I recently bought a Squier Classic Vibe 70’s Strat HSS from a pawn shop on Reverb for a song. I’m looking to get 90’s tones from it-think Nirvana, Alice In Chains, STP, Soundgarden, Mudhoney, etc. I also want to be able to play more cleanish Strat stuff (think Pearl Jam), and don’t want anything super-compressed. Based on my research so far, I’m thinking to go with the Custom Staggered Strat for the neck and RWRP middle positions and an Alternative 8 in the bridge. That was pretty much my favorite single-coil pup based on the sound samples. It seemed kind of traditional but capable of nasty, bluesy distortion as well. The Alternative 8 I see as a kind of updated more modern/aggressive JB, but without being so over the top as a Duncan Distortion. I thinkI could also maybe venture into heavier territory (like dropping a toe into metal), with that one without stretching it too far. Do I seem like I’m on the right track here? What other setups should I maybe consider? Also, how to wire these up for maximum versatility? Like maybe splitting the bridge ‘bucker or something? One setup that has me intrigued uses a Master Volume, Master Tone (lower), and has the middle tone wired as a volume for the inner coil of the bridge bucker. That way at 10 it’s a full humbucker, but rolled down to zero you’ve got a coil-split humbucker making it an SSS Strat. I’m thinking I should use 500k tone pots for these? Is that right? Thanks, all!!
Hot/Modern pups for HSS Strat for Grunge tones
- Thread starter Frater106
- Start date
Welcome to the forum!
Thing is, with both the Custom Staggered Strat and the Alt 8, is that they will both feel and sound more compressed than those tones. I'd consider a Custom in the bridge, which is EQ'd perfectly for 90s tones, and something hum-cancelling in the other 2 positions, like a Classic Strat Stack, which would nail those Pearl Jam strat tones. They distort well and balance great with a humbucker.
Thing is, with both the Custom Staggered Strat and the Alt 8, is that they will both feel and sound more compressed than those tones. I'd consider a Custom in the bridge, which is EQ'd perfectly for 90s tones, and something hum-cancelling in the other 2 positions, like a Classic Strat Stack, which would nail those Pearl Jam strat tones. They distort well and balance great with a humbucker.
Yeah, I did have some concern that I might be overdoing it with the Alternative 8. I’m really digging the Custom Staggered Strat sounds, though. And, I actually really like the Duncan Custom-so much so that I’ve got a Pearly Gates neck and Duncan Custom bridge with Triple Shot rings on my ‘07 Epi Les Paul Custom. I was kind of hoping to try something different. Maybe I could stick with the SSL-5s and just use a JB in the bridge? Cobain and Cantrell both used the JB. Other neck/middle pickups that could work might be a Classic Stack neck/Hot Stack middle or Cool Rails neck/Hot Rails middle with either a Custom or JB in the bridge. Someone also recommended the Pegasus bridge and I’m liking the sound of that, too. Definitely less compressed than even the JB, but would still allow for some pretty heavy playing. I’m also intrigued by the Red Devil and JB Jr. pickups. I guess I have some more thinking to do. And I’ve been checking out pickups all day! Lol. Reading descriptions, checking EQ curves, listening to samples and reading forums. Ahh! Too many options sometimes, methinks!
I guess the Custom is still going to sound different in my Strat vs. the Les Paul. I was thinking to go with the Custom Staggered Strat neck and middle so as to have two traditional single coils. I could use the Custom Strat Stack instead, maybe. Or go Custom Strat Stack neck and Custom Staggered Strat middle so as to have true single sound in positions 2-4. How about that?
Last edited:
Blille
New member
I hear grunge and I think JB bridge and hot rails neck.
And unrequested feedback: I personally don’t love humbuckers in the middle. I had a hot rails there for years in a guitar and I realized that I stopped using it. I switched to a single and I have way more variety in tones that I actually use. Made a thread when I changed it: https://forum.seymourduncan.com/for...sh-middle-pickup-swap-from-hot-rails-to-ssl-1
With the neck and bridge being high power you probably have all the grunge tones you need. Having a traditional single in the middle may give you more variety that may come in handy.
And unrequested feedback: I personally don’t love humbuckers in the middle. I had a hot rails there for years in a guitar and I realized that I stopped using it. I switched to a single and I have way more variety in tones that I actually use. Made a thread when I changed it: https://forum.seymourduncan.com/for...sh-middle-pickup-swap-from-hot-rails-to-ssl-1
With the neck and bridge being high power you probably have all the grunge tones you need. Having a traditional single in the middle may give you more variety that may come in handy.
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Demanic
PenultimateTone Member
Wire the Alternative 8 up to switch series/parallel with itself and it will do what you want. It's over the top, but differently than the Distortion. And in parallel, it's a low impedance pickup with an A8 magnet. Very bright and raunchy.
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