HHS pickup configuration

[zizyphus]

I’m strongly considering an HHS project guitar.

Not HSS or HSH - HHS.

Has anyone tried this? How’d it work out for you?

 

[Mincer]

Interesting...I'd love to know how this turns out!

 

[zizyphus]

I’ll be sure to let you all know

My thinking is that I need a bridge humbucker for the gain tones I like, and I love the sound of a clean or mildly gritty strat neck pickup.

I don’t use neck humbucker tones that often in isolation, except clean- where I think it actually plays second fiddle to a clean Strat neck. I do, however, use the neck/bridge combo (les Paul middle position) to fatten up the bridge humbucker tone sometimes, often with the neck volume rolled off slightly. I figure this “additional fat” could also be accomplished well enough with a middle humbucker.

 

[Phantasmagoria]

My Jackson DK2 has a SSL1 in the neck, lil Screaming Demon the middle and a Lace Alumitone Deathbucker in the bridge. So technically HHS (if you count the lil Screamin Demon as a humbucker ....which it is). I love that axe, but unfortunately I need to fix or replace the Floyd which has some stripped screws/broken saddles and stuff ..so it's out of commission atm.

 

[ehdwuld]

I was thinking

Neck - Single

Middle - Cool Rails

Bridge - Hot Rails

I like the single coil in the neck
But want the Jazz neck tone too

And a hot Bridge pickup

 

[jeremy]

stephen carpenter had a signature esp with hhs for a while. cool guitar! i have a shs guitar, but its really hhs since theres a hot rails in the bridge these days

 

[Mincer]

Think is, I don't think a middle humbucker sounds much like a neck one.

 

[jeremy]

in general, i agree with that.

on mine i have the middle pup stuffed up close to the neck pup, but there is a noticeable difference between that and an actual neck pup

 

[GuitarStv]

Yeah, there's something about the location that makes the sound of a neck pickup have that round characteristic. I'm guessing it has to do with the harmonics picked up from the location or something? Still cool sounds to be had with neck/mid though. If you're looking for bridge humbucker and bridge humbucker but a little less zingy it would probably work out great.

 

[Mincer]

Well, with the neck poles right under what would be the 24th fret natural harmonic, it gives it a certain sound. Same reason the neck pickup on a 24 fret guitar doesn't sound the same- even just a tiny bit of movement from that changes the sound.

 

[jeremy]

its only under that harmonic when you play open strings, but moving any pup changes the sound for sure