HSS Strat Pickup Suggestions

[HealthyNormal]

Alright, I have an HSS Strat with a JB in the bridge and 2 stock single coils in the neck and middle. I'm looking for single coils or single coil sized humbuckers to put in either slot.
I have a alder body Strat with a rosewood fretboard and maple neck. I play mostly old skool metal (Metallica and Megadeth), alternative, hard rock, modern rock, ect. Just stuff along those lines and I'm looking for something in the neck that will be able to handle distortion well and clean up nicely and a good clean pup for the middle. Any suggestions?

Here's what I've found so far:
Neck - SSL-5 Custom Staggered
Middle - SVR-1 Vintage Rails

or the following flipped either way

Neck - STK-2 Hot Stack
Middle - SSL-5 Custom Staggered

 

[Diocletian]

Re: HSS Strat Pickup Suggestions

I have two HSS guitars - one Squier strat with a Custom Custom bridge (coil split switch too), and Hot Rails neck. The middle I just left the stock single coil in. I love all the tones I can get from the guitar considering it was cheap.
The other is a Jackson SL3, with a JB bridge, SSL-1 middle and Hot Rails neck. It's my favourite guitar, everything just sounds great.

So, I'd suggest maybe a Hot Rails for the neck, and just leave the middle single coil as it is to see how it works out.

 

[bluesbend]

Re: HSS Strat Pickup Suggestions

SSL-5n and Qtr Pound m.

 

[DMyers77]

Re: HSS Strat Pickup Suggestions

Try a couple DiMarzio Virtual Vintage Blues (DP402). They are higher output than normal singles, cancel hum, and sound good both clean and distorted. They are great for HSS guitars, because they are designed to work with 500K pots.

If you want more of a humbucker sound in the neck, go with a Hot Rails or Little '59.

 

[C-Martin]

Re: HSS Strat Pickup Suggestions

if you want to invest a little more id go with antiquity II surfers, they are awesome.. i have a JB (Rewound by the mojo queen :headbang and 2 ants in my main guitar and i dont even play any of the other guitars anymore lol Its an Ash strat with a rose board, maple neck and original floyd rose..

If the hum bugs you you can always settle for classic stacks as they get pretty close to surfer tone, and dont let the name surfer fool you it dont just do surf music in fact i dont even play surf music at all im mainly a hard rock or metal guitar but just love the sound of real vintage style single coils

 

[HealthyNormal]

Re: HSS Strat Pickup Suggestions

Sorry guys, I haven't been able to get back to my threads in a few days I'm going to check out that hot rails in the neck and SSL-1 vintage staggered in the middle, because I was thinking about putting the vintage staggered in the middle with the SSL-5 in the neck. The only thing I'm worried about is the whether or not the hot rails can do clean though :boggled: The SSL-1 is pretty close to the clean sound I want (straight-up clean for the middle position) but I want the neck to be kinda versatile. As in, I want it to be able to play a nice clean lick without it coming through crunchy if I pick in too hard, but yet I want the ability to sweep pick on it with quite a bit of distortion. I guess I might have to trade off on that one, but I'll check out the Rails and what everyone else is recommending for sure.

Thanks!

 

[DMyers77]

Re: HSS Strat Pickup Suggestions

Maybe a Cool Rails for the neck then?

 

[Dirtbagg]

Re: HSS Strat Pickup Suggestions

I'm going to do Texas antiquity hot on my HSS strat with a JB in the bridge

 

[HealthyNormal]

Re: HSS Strat Pickup Suggestions

Maybe a Cool Rails for the neck then?

I was looking at one of those recently actually, but even though I know it will work for the cleans I like, the distortion bit is making me kinda wary. I like the idea of a hot rails in the neck, but lol that's a bit harsh for a Strat when sometime I'll just get a Jackson for all my hardcore music needs... :headbang: I'll look over the choices given to me some more, but I think I'll take the advice of one person on here and just leave the middle pup in and see how my tone stands with just changing the neck pickup right now...