Invader in HSS configuration in Strat

[Dowdus]

Hey,

I have a Tom Delonge Strat I got about 17 years ago and I recently started to try improve it with a few mods. Added Kluson locking tuners, got a couple of cheap Iron Gear overwound single coils in mid and neck and added a tone pot.

I was looking at upgrading the mid and neck pickups to something a bit better but wasnt really too sure on the best way to go.

I'm stuck in between decent single coils or a single coil style humbucker. I was looking at the Custom staggered or the Five two but I have a feeling these will be over powered by the Invader in the bridge. Has anyone any experience with trying to match the Invader up with stuff.

I go through these phases where I think my guitar is exceptionally heavy on the bass side and it's hard to tell if its the pickups or the guitar itself. I use 10-52 gauge strings.

I also had a look at some Dimarzio rails, Chopper in mid and BC1 in neck maybe. But I do like the option of that bluesy single coil neck sound.


Any help or recommendations would be great if anyone has any knowledge on the topic.

Thanks

[Erlend_G]

Re: Invader in HSS configuration in Strat

Congrats on a great guitar.

I tried the Tom Delonge strat when I was 13 (yeah, 17 years ago), and absolutely loved it. It was my dream guitar for a long time.

The Invader is a really bass heavy, chunky pickup. But I guess you know that very well .

I think you could match it up with about any single coil, as long as it's mid- to high output... so that the difference in loudness won't be too big.



-Erl

[CK71]

Re: Invader in HSS configuration in Strat

I love the 5-2 in my strat! It has a great balance tone wise. However, I believe it would be over powered by the invader. The custom shop makes single coil invaders. That would look really cool having an hss guitar will all invaders.

[Mincer]

Re: Invader in HSS configuration in Strat

The Five Two would, indeed, be obliterated by the Invader. We can approach this a different way...what kind of sound do you want in the neck & middle? If you want something that balances, you are pretty much limited to very high output singles, which can give an overtly dark tone. You don't have to go to the Custom Shop, though. If you don't mind a warmer sound, a Hot Rails will work. The Hot Stack Plus is also a good option.

[Despair]

Re: Invader in HSS configuration in Strat

Quarter Pounder singles might be fun. They have a different punch from typical strat pickups, but aren't necessarily dark. I've heard a lot of a tele with QPs through a Helix on the Line 6 Helix thread on thegearpage (played by member PearlyGates there).

If you want humcancelling, that's a bit harder a choice, but I'd probably look at STK-S7 Vintage Hot Stack Plus for a bit more punch while still having a very classic strat sound. After that, probably the STK-S9 Hot Stack Plus (likely the most midrange-heavy single coil that's at all popular, though). STK-S6 is higher output than the STK-S7, but with more mids and less high end, though I can't recall just how much higher output