A HSS-setup question: what singles to match a Custom?

[Tony_H]

Hello folks,
some of you may remember a thread that I posted a couple of weeks ago. It was about my mystery Schecter all-mahogay Strat-style, and I have not settled on the pups for this guitar yet. One thing is clear - the bridge humbucker is and will be the Custom Trembucker.

Now I want to use some powerful true single-coils in the neck and mid slots, and I'm considering a pair of SSL-3's or Quarterpound Flats. I like the description of the QP that says it makes a kind of P-90 tone. Then again the SSL-3 has more output and more mids, and I am after mids - those nasty upper mids that will help the all-mahogany guitar cut through a dense mix.

When I got the guitar it had a noname HB in the bridge and two Fender Elite Strat pups. I took the neck pup out and replaced it with a Cool Rails - sounded too tame. So I tried a JB Jr instead - better but still a tad too tame. I want more scream.

So my question is: has anyone tried SD's high-output true single-coils with a humbucker such as the Duncan Custom? If so, how did it work? Can you offer any advice?
Thanks
Tony

 

[jeremy]

Re: A HSS-setup question: what singles to match a Custom?

ive used a qp with a hot bridge bucker and got killer tones in the neck and middle but ive only tried the hot in the bridge. the qp makes a very cool neck pup, ive used it on a couple of guitars with great results and has enough output to keep up with a hotter bucker. not a glassy strat sound at all but great none the less

 

[theodie]

Re: A HSS-setup question: what singles to match a Custom?

I had a Charvel Traditional with a Custom 5, Hot Rails, Cool Rails setup. The hot/cool rails may work well with the custom.

 

[MattPete]

Re: A HSS-setup question: what singles to match a Custom?

I have a QP in the middle position and a custom in bridge of the guitar in my avatar. I really like the QP, but at first it wasn't quite what I was looking for. having said that, it works nicely with the custom (this is with 500k volume pot and no tone [I think] for the middle QP.

 

[Tony_H]

Re: A HSS-setup question: what singles to match a Custom?

not a glassy strat sound at all but great none the less

If the tone is similar to a P-90 as described in the tone chart, I'll take the QP. The guitar is all-mahogany and has a FR-style trem, so it's not the brightest-sounding guitar. I guess a little P-90 flavor would do it justice.

 

[Zerberus]

Re: A HSS-setup question: what singles to match a Custom?

I´ve used the SSL-3 and SSL-5 SCs with the Duncan Custom and have been pretty happy, although I generally prefer Hot Stacks or Cool Rails because I hate hum

But JBJr + too tame = Hotrails