Squier 2021 Contemporary Strat Special (SS-S): Gimmick or Genius?

[ArtieToo]

I like it. But if it was mine, I think I'd modify the pickguard to take a Nighthawk in the bridge. That would be cool, and keep the aesthetics.

[jeremy]

ive never liked the nighthawk pups all that much. i rewound one for a buddy but the double studs arent my favorite form factor

[idsnowdog]

I tried two single coils ala Robbie Robertson together and I wasn't impressed. Two single coils in series don't equal a humbucker. Single coils with flat polepieces, rails and Lace sensors work the best. Putting two staggered single coils with lips back to back doesn't work because the difference in stagger leads to uneven string volume and poor tone. However, I was able to put two Lace's together and a Dimarzio Fastrack II and Virtual Vintage 2 together successfully. The Stag Mag would be a better option. Warman also makes a cheap rails+single pickup.

https://www.warmanguitars.co.uk/product/g-rail-hybrid-rail-ceramic-humbucker-and-alnico-single-coil/

[ArtieToo]

ive never liked the nighthawk pups all that much. i rewound one for a buddy but the double studs arent my favorite form factor

I was thinking more along the lines of the Duncan 59 or JB version of the Nighthawk.

[CaptainWhizz]

I wonder what the routing looks like under the pickguard.

[BeKindRewind]

If it's genius , then 17 years old, flat broke me was a genius. I really wanted to play metal, but couldn't afford a new guitar or even a new pickup. i got inspired by van Halen and the frankenstrat, ripped my Squier pickguard apart , and did this myself with my stock pickups , in a desperate attempt to make my Squier have a 'humbucker' in the bridge. Lo and behold; it didn't sound like a humbucker. I can't believe my parents didn't kill me over that, because it was still my only guitar at the time and I had gotten it as a birthday present.

I got a job washing dishes and bought a Jackson Rhoads shortly afterwards . Oh, and I later scalloped the Squier's neck just to complete the ruination of the beautiful gift my parents had given me! But thankfully, that actually turned out quite nicely.

Anyway I'm curious how this sounds , done "right" but I'm skeptical. Also, not really a fan of how it looks. I'd rather just have an HSS pickguard or an SSS pickguard with a lil' 59 down there or something.

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[Spirit of 76]

Back in the day, my first guitar was a Squire Strat and I had the Bridge single coil replaced with a Carvin Stacked Single coil and I thought it really improved the sound.

This set up might sound pretty cool with 2 Stacked Single Coils that close...

[UnderTheFlame83]

I really like the sky burst metallic finish one and the 2 slanted single coils look cool. Wonder how it would sound with 2 JB Jr pups that close together? But I'm more excited about the roasted maple neck more than anything at that price.

[Mincer]

I think you wouldn't notice a huge difference between the 2 JB Jrs if they were that close. It is a good opportunity to have 2 very different sounding pickups, though, and some interesting switching.

[Spirit of 76]

I really like the sky burst metallic finish one and the 2 slanted single coils look cool.

Agreed...but after looking at it again, I think this one would look even cooler if you switched the knobs, selector and pick up covers to black.

[eclecticsynergy]

I bet a regular 5-way would be better in that guitar, especially with a push-pull to give series wiring in positions 2 & 4.
Or simply a beefier bridge pickup that autosplits for pos 2.

[CaptainWhizz]

Is it bad that if I got one, I’d probably swap out the pickguard and make it H or HH?

[Mincer]

Is it bad that if I got one, I’d probably swap out the pickguard and make it H or HH?

Why pick that particular one, then?

[CaptainWhizz]

Why pick that particular one, then?

There’s a hard-tail, and one of few available between Bullet level and Mexican-made.
It looks cool with the matching headstock, and the white one would look good with a black scratch plate and some white Invaders.
I still kick myself for not getting a Tom Delonge back in the day, so I keep an eye out for hard-tail Strats at a low price. I’ve looked at Northwest Guitars and Guitar Build here in the UK, and the new Squier is cheaper and already assembled. Plus, roasted maple neck.

[Mincer]

Ahh that makes sense, then. I didn't even notice that it was a hardtail. I think the new Lead series is, too.