making my single humbucker strat more versatile-- input needed

[appar111]

Looking at expanding the versatility of my strat, which is currently just a single bridge humbucker (a 59N in the bridge), and a single 500K volume pot. Maple neck, hardtail alder strat body.

I’ve been listening to a lot of The Cars and love the range of sounds they’re getting out of what I’m assuming was a strat.
Wondering what you all think would be a more versatile setup, while still being fairly easy to navigate (i.e. no coil tapping switches, etc.)

I’m looking at either an HSH or HSS setup and a 5-way switch with the middle position being the neck pickup instead of the middle pickup (this should allow me to get neck+bridge). Probably one tone pot wired to the neck pickup only, depending on how bright I go with the neck pickup. I’ve got a Duncan 59n, an early 2000’s Dimarzio PAF and a Dimarzio Super Distortion in the pickup drawer right now.

Here are my possible pickup configurations:

1. Bridge: Super D, middle & neck: Duncan STK-S1n
2. Bridge: Duncan 59n, middle & neck: Duncan STK-S1n
3. Bridge: Duncan 59n, middle: Duncan STK-S1n, neck: Dimarzio PAF
4. Bridge: Super D, middle: STK-S1n, neck: Dimarzio PAF
5. Bridge: Super D, middle: 59n, neck: Dimarzio PAF (if I just want to use everything in the pickup drawer without buying another pickup)

I’m leaning towards option #2. I tried a Dimarzio Area 67 and wasn’t too crazy about it, and the Heavy Blues 2 wasn’t that bad, nor was the Injector neck, but they weren't real inspiring either. If I got a helluva deal on an Area 58 or 61 for the middle position, I might go for one of those. The Duncan stack seems like it’d be a good choice for quiet SSL-1 type tones, based on what I’ve read.

What say ye?

[DreX]

Re: making my single humbucker strat more versatile-- input needed

Go with an HSS set up and do this wiring. It's major selling point is that it "auto splits" the humbucker in position two so that you retain more of the true Strat "quack" sound in position two. This makes all five positions "ideal" from a popularity standpoint.

[Lewguitar]

Re: making my single humbucker strat more versatile-- input needed

What say ye?

I say keep it simple but do put in a few thousand hours learning harmony, rhythm and many styles of music. Not just single humbucker, EVH inspired, distortion driven, monotonous rock.

I wish I had a two humbucker Strat. So if it was mine I'd put a neck humbucker in it.

[appar111]

Re: making my single humbucker strat more versatile-- input needed

awesome-- no need for any special switches or anything!

Now I need to do some research on the STK-S1 and see what the general concensus is on them.