Mixing active and passive pickups

[YosemiteSam]

Has anyone ever mixed an active pickup with a passive one?

I was looking at getting the Seymour Duncan Blackout AHB-3 (Mick Thompson) set for my new Ibanez, but it comes in a H-S-H configuration. They have a AS-1 (single coil) Blackout, but I am not interested in spending another $100 for a pickup I will hardly ever use. (though Musicians Friend, has the humbucker set for $104, which is basically half price) I would prefer to just leave the current passive single coil in.

I've heard some people say you shouldn't mix them. I suppose I could just switch to a 3-way switch and just disconnect the single coil.

Anyway, just seeing if anyone of you had any insight on the subject.

 

[BrAinPaiNt]

Has anyone ever mixed an active pickup with a passive one?

I was looking at getting the Seymour Duncan Blackout AHB-3 (Mick Thompson) set for my new Ibanez, but it comes in a H-S-H configuration. They have a AS-1 (single coil) Blackout, but I am not interested in spending another $100 for a pickup I will hardly ever use. (though Musicians Friend, has the humbucker set for $104, which is basically half price) I would prefer to just leave the current passive single coil in.

I've heard some people say you shouldn't mix them. I suppose I could just switch to a 3-way switch and just disconnect the single coil.

Anyway, just seeing if anyone of you had any insight on the subject.

Have never done that.

Not sure how it would work as I think they would all be wired into each other in order to use the battery to make it active.

My guess is you might just be best off to unhook the pickup you don't want to use instead of taking a chance of messing it up. Although I guess you could wire a passive pickup normally by bypassing the battery. I just don't know what it would do when using the select switch. I also don't know if it would cause some noise issue.

If you are not going to use the pickup anyway, I would just disconnect it and save your self the trouble of putting another one in, be cheaper that way.

Another consideration is to just take out that middle pickup and leave it out.

I think you could probably order a new pick guard with the H H configuration so it would cover the hole. Not sure if Ibanez sells pick guards though. Might be able to find them on ebay from someone selling parts. I thought you said you were not sure if you liked the color of the pick guard that came with that guitar so this would be an extra excuse to find one you liked better. Besides, you are saving money on this guitar so a few extra dollars on the guard would not hurt.

 

[YosemiteSam]

I read it's possible to do it, there are three ways to do it, with one being the only good way.

I wouldn't do this myself and I'm not sure I would trust just anyone to do it since it's uncommon.

I suppose the best thing to do is just disconnect the single coil all together and just leave it in place. That way I don't have to order a custom pickguard that will probably cost almost as much as the blackout single coil. (might as well do that!)