Winding for Middle Pickup

[Ikedude]

In a 3 pickup guitar (humbuckers or single coils) is the middle pickup usually wound to similar specs as the neck, bridge, or in between?

I've seen and heard a few different guitars but wasn't sure if there was any sort of "standard". I'm assuming its all to taste.

[big_teee]

Hello Ike:
Most pickups are wound less at the neck, Most at the bridge and middle in between.
There are some exceptions to that.
On Strat type single coils, most prefer a RWRP in the Middle Posistion.
How have you been winding them so far?
You may want to check in on the Beginner Corner also.
Later,
Terry

[Ikedude]

Ah, I guess that makes sense. Why is the bridge winding the highest? I guess if vibration is constrained by the bridge you would need more windings to get the same output as the neck?

[Mark Hammer]

The string wiggles wider at the middle, yes, so the signal is stronger. As well, there is more bass content towards the middle of the string than at the ends. The bridge pickup is generally wound hotter in a matched set, whether HBs or SCs, so as to provide roughly equivalent loudness when switching back and forth between optimal height-adjusted pickups.

Of course, when the pickups are of a different type, then the typical winding differences found in DCR readings (e.g., 6k2-neck, 6k4-middle, 6k7-bridge) may not apply. I'm refurbishing an old H-SC-H Yamaha for someone, and the differences in the type of pickup between the middle single-coil and the humbuckers at the neck and bridge mean that you can't simply rely on DC resistance readings for an indication of relative output.