HSS Strat - For heavy and clean tones

[faisal]

Hello guys!
Just bought an HSS strat and would like to replace stock pickups with noiseless duncans.

Neck:
Gilmour and Chimey on clean, clear and thick under hi gain.
Options: Hot Stack STK-S2n, YJM Fury

Middle:
Only use this for Neck/Middle and MIddle/Bridge clean quack
Options: DuckBucker, Vintage Rails

Bridge:
For hard rock to heavy metal, lead. Tight Low end, thick, harmonics. Bridge/Middle clean
Options: Duncan Distortion, 59'/Custom Hybrid, Pearly Gates.

Balancing output is a major concern.
Please advise!

Thanks
Faisal

 

[vinta9e]

Re: HSS Strat - For heavy and clean tones

EMG 85/SA/SA + ten thousand hours of practice.

 

[emaccarthy]

Re: HSS Strat - For heavy and clean tones

I have The YJM fury in a strat of mine that I love but it definitely does not provide chime. It resembles more of a neck single coil but with the high end slightly rolled off combined with an emphasis on presence. It thick and and warm but with great attack and cut (partly why it handles high gain well). For Gilmourish chimey cleans and clear and thick under hi gain I would steer more to the stack singles that resemble more of a typical tone palate. For the Bridge I would go with a Screamin Demon. I have this in the bridge of a different strat of mine and I could not be happier with it. Its' modest output would pair extremely well with your singles and it sounds phenomenal anywhere from clean to searing overdrive and distortion. Harmonics leap out of it and the unique pole pieces keep it tight where other pickups would get flubby or muddy under gobbs of distortion.

Give this this a listen:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-xkwOtdvRM

 

[Snake Aces]

Re: HSS Strat - For heavy and clean tones

I do love the way a Pearly Gates sounds in the bridge position of a Strat.

 

[Mincer]

Re: HSS Strat - For heavy and clean tones

I have used 2 Vintage Rails, and a 59/Custom Hybrid to get just what you are describing. You can balance the 2 rails by height, and the humbucker isn't so loud and overpowering. If you want to go up in output for the humbucker, try the Custom. You may even want to split the humbucker with a push/push switch too.

 

[Snake Aces]

Re: HSS Strat - For heavy and clean tones

You may even want to split the humbucker with a push/push switch too.

+1 to this

 

[faisal]

Re: HSS Strat - For heavy and clean tones

Thanks guys!
i will have a push/pull for the humbucker.
The demon is good advice.
Any other suggestions for the neck single, which can be chimey yet articulate under gain ?

 

[treyhaislip]

Re: HSS Strat - For heavy and clean tones

Any other suggestions for the neck single, which can be chimey yet articulate under gain ?

Fender Fat 50's all the way–chimey bell-like tone with great harmonics and takes dirt extremely well!