Re: Anyone tried the H-S-S set-up in strat
With SSL or APS single coils in the neck & middle and the bridge pickup split in position #2 (bridge & middle) to leave the coil closer to the bridge hot, the only sound that changes much from an all-single-coil strat is #1 - the bridge alone. At least with a Custom 5 in the bridge, IME and IMHO only...
Based on my limited experience with bridge single coils, most standard strat single coils are either too shrill, too weak, or both in the bridge position. The right humbucker gives you a much more useful - but not strat - sound for the bridge pickup alone. Which one is "right" depends on how bright your guitar, rig, etc. are, and what tone you're going for.
There are single coils like the S-D Antiquities, Lindy Fralin's, and the S-D Quarter Pounds that are hotter and fatter with more warmth that a lot of guys like and use in the bridge position too. Others like the single-coil-sized humbuckers (not my personal favorites, but that's why there are so many pickups, guitars, etc.).
Not even 2 cents tonite...
Chip