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#287229 - 18/08/11 05:33 PM
Re: Humbuckers in a Strat?
[Re: Dellio]
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Oldjono
Professional Forumite!
Registered: 15/09/09
Posts: 852
Loc: Dorset
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Are you also thinking about upgrading the pot so that you can use it either as a humbucker or single coil? That's agood option. You might need to tweak the hole too as the pick up might be slightly wider.
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#287235 - 18/08/11 07:34 PM
Re: Humbuckers in a Strat?
[Re: Oldjono]
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Ozzuk
Old Timer
Registered: 21/12/02
Posts: 1959
Loc: Pencoed/Bridgend South Wales
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You can also wire it to split in position 2. A push pull pot would also work fine...
If you want meatier rock sound a Hotrail would be perfect iron maiden have used them to great effect...
Theres also the lil 59 and lil screamin demon, and Dimarzio have a selection of rail pickups
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#287236 - 18/08/11 08:16 PM
Re: Humbuckers in a Strat?
[Re: Dellio]
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elkay
Professional Forumite!
Registered: 23/11/05
Posts: 386
Loc: Croydon
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Hi Dellio,
Just for the hell of it, I've experimented quite a bit with humbuckers in Strats, including hotrails and other single-coil-sized HBs, as well as full-sized HBs, in all positions. I've liked the results in some instances, but not in others, and in the end my strats have always reverted to the way they were originally. As to whether it's worth doing, I think it's very much a case of each to his own. I'm fortunate enough to have some excellent single-coiled and HB Guitars, and, essentially, I like my strats to sound like strats, teles to sound like teles, and 335s to sound like 335s. However, if I had just one guitar, I would definitely consider it worth extending its tonal range.
The good news is that you don't have to increase the size of either the rout or the hole in the pickguard, as hotrails and other single-coil-sized buckers are designed to be exact fits. You should be aware though that hotrails and other single-coil-sized HBs essentially still sound more like single-coils, albeit very hot ones, than HBs. In a way, that's good as it retains the character of the strat. If you want a proper HB sound you need to have full-sized buckers. It's also a good idea to split the coils for more tonal options. The split-coil tone is pleasant enough, but again you should be aware that these do not sound like normal strat single coils. Btw, MIM strats are routed for HSS, so you should be alright for a full-sized HB in the bridge position if you prefer. Finally, for split coils I would suggest a push-push rather than push-pull pot, as strat knobs are hellish to pull up (as I discovered in my last experiment pictured below, with SH-4JB bridge, JB Jr neck and Lil'59 middle). Incidentally, although my strat is now back to the way it was before, I still have the HSS pickguard in the picture, which you're welcome to have if that's the way you wish to go.
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#287257 - 19/08/11 12:31 PM
Re: Humbuckers in a Strat?
[Re: Tinyghost]
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elkay
Professional Forumite!
Registered: 23/11/05
Posts: 386
Loc: Croydon
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Thanks Jocko, Tiny.
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#287307 - 21/08/11 10:33 AM
Re: Humbuckers in a Strat?
[Re: elkay]
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Dellio
Be Nice (I'm New!)
Registered: 14/08/11
Posts: 13
Loc: Glasgow
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Elkay, that's a beautiful guitar. Lovely finish.
And aye, that's sold it. I'm going to give that a shot. Might try a full-size HB first before I go for the Hot Rails. Good to know I won't have to make any adjustments to the body of the guitar. Woodwork was never my favourite subject.
Is it easy enough to split the coils?
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#287312 - 21/08/11 01:18 PM
Re: Humbuckers in a Strat?
[Re: Dellio]
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elkay
Professional Forumite!
Registered: 23/11/05
Posts: 386
Loc: Croydon
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Thanks Dellio. Splitting coils is just a simple matter of soldering a few wires to appropriate lugs on a switch, PROVIDED that you have a pickup with a 4-conductor cable (otherwise the procedure would be far more intricate than should be attempted by anyone but an expert). Also, avoid pickups with long legs, as your strat's cavity might not be deep enough for these. Good luck.
Btw, perhaps I should qualify what I stated earlier about routing. The MIM Standards are HSS, but the Classics are SSS as far as I know, so you should be alright if yours is a Standard.
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