Bridge humbucker for my HSS strat?

[ledvedder]

Hi guys, looking for recommendations for a bridge humbucker in my HSS strat. It has Dimarzio Area single coils in the neck and middle positions. I'm currently considering the 59/custom, the Pearly Gates, or a Dimarzio Fortitude. My band plays classic to hard rock. What do you think I should put in it?

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[Mincer]

The 59/Custom Hybrid seems to be made for an HSS setup. It sounds great split, too, so you get some quack when you want it.

[David Garner]

Which Area pickups do you have, 58, 61 or 67?

For "classic to hard rock" it's hard to beat a JB or a DiMarzio Super Distortion. I've had both in a Les Paul and I currently have the JB in a Superstrat. You can split the JB and the split tones are out of this world. So basically, you get a normal Strat in 5 positions and toggle the coil split to activate the full humbucker. In full humbucking mode, the JB is capable of everything from Black Crowes to Testament, and it does all of it well.

The Super Distortion I've only tried in my Les Paul, and it is fantastic too. I haven't tried splitting the coils, but I imagine it would do that well. It's a little clearer, a little harder edged, but somehow strikes me as even more versatile. It does clean to scream very well, it cleans up with the volume knob well, and harmonics just jump off the fretboard.

If you want something less than those, the 59/Custom is a good choice, but mine would be a Pearly Gates.

[ledvedder]

It's an Area 58 in the neck and Area 67 in the middle.

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[Archer250]

Pearly Gates is IMO perfect in general

[ThreeChordWonder]

The 59/Custom Hybrid seems to be made for an HSS setup. It sounds great split, too, so you get some quack when you want it.

+1

Looks cool if you get the zebra colors too.

[Mr. B]

Dimarzio Area Singles are not very high output pickups. Dimarzio Fred or a PAF Pro would be a good match for those.

[Teleplayer]

Yes PAF PRO will work well. However I am not sure if th 59/custom would have any more output than a PAF PRO. Especially if the 59/custom can be backed away from the strings without sounding thin.

[Ashurbanipal]

Another Duncan that doesn't get mentioned as much as a HSS candidate is the Screamin' Demon. Sounds pretty good to me in this demo (playing starts at 3:21).

[Jack_TriPpEr]

It's an Area 58 in the neck and Area 67 in the middle.

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I've got a 58 in the middle and 67 in the neck of mine.

My recommendation is to consider a singlecoil sized humbucker for the bridge instead of fullsized humbucker. By doing that, you greatly reduce the risk that the fullsize humbucker overpowers the two singlecoils volume wise. Yes, it does mean an additional expense of getting a new SSS config pickguard, but I feel its worth it.

[jeremy]

eh... i dont know if i agree with that. i think if you pick the right full size bucker you can balance things pretty well and in general i prefer the sound of full size buckers. i love the pgb in a hss setup for example.

[Aceman]

Talk to me a bit about:

By classic to hard rock do you mean....

The Beatles to Early Aerosmith/KISS?
Or Rolling Stones to Foreigner/Boston?
Or Creedence Clearwater to Guns & Roses and Cinderella, and maybe Alice In Chains/Stone Temple Pilots?

Also - what amp/FX are we using?

Guitar into >

Fender Deluxe
Pedals and a Fender Hot Rod
Marshall DSL40
Line 6 HD500

But I like the Pearly with the Vintage DiMarzios, on principle. I dig the PAF Pro rec - used to have an HSS Yamaha Strat with that, and it did a lot well. For "louder" work I might go with the 59/Custom (also excellent all around) especially if not using a ton of drive pedals or models.

[Jack_TriPpEr]

I've got a 58 in the middle and 67 in the neck of mine.

My recommendation is to consider a singlecoil sized humbucker for the bridge instead of fullsized humbucker. By doing that, you greatly reduce the risk that the fullsize humbucker overpowers the two singlecoils volume wise. Yes, it does mean an additional expense of getting a new SSS config pickguard, but I feel its worth it.

Forgot to mention the other benefit: many of the singlecoil sized humbuckers are designed to work with the 250K pots that are in a Strat or Tele. So you don't have to replace pots to 500K or compromise on the tone.

[jeremy]

that is true but i usually just leave the tone control off the bridge pup in hss setups so it isnt as loaded down. i never do that in a sss setup, always need a tone of the bridge pup like a ssl1

[Mincer]

that is true but i usually just leave the tone control off the bridge pup in hss setups so it isnt as loaded down. i never do that in a sss setup, always need a tone of the bridge pup like a ssl1

Indeed! I don't know how anyone doesn't use a tone control on a classic bridge single.