Humbucker that sounds most like a Strat?

[Bauer9168]

I've got a classic player jaguar hh that I'm looking to replace the neck pickup on.

I keep it 100% coil split most of the time and it sounds decent, but really wAnt that silky smooth neck Strat sound, so my question is what humbucker sounds most like an American Strat neck when coil split? Or anyone have ideas for the neck coil-split roller if I decide to go SH instead?

Thinking SRV bluesy type stuff. Speaking of which, anyone know what neck pickup he used?

Thanks in advance, and glad to be here.
I'll probably be doing a maple fret. Neck eventually too. So far a treble bleed is my only mod.

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[DreX]

Re: Humbucker that sounds most like a Strat?

The Stag Mag was designed for this purpose, good split single coil tone, but it seems to get mixed reviews as a humbucker.

 

[Aasinsilta]

Re: Humbucker that sounds most like a Strat?

Maybe you could solve this best by asking the Custom Shop to build you a humbucker sized P90, but with whatever single coil specs instead of it being an actual P90.

 

[Andrew Lamprecht]

Re: Humbucker that sounds most like a Strat?

The custom shop makes a single coil that fits in a humbucker route.

 

[Aasinsilta]

Re: Humbucker that sounds most like a Strat?

Then there you go.

 

[jimijames]

Re: Humbucker that sounds most like a Strat?

Isn't this what the prails is supposed to do? Just flip a neck prails and you're close.

IMO, though - if you really wanted the strattiest SC sound from a humbucker you need to flip a seth bridge, take the cover off, order some .187" diameter a3 pole pieces, and replace the slugs with those on the wound strings.

That's the strattiest sound I've ever gotten from a neck humbucker. Perfect for those walking srv style bass lines

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[SoundAt11]

Re: Humbucker that sounds most like a Strat?

Stag Mag. If you want a clearer sound, order it as a shop floor custom with Flag Alnico 5 magnets.

 

[GuitarDoc]

Re: Humbucker that sounds most like a Strat?

OP...If you keep the neck bucker split 100% of the time, why not just get a single coil pup to begin with?!

Stag Mag. If you want a clearer sound, order it as a shop floor custom with Flag Alnico 5 magnets.

Stag Mag is already pretty bright and clear with the stock A2 rods.

 

[Bauer9168]

Re: Humbucker that sounds most like a Strat?

I've been thinking about just doing a single in the neck, just have to make sure I can get a pick guard made with 2 different holes.

Any ideas what I could use the rolling pot for?


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[elelpe]

Re: Humbucker that sounds most like a Strat?

The custom shop makes a single coil that fits in a humbucker route.

This. Or EJ Custom.

 

[tc]

Re: Humbucker that sounds most like a Strat?

New pickguard and a Stratocaster neck pickup.

The scale/bridge/body shape will make it not sound quite like a Strat, but you can get close. As for pickups, SRV mostly used vintage pickups in his Strats. His number one was a 1962 neck with a 1963 body with 1959 pickups, or at least that's what Rene Martinez is quoted on saying. I've always had my doubts because Number One's neck has always looked like the rosewood is too thin on it, but I don't know if it's because it was refretted so many times that it looks like a round-lam, or if it's because it's actually a 1963 neck and a 1962 body. Either that or it was some kind of really late 1962 and one of the first with a laminated board...but none of this is what you asked about.

I'd try to get a pretty chimy Strat single coil by the way, try and offset that warmer scale length.

 

[audiocheck]

Re: Humbucker that sounds most like a Strat?

The Stag Mag was designed for this purpose, good split single coil tone, but it seems to get mixed reviews as a humbucker.

I will second this!

The StagMag in the neck is great. True Single when split as Humbucker think 'Nuno' Splank in the neck. The StagMag as a bridge humbucker I didn't do, but if you are used to a real humbucker, the StagMag may fall short of your expectations.

 

[astrozombie]

Re: Humbucker that sounds most like a Strat?

No offense, but your be happier with a decent stratocaster.


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[Bauer9168]

Re: Humbucker that sounds most like a Strat?

I put some new strings on and it made a world of difference. I didn't realize how nasty they'd gotten.

I've decided to leave it alone for now. I can get a decent single coil tone with the volume backed off and the low filter on. A **** ton of reverb also tricks my ears a bit too. Thinking I may get a Strat eventually. We'll see.

Thanks everyone for the input.


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[SoundAt11]

Re: Humbucker that sounds most like a Strat?

OP...If you keep the neck bucker split 100% of the time, why not just get a single coil pup to begin with?!




Stag Mag is already pretty bright and clear with the stock A2 rods.

There's a night and day difference between the two. I used flat Alnico 5 "The Mag" for years and love it's clear, crisp, and bright tone. Then I tried the Stag Mag and it was very full and muddy. I yanked it out. Ugh.

 

[SixStringMamba]

Re: Humbucker that sounds most like a Strat?

No offense, but your be happier with a decent stratocaster.

This might be the correct way to go.....A Jaguar has a 24.75 scale length right? Some says you might not get that "Strat" magic using a shorter scale length......might be just another urban myth waiting to get busted and I'm hoping for it to be busted as I'm itching to change my Strat to 24.75 short scale for easier bending...

 

[GuitarDoc]

Re: Humbucker that sounds most like a Strat?

There's a night and day difference between the two. I used flat Alnico 5 "The Mag" for years and love it's clear, crisp, and bright tone. Then I tried the Stag Mag and it was very full and muddy. I yanked it out. Ugh.

Never said there wasn't a difference between A2 and A5 rods, just that the Stag Mag (and we were talking about in split mode) was pretty bright and clear.

As a humbucker, even in series, it's a long way away from "muddy". Is it "very full" sounding? Yes. But not close to being muddy.

 

[SAVAGE DISTORTION]

Re: Humbucker that sounds most like a Strat?

I found the dimarzio fred to be very single coil like, YMMV?
it certainly has some real cool single coil like overtones and high end

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: Humbucker that sounds most like a Strat?

The shorter scale length, vibrato design (and all of the other metal hardware) and the pot resistance values all conspire against extracting an entirely convincing Stratocaster sound from a Jaguar.

What type of output cable does the stock neck position pickup have? Four conductor + shield cable would make it possible to run the coils of the stock neck pickup in Parallel. This would retain the noise-cancellation effect and offer a thinner, brighter, more Strat-like sound.

As a Fender AVRI '62 Jaguar owner, I can attest to the fact that a single coil neck position pickup is capable of some superb Blues tones but it never quite manages to sound exactly like a Stratocaster.

EDIT - In my opinion, the neatest solution to this question would be to replace the stock slider selector switch plate with the Cobain style plate and install a Freeway 3x3-03 selector switch.

 

[9unslin9er]

Re: Humbucker that sounds most like a Strat?

There is no humbucker that sounds exactly like a single coil.

Don't waste your money chasing that tone with that form factor.

Even the DiMarzio Eric Johnson made specifically to do that job, doesn't sound like one.

Get an aftermarket pickguard that supports single coils.