Looking for guidance on an HSS set

[TheGreatRedDragon]

Building an 80's style Strat, aiming for classic Randy Rhoads/Jake E. Lee tones.

After a lot of thought and research I've pretty much settled on the Duncan Distortion for the bridge, and for the neck I'm looking squarely in the direction of the Custom Stack Plus. The plan is an auto-split configuration.

Right now I'm thinking about having a true single coil (the SSL-6) in the middle, and having an auto-split on positions 2 and 4. The idea is having a "truer" sound in Pos. 2 and 4 that's still hum canceling.

But would a RWRP SSL-6 even be noiseless with both a split STK-S6 and TB-6?

Thanks

Build specs:
-Basswood body, maple/ebony neck, stainless steel frets, 12" radius.
-Non-recessed non-fine tuner Floyd Rose with locking tuners and a Tusq nut.
-Independent 500k bridge volume, shared 250k neck/middle volume
-Running through an SD-1 and some modulation effects into a 2203.

[uOpt]

But would a RWRP SSL-6 even be noiseless with both a split STK-S6 and TB-6?

Partially. Probably pretty well.

[Mincer]

I don't know how much you gain from splitting the stack...I think I might just get a stacked middle pickup, too and run them all full and noiseless all the time.

[TheGreatRedDragon]

I don't know how much you gain from splitting the stack...I think I might just get a stacked middle pickup, too and run them all full and noiseless all the time.

My concern is that with the split humbucker in Position 2 it won't be noiseless. I'd rather have hum in Pos. 3 than 2.

[Mincer]

Ahh, gotcha. I did something similar with an HSS set...stack in the neck, single in middle, hum in the bridge. All positions were hum-cancelling. The neck had to be rw/rp, and the middle position was 1 coil of the humbucker with 1 coil of the neck pickup. I wrote a blog on it at one tome, too.

[GuitarDoc]

With an STK-S6 in the neck I don't think you're going to gain much if anything by splitting it. So having full neck and middle in position 4 should be fine...and pretty much hum cancelling.
Having auto split of the Distortion in position 2 should be hum cancelling if you split to the right coil. Shouldn't need a RWRP SSL-6.

[IMENATOR]

But would a RWRP SSL-6 even be noiseless with both a split STK-S6 and TB-6?

Wound and polarity wise the STK-S6 is the same as the slug coil in SD humbuckers, which are in turn RWRP relative to relative regular SSL-6.

I know from real experience the following is true:
* Split STK-S6 + regular SSL-6 is hum cancelling.
* Slug coil from TB-6 + regular SSL-6 is hum cancelling.

The following I have not tried this myself but i am pretty sure this true
* Split STK-S6 + RWRP SSL-6 is not hum cancelling.
* Slug coil from TB-6 + RWRP SSL-6 is not hum cancelling.
* Screw coil from TB-6 + regular SSL-6 is not hum cancelling.
* Screw coil from TB-6 + RWRP SSL-6 is hum cancelling.

[TheGreatRedDragon]

Wound and polarity wise the STK-S6 is the same as the slug coil in SD humbuckers, which are in turn RWRP relative to relative regular SSL-6.

I know from real experience the following is true:
* Split STK-S6 + regular SSL-6 is hum cancelling.
* Slug coil from TB-6 + regular SSL-6 is hum cancelling.

The following I have not tried this myself but i am pretty sure this true
* Split STK-S6 + RWRP SSL-6 is not hum cancelling.
* Slug coil from TB-6 + RWRP SSL-6 is not hum cancelling.
* Screw coil from TB-6 + regular SSL-6 is not hum cancelling.
* Screw coil from TB-6 + RWRP SSL-6 is hum cancelling.

Thank you so much, this is exactly what I needed to know.

[Tubes]

With an STK-S6 in the neck I don't think you're going to gain much if anything by splitting it. So having full neck and middle in position 4 should be fine...and pretty much hum cancelling.
Having auto split of the Distortion in position 2 should be hum cancelling if you split to the right coil. Shouldn't need a RWRP SSL-6.

When you split the stacked single coil pickups they sound ~95% like a true single coil and are much more 'open' and 'airy' than when in hum cancelling mode so I think there's definitely a benefit to it. I have the STK-S4N and STK-S4M in this strat (with a JB Bridge currently) and I use the middle push-pull knob to coil split them both 'manually' when needed but I've wanted to switch to auto-splitting in positions 2 and 4 like you're doing because it sounds better when coil split in those modes and I'm finding myself always pulling the pot to split mode. Either that or I'll flip the push pull so by default they're in 'single coil mode' and when I run into hum I can quiet them down with the pull of a knob. Either way, I think your idea of auto-splitting is good!

[Tubes]

And the STK-S4m IS RWRP. (which makes it hum cancelling with the neck or bridge even in single coil mode)

[IMENATOR]

Yes, I always use a true single coil in the middle and auto-split the neck STK in neck or bridge for the notch positions. I like the quack, it is hum canceling, I can do it with a regular 5-way Strat switch (no need for 5-way super switch).

Edit: I use regular SSL-1 in the middle when using any STK in neck or bridge. I use regular SSL-6 in HSH with Jazz/JB

[ArtieToo]

I know from real experience the following is true:
* Split STK-S6 + regular SSL-6 is hum cancelling.
* Slug coil from TB-6 + regular SSL-6 is hum cancelling.

It's been so long since I've done this that I'd forgotten the exact configuration. I'm placing this in my "permanent" notebook.

Thanks for that info.

Artie

[IMENATOR]

Also, this is the wiring diagram I use for for HSH with auto split and regular 5-way switch. For some reason SD website does not have an equivalent diagram from STK/TrueSC/STK as I use but if you know the wiring of STKs you can easily use this. I know people say the STK is very close to a true single coil so don't bother splitting them, I have never done that and cannot claim my way sounds better but all I can say it works for me and I like what I hear.



Wiring color code

https://www.seymourduncan.com/blog/latest-updates/humbucker-wire-color-translation