
• Middle = both

Why Those Labels Are Backwards for Rock

Les Paul was a jazz player. Jazz tones are a different world from rock, blues, metal.

In high school jazz band I left it on Rhythm (neck) for chording and it sounded great.

In a rock band, neck pickup for crunchy rhythm can get muddy — not crisp. Bridge pickup for lead can sound thin and weak.

Flip It for Popular Music

Lead: try the neck pickup. Creamy, juicy, smooth. That's often what you're hearing on records.

Rhythm: try treble / bridge. Crisper. Cuts with a band — bass is already covering the low end, drums have the kick. The guitar needs to cut.

Middle position sounds good too. Use it.

Famous Example: Sweet Child o' Mine

Students come in trying to play that riff and it never sounds right. They're on the bridge. Slash is on the neck. That's a huge part of why it doesn't sound like the record.

Pay attention to the selector. Change it for what you're actually playing.

If you want a simple place to start, grab my free Top 10 Things to Learn on Guitar First at http://simpleguitar.com/top10.

And hang out with other adult guitar players in the Simple Guitar Facebook group: http://facebook.com/groups/simpleguitar.

About the Author
Brad from Simple Guitar helps adult learners play the songs they love without the frustration. Visit simpleguitar.com for more free resources and lessons.