How to, two SC's to sound like a Les Paul Humbucker

[jort]

Re: How to, two SC's to sound like a Les Paul Humbucker

Thanks all. It's clear to me.

[Gearjoneser]

Re: How to, two SC's to sound like a Les Paul Humbucker

I'd try setting up a new pickguard with an alternate set of pickups, just so you have the option of installing your strat guard, or....

JB Jr. bridge, 2 lil 59 necks
Full set of Quarter Pounders for strat.
Hotrails, 2 Cool Rails or 2 Duckbuckers.

[BlueGuitar]

Re: How to, two SC's to sound like a Les Paul Humbucker

Is it possible to get fat sound like a Les Paul humbucker with two Strat pick-ups? If so, how? I'd like to have that sound on the 2&4 positions on my strat.

I've been using the Sup'rStrat wiring harness on most of my strats since 1997. I originally wired it up on a megaswitch but found that it works even better on a regular 5 position strat switch. You do need to add a DPDT switch to access the 4 extra linkages- your choice of a push-pull pot or a mini-toggle. Or use a rotary switch in place of the middle tone control (which is no longer used).

For maximum effect I like to use a RWRP combination of neck and bridge pickups; start off with a normal strat set with a RWRP middle pickup and then swap the middle pickup with your choice of neck or bridge. Alternately you could special order a set with a RWRP bridge.

As for getting the Bridge/Neck serial linkage in the #2 or #4 notched positions, that won't work with a regular strat switch.

The tradeoffs are that one of the notched positions is no longer humcancelling. But having humcancelling linkages between the neck and bridge pickups in parallel or in series is a real treat- not unlike the Fender Custom Shop 4 way switch for Teles (when your pickups are a RWRP pair).

While the sound is not exactly like any humbucker I've tried it does kick butt (in terms of output) compared to the normal linkages on a vintage style strat. And the single coils by themselves are much better than any PAF humbucker I've split. If single coil noise is a problem you get 3 linkages that are humcancelling, which gives you a wider tonal range than a traditional strat- one of the notched positions, neck & bridge in parallel, and neck & bridge in series. The series linkage can be a bit muddy depending on the pickups you are using so I like using a custom-wired TBX control instead of the master tone pot.

I've attached the drawing of the SuprStrat harness and included a link to an article about it (you might have to right click on it and save it to disk):

http://www.blueguitar.org/new/articles/blue_gtr/gtr/supr_strat.pdf

[Luke Duke]

Re: How to, two SC's to sound like a Les Paul Humbucker

Is it possible to get fat sound like a Les Paul humbucker with two Strat pick-ups? If so, how? I'd like to have that sound on the 2&4 positions on my strat.

Thanks in advance.

Unfortunately no. The pups will never sound EXACTLY like a humbucker there is too much quack. With a warm middle and bridge pup or a high output bridge pup with a neck pup will send you in that direction.

If you wanted to stay with singles try the Alnico 2 Pros in both positions, or Alnico 2 Pro middle and a hot or custom bridge. I turn down the bridge tone know to fatten it up a little too.

Luke

[jort]

Is it possible to get fat sound like a Les Paul humbucker with two Strat pick-ups? If so, how? I'd like to have that sound on the 2&4 positions on my strat.

Thanks in advance.