HH / HSH Strat

[Radio]

Hi, my first post on this forum :fingersx:

Though I’m a Strat player, I often need the rock tones from a Les Paul. I’ve owned a Les Paul twice, but we never got along. The problem is I can’t get used to play on these, though i love their sounds and look.

So, I got a ”Frankencaster” to experiment with, wich I plan to switch the pick up’s (2x SC + 1 Rail ) to Humbuckers, and hopefully get a more classic Les Paul rock tone.

Its a Alder Body Strat with Rosewood Fretboard and SS frets. Due to a built in pedal in the past theres not much wood left under the pickguard.

I know that a strat never becomes a Les Paul, and its not my intention to get 100% Les Paul tone. But Les Paul’ish / classic humbucking rock tones must be possible?

I’ve read loads of threads on this forum, great reading BTW, but I might be more confused than I was before.

So, I need some advice on which humbuckers to throw in? Maybe a HSH setup?? From Led Zeppelin to Rage Against The Machine!!! :bowdown:

 

[Dr. Lo]

Re: HH / HSH Strat

HSH is probably the most versatile set-up you can go for. It's also really easy to wire-up. Just make sure you get 4-conductor humbuckers so you can have them split in positions 2 and 4. This will give you the following options:

Position 1: Full bridge humbucker
Position 2: One coil from bridge humbucker in parallel with middle single-coil
Position 3: Middle single-coil
Position 4: One coil from neck humbucker in parallel with middle single-coil
Position 5: Full neck humbucker

Hope this helps!

 

[Robbiedbee]

Re: HH / HSH Strat

Drop a full 59 humbucker in the bridge position, and a Lil' 59 in the neck position. I have the 59 in my Strat, and while it is designed to sound like a 1959 PAF pickup, in the Strat, it doesn't quite nail that specific tone. Instead, you get nice jangly cleans, with a fatness only possible in a humbucker, and distorted you get a tone which screams 70s/80s rock.

I personally love the sound of a 59 in a Strat over a 59 in a Les Paul.

 

[Radio]

Re: HH / HSH Strat

Thanks to both of you.

Robbiebee,
Do you use a single coil with the 59+lil59? - can it be routed like Dr. Lo suggest?

 

[Robbiedbee]

Re: HH / HSH Strat

Thanks to both of you.

Robbiebee,
Do you use a single coil with the 59+lil59? - can it be routed like Dr. Lo suggest?

Yeah, single coil in the middle. You'd probably wire it just the same, as the Lil humbucker series (Hot Rails, JB Jr etc) all come with 4 conductor cables. I'm not sure how the Lil 59 will sound split though with the middle. I personally like the sound of the full pickup combined with the middle in the notch positions.

 

[Radio]

Re: HH / HSH Strat

Thanks, I will try it out and experiment further if needed...

 

[DepecheMoses]

Re: HH / HSH Strat

Hey, if necessary, you can always, like, cut a block of alder and put it where the pedal rout is. If you were worried about that, I mean.

 

[Radio]

Re: HH / HSH Strat

I wondered how it will influence the tone with or without wood?