Arghh. I tried twice to use the fancy shaded quote function but each time my response just disappeared when I hit the submit button. Then I tried using old school arrows to indicate quotes but it didn't like that either. Now I am going to try just using italicized font to indicate quotes and will cross my fingers.[br] [br]The pickup placement or position has nothing to do with hum cancelling. Positioning is the result of either being near or under a harmonic node (Strats), available space, traditional design inertia[br] [br]I think I need to clarify what I meant. I don't mean position with respect to the fretboard but rather, position with respect to each other. So my understanding is that when you use toggle switch positions 2 or 4 on a strat, you are basically re-creating a humbucker with the exception that the two single coils of a humbucker are right next to each other (and wired in series) whereas the two single coils on a Strat are obviously a few inches apart from each other (and wired in parallel). So I was wondering if seperating the individual coils reduces the effectiveness of hum cancelling at all. Interesting to know however that the placement with respect to the fretboard (and bridge and nut) is intentional with respect to harmonic nodes.[br] [br]Positions 2 & 4 wired out of phase was a happy accident discovered after the fact. Now days you can easily find other solutions to hum cancelling on single coils. Positions 2 & 4 are now simply used in most cases for their distinctive timbre (the "Strat quack").[br] [br]Hmmm, when I have watched videos of people who have installed a phase switch on their guitar, I have generally not preferred the sound of the out-of-phase position. But you're saying that that is the default for the Strat's two pickup combination settings. So you are basically choosing between hum vs quack? (I'm talking about an off-the shelf Strat, not one with special pickups, etc.). [br] [br]I'm surprised. As per my earlier question, I had thought that when selecting two single coils on a Strat (i.e., toggle positions 2 or 4), you are essentially re-creating a traditional humbucking pickup (e.g., as found on a Gibson LP) except for the fact that they are wired in parallel as opposed to series. But if that's correct, why doesn't a traditional humbucker pickup sound quacky? [br] [br]In response to "are the hum-cancelling properties of this arrangement compromised by using different types of single coil pickups (e.g., a "hot" pickup in the bridge position, a default strat pickup in the middle position, and a Burns tri-sonic in the neck position)?"[br] [br]you wrote[br]I know very little about those pickups. But if I understand correctly, they are single coil pickups with the standard hum that comes with any single coil.[br] [br]Again, I think I need to clarify what I meant. I'm not asking about those specific pickups per se. Rather, I'm asking if one gets the best hum cancellation when using two single coil pickups of the same type as opposed to a combination of pickups (selector positions 2 or 4) with different output levels or frequency responses.[br] [br]There are several options like that & other clever devices to cancel the 60Hz hum of a single coil. For example: https://www.ilitchelectronics.com/product/bpncs-fender-stratocaster/[br] [br]Cool!!