bridge humbucker for standard strat

[pookey]

I have an American Standard Strat with stock single coil pickups. I'm looking to replace the bridge PU with a full sized humbucker. First, I considered the Pearly Gates, such as used in the older Lone Star Strats. But what about the '59 or JB full size humbucker in the bridge? I'm looking for a good balance, only slightly hotter than the stock single coils. I'll use this PU for overdriven tunes and the neck single for clean tunes. I'll boost my lead level using a pedal, so I don't want it to be hotter than the neck single. I play cover tunes from the 70s to current. Thanks.

 

[dr.barlo]

Re: bridge humbucker for standard strat

The lone stars have PG+ not PG (a PG+ = a hotter PG with an a5 magnet instead of a2). This Seymour Duncan manufactured pickup comes in a Fender Box, that is, is marketed by Fender.

The closest one to a PG+ that SD line produces is a hotter (~8.70K) 59b.

Also check CC's for your strat, they produce GREAT results. Which one to go for tho depends on your tastes. CC will be having more mids, will be smoother, whereas PG+ or 59b (or any a5 PAF clone) would have more bite, and be more clear.

B

 

[pookey]

Re: bridge humbucker for standard strat

Look, forget I mentioned Pearly Gates and Lone Star Strat. What is a good match SD bridge humbucker to a standard strat single coil middle and neck? The humbucker will be used with a boss overdrive and Fender Hot Rod Deluxe amp. I'll be playing rock covers, but no searing metal tone is needed.

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: bridge humbucker for standard strat

Seymour Duncan '59 Trembucker. Anything stronger, like a JB, will overpower your single coils.

 

[strat_master]

Re: bridge humbucker for standard strat

i agree with Lew, go for the 59 it wil go nicely iwth your single coils. A jb might make your strat overly bright, and overpower everythng

 

[fenderiarhs]

Re: bridge humbucker for standard strat

one year ago i started research about changing my stock fender dh-1 humbucker pickup from my maple necked american special floyd rose hss guitar. Everybody (including me) pointed me towards the CC as it seemed the best pickup to reduce the brightness of the maple neck+floyd.But i didn't like it so much(i didn't like the bass responce)....i tried the C5, tone zone and some other pickups. The pickup that seemed (in theory)to be the less suitable on that particular guitar was the JB.Guess what pickup is now on that guitar and i am very happy with it? Yes the JB. So although theory is always very important i think you should try some guitars with similar construction with yours and various pickups and you will have a better idea about how everything sounds. Theory is good but you got to be aware that it is not always 100% valid.

 

[Rowan]

Re: bridge humbucker for standard strat

I used to have a 59 in my strat. The lows of the pickup complimented the highs of the guitar pretty well. I liked it alot.

 

[frankencat]

Re: bridge humbucker for standard strat

I like the Pearly Gates in my Strats. It matches well with SSL-1's/2's and sounds good tapped as well.

 

[Jeff_H]

Re: bridge humbucker for standard strat

For what you're asking, probably the 59' TB as most have suggested. With that said, the CC is my favorite strat humbucker for the bridge. I don't find it too overpowering with my singles, although it can be on certain settings. The really nice thing about a CC in a strat is that when you split it with the 5 way switch, so the #5 position is the rear coil of the CC, it's still hot enough to produce a really stratty tone. The CC measures around 14.4, so when split is roughly 7.0....a nice value for a strat bridge.

Just my thought.

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: bridge humbucker for standard strat

one year ago i started research about changing my stock fender dh-1 humbucker pickup from my maple necked american special floyd rose hss guitar. Everybody (including me) pointed me towards the CC as it seemed the best pickup to reduce the brightness of the maple neck+floyd.But i didn't like it so much(i didn't like the bass responce)....i tried the C5, tone zone and some other pickups. The pickup that seemed (in theory)to be the less suitable on that particular guitar was the JB.Guess what pickup is now on that guitar and i am very happy with it? Yes the JB. So although theory is always very important i think you should try some guitars with similar construction with yours and various pickups and you will have a better idea about how everything sounds. Theory is good but you got to be aware that it is not always 100% valid.

I've tried the JB, the 59 and the CC. I liked them all. The JB had the best tones when split and in parallel...very Strat or Tele like. But in stock/series mode it was very loud and did overpower my stock 6K single coils and even my custom wound 7K Fralin Blues Special single coils. So it's not just "theory" for me...I've tried them.

Anyways, my vote still goes for the 59 TB...especially in an ax with stock vintage style neck and middle Fender single coil pickups.

In a single pickup Strat, like EVH used to use, any great HB can sound dynamite: JB, Screamin Demon, 59TB, Custom, C5, CC, '78, etc. The only problem with the high output humbuckers is when they're combined with low output vintage Strat single coils: they overpower a 6K single coil. Otherwise, they're fine...especially in a single pickup ax.

The CC sounds very cool through a Marshall...very EVH like in tone, tho stronger than what he used in the early days. But at over 14K, it's a little to hot, IMO, to match well with vintage style Strat single coils. And the JB at over 16.5K is way to hot, IMO, to not overpower vintage Strat single coils...

Lew

 

[Empty Pockets]

Re: bridge humbucker for standard strat

I kind of like how the bridge Hot Rails in my Strat overpowers the singles...gives me multiple layers of gain settings...clean to slight overdrive with the singles (and my amp cranked ) then medium distortion with the Hot Rails...hit my pedal the singles produce a good mid-gain sound, with the HR becoming a wall of ferocious noise...hahaha

-X

 

[pookey]

Re: bridge humbucker for standard strat

I've decided on the '59 humbucker for the bridge pu. If I was to replace the stock neck single coil, what would you recommend? I'm looking for classic single coil strat sound that would match the output of the 59. I tried a Duckbucker in another strat and the output was VERY weak. I pulled it out and put the old single back in that guitar. I was thinking of a classic stack or hot stack, but don't want to loose the "single coil sound" at the neck. Or do I just find another true single coil??? I was also "considering" a strat sized humbucker in the middle position and using a 3-way switch, since I never liked positions 2 and 4 on the 5-way anyhow.

So, my setup would be H-H-S.

H(full sized 59, already determined)-H(strat sized humbucker?)-S(classic single coil sound?). All with equal output. Suggestions? Thanks in advance.