What to do with that middle pup

[Tubefox]

Hey guys, I'm thinking I'm gonna stick EMGs into my Ibanez RG. Planning to order the standard 81/85 set. However, RGs, as I'm sure all of you are aware, also have a single coil in between the two humbuckers. I'm not quite sure what to do with it, so I thought I'd ask for your opinions. Here's what I've been thinking:

 

1. Leave it. Assuming this won't create any problems.

 

2. Replace it with another passive single coil, use it for clean tones, once again assuming this won't create any problems.

 

3. Take it out. Don't bother putting another pickup in, I never use the single coil anyways. Obviously, the "take it out" option is only if leaving it would create problems.

 

4. Take it out, replace it with one of those active EMGs that fit in single coil slots. I'm concerned this would be pretty much redundant and a waste of money, seeing as I'm not sure how much tonal difference there would be.

[TruSlice]

Get a sustainer

[Tubefox]

Get a sustainer

 

 

That looks well above my price range, and I'm not sure I'll be in desperate need of sustain given the whole "EMGs" thing. Besides, even if I were to get one eventually, what should I do in the mean time? Will mixing active and passive pups create a problem? I seem to remember hearing they would, but, of course, it was just something I heard.

 

EDIT: Looked it up. It seems it's possible, but not worth the hassle to me.

[chuck1016]

Unless you have a use for it, I would just disconnect it and replace the 5-way with a 3-way.

[Mesa/Kramer]

Mixing Passive an active pickups is a pain.

 

I used to have 2- different guitars wired that way by 2-different shops.

With each guitar, you could'nt use both pickups at the same time.

Maybe they both were just wired wrong, but when using both pickups at the same time, only one would work.

[guitarmandp]

Put a DiMarzio Tone Zone in the bridge, DiMarzio PAF PRO in the neck, and an HS-2 single coil in the middle. That's what I did with my RG

[satannica]

It depends what RG. Anything low end or non-prestige, go EMG and replace the 3-way switch with a 5-way. Leave the existing single coil there, just don't wire it to anything. It will serve as an aesthetic prop lol.

 

If its a mid-high end one then certainly go passive. DiMarzio and Ibanez have long since made good bedfellows.

[MahaloVision]

EMG SAV.

[dughaze]

 

Put a DiMarzio Tone Zone in the bridge, DiMarzio PAF PRO in the neck, and an HS-2 single coil in the middle. That's what I did with my RG

 

 

If you get tired of the EMG's do this.

 

But to the OP's original question, the middle pickup in all 3 pickup guitars is useless. I used to think this about neck pickup sand love the neck pickup in my Texas Special loaded Strat so I could change my mind about the middle pickup someday. I had an RG and the stock middle pickup was so useless to me so if you are going to use it, replace it. I guess you have to get an active pickup in your case though.

[dughaze]

 

Put a DiMarzio Tone Zone in the bridge, DiMarzio PAF PRO in the neck, and an HS-2 single coil in the middle. That's what I did with my RG

 

 

If you get tired of the EMG's do this.

 

But to the OP's original question, the middle pickup in all 3 pickup guitars is useless. I used to think this about neck pickups too but now love the neck pickup in my Texas Special loaded Strat so I could change my mind about the middle pickup someday. The middle pickup is like mixing matter and anti-matter so you wind up with nothing. I had an RG and the stock middle pickup was so useless to me as is. I did not try replacing it.