A Journey: From SSS to HSH

[Agileguy_101]

Before:

After:

Okay, it might not be so much of a voyage as it is before and after pictures with a glamour shot thrown in for good measure. Sue me.

Pickups: 59 C Hybrid/SSL-5 2/Demon. Big switch is a pickup selector. It operates like a Les Paul (neck, neck+bridge, bridge) when the not as big switch is away from the neck. When the small switch is towards the neck, it splits both humbuckers to the inner coils and adds the middle pickup. That gives me neck split with middle, neck and bridge split with middle, and bridge split with middle. It should be a really versatile setup, I'm stopping by my drummer's house tomorrow where all my gear is to try it out.

 

[kramersteen]

Re: A Journey: From SSS to HSH

Looks trick mate. My favorite journeys end in HS

 

[925SS]

Re: A Journey: From SSS to HSH

I like it, this should have a lot of versatility.
Did you stick with the 250k vol pot, or jump to 500k?
I had a guitar not long ago, with 3 HBs, 2 rails, & a reg HB
I had 3 mini switches for splitting, & one for switching between 250k & 500k vol pots.
It al worked as it should,but was a bit of a novelty, but what you have seems more useable

 

[Robbiedbee]

Re: A Journey: From SSS to HSH

Nice. I love the Strats with the Blackmore vibe. Let us know how it sounds when you head to your drummer's house.

 

[CTN]

Re: A Journey: From SSS to HSH

looks hot dude! well done!

I would rock that without hestitation!

 

[RorySquier]

Re: A Journey: From SSS to HSH

You did a great job. I love that Blackmore look and the pick ups look like they mean business. I've recently converted a black strat (SSS) to HSS config and even scalloped the finger board.

 

[TheLivingDead]

Re: A Journey: From SSS to HSH

Hell to the yayuh.

How do you like that SSL-5?

 

[Agileguy_101]

Re: A Journey: From SSS to HSH

Thanks guys!

Hell to the yayuh.

How do you like that SSL-5?

It's actually a 5-2. I havent't had much time with lthe guitar, but so far I really really like it. The single coil doesn't actually get used on its own, so I can't comment on it without using it more. I'll come back in a week or so once I've gigged this guitar and post some impressions in the pickup lounge. But I really like the new switching configuration and how easy it is to operate.

 

[TheLivingDead]

Re: A Journey: From SSS to HSH

5-2 eh?

What's that entail?

 

[CTN]

Re: A Journey: From SSS to HSH

5-2 eh?

What's that entail?

A2 rods on the 3 unwound strings, A5 on the wound.

http://www.seymourduncan.com/products/electric/stratocaster/vintage-output/fivetwo_for_str/

 

[TheLivingDead]

Re: A Journey: From SSS to HSH

Ah very cool.

 

[Agileguy_101]

Re: A Journey: From SSS to HSH

So I've been playing this guitar quite a bit over the last week and I feel I'm finally qualified to comment on the new pickups. I only use this guitar for standard tuning (most of our music is in C# standard, for which I use my other guitar) but like a ****ing doofus, I locked my C# guitar in the case and forgot the key for band practice. So, I tuned it down and got a good feel for how it sounds that way too.

• 59/Custom Hybrid - Wow, this is a great ****ing pickup. I wish I had caught on earlier, but oh well. And thanks so much to Duncan for making this a production pickup, as finding a used one in TB spacing is no easy feat. Anyway, this pickup kicks ass. I like that it's got a bit of compression and kick with the guitar volume up, but turning the volume back is like turning the clock back to somewhere in the vicinity of 1959, it gets vintage in a very pleasing way. The low end is lean and muscular at the same time - not overbearing, but present in all of the right ways. The mids are classic humbucker - much more present than the single coils I've had in this guitar since I got it, but not overbearing at all. The highs are great - nice and smooth, but I can coax a bit more twang out of it when I want, especially when I split it.
• Demon - Again, this is a great pickup. Thanks to SDUGF, without you guys I never would have considered using this pickup at all, especially in the neck position. I haven't done much riffing in the neck position - I plan on doing more of that once I have an actual distortion instead of just fuzz). I really like how articulate this pickup is without being too shrill. I really like how it sounds clean - big but not too bold, with a top end "sheen" for lack of a better adjective. I bet this would just RIP into a Marshall/Soldano/Bogner type amp.

This is definitely now my most versatile guitar, and I love it even more than I fell in love with it at the store. A keeper fer sure.

 

[Mr 9finger]

Re: A Journey: From SSS to HSH

So your journey was basically a walk across the street? I'm just busting your grapes bro. It looks great! Thinking about doing something similar with my 01 American Strat. How do you like, and how is the tuning stability on that Super V?

 

[Agileguy_101]

Re: A Journey: From SSS to HSH

I'm just busting your grapes

So you're making gonad wine?

If you're referring to how much I like the Super Vee - I like it a good bit. But it has a big problem - some of the height screws are stripped when you get the bridge. I didn't notice it at first because the bridge was actually set up perfectly for my guitar as far as height, but it's true. Fellow forum broski Itsabass reported the same issues. He even ordered some new screws from Super Vee and some of the new screws were still stripped. It might be different now, I'm going to look into getting some new height screws from them.

The tuning stability is excellent, I will give Super Vee that. I need to get a new nut cut for this guitar, and when I do that I'm going to bring it into a local tech who's done all of Jerry Cantrell's guitars for the last few decades, so I'll have him deal with the height screws and set it up to make it brilliant. However, even with a not so great setup, the tuning stability is still excellent. I've done big dives and still come back in tune (excluding the string with the badly cut slot). I'm really looking forward to getting it properly set up, now that I think about it. ****, I hate being a broke college student sometimes.

 

[Mr 9finger]

Re: A Journey: From SSS to HSH

Interesting. Thanks for the info. I can't decide if I want to build another Strat or just mod the one I have. Right now I've got 2. The American Standard which is a more modern sounding Strat and a Warmoth I put together that I went all vintage on except for the SSL-6. I'd love to have a Mick Mars type of Strat with a good trem and H/S/H pickup layout. I'm not sure if I'd be better off going Floyd Rose or something like the Super V. There about the same price wise if I do build another one.