Why Ed removed neck pickups?

[fivecoyote]

Did it with his Les Pauls and the WACF Destroyer, maybe more guitars I'm forgetting. Must have done it for a reason. Tripped over a vid by Phil X where he talks about figuring out why he likes the sound of bridge pickup-only guitars. Bottom line is the string pull from the neck pickup changes the sound. Makes sense that Ed could tell the difference. Phil also talks about how higher action sounds better. Does not mention Ed but....

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0VZzNXiXO88[/youtube]

For some reason the vid is not showing up for me sorry.

[echoplexi1974]

Less magnetic pull from the neck pickup? Malcolm Young liked to do that too. Maybe for the same reason? It looks kinda cool too!

[Colossal]

Allan Holdsworth is another proponent of using guitars with only a bridge pickup, citing less string pull among the reasons for this preference.

[JimiJames]

what goes on here?

There is zero known on what goes on here, just speculation. Mark, myself & others have always wondered.

[EJSLPlexi]

MY best guess is eddie took the PAF out in the neck to use in the bridge spot of other guitars.
at least on that les paul i did that.
I seen a few shots where the covered PAF was in the bridge spot of the destroyer
He did say in a interview he had a hard time finding real PAF's and that they were trying to charge him crazy prices for them.

[Megaro]

My opinion on the pic of Franky that JimiJames posted is pretty much what Ed said it was. Sometimes, he can be a reliable source. His explanation was that he couldn't figure out how to wire everything back up, it was covered up initially by the pickguard, and then he liked the art of the red overspray and the mess of stuff underneath. I think it is equally possible that he certainly could have figured it out, but he just liked the look of the bare wires, extra PUP, and selector switch, and just left it alone.

I believe Ed cultivated the mystique of being the virtuoso who could make a seemingly rusting piece of junk sound heavenly. Today, we see a jeans and t-shirt wearing man who is okay with showing some grey in his goatee. But back when they were climbing to the top, image was huge for Ed and the band. Even though it was only because Roth made them do it

[FL6]

I think he didn't a direct route from the bridge pup to output, no other electronics or wiring to interfere.

[Megaro]

I wonder if the exposed cavity created by the missing PUP made the guitar feel or sound more resonant to Ed ?

[JimiJames]

Allan Holdsworth is another proponent of using guitars with only a bridge pickup, citing less string pull among the reasons for this preference.

I wonder if the exposed cavity created by the missing PUP made the guitar feel or sound more resonant to Ed ?

Possibly these would sound similar ? Maybe just the Kramers ?





...but I don't think this

would sound like this routed Kramer


B&W w/ full pickguard vs. R,B&W with partial

Even in necks, this slaboard made a huge difference to him as it sounds different from a Rosewood cap or veneer

[JimiJames]

MY best guess is eddie took the PAF out in the neck to use in the bridge spot of other guitars.
atleast on that les paul i did that.
I seen a few shots where the covered PAF was in the bridge spot of the destroyer
He did say in a interview he had a hard time finding real PAF's and that they were trying to charge him crazy prices for them.

His '69 Goldtop was a P90 and not the one seen in the pic, but yes, that guitar does have a hum route & cover & pickguard cutout.