Just converter my Strat from HSS to SSS

[Powdered Toast Man]

2012 American Standard. Stock it had the Diamondback HB in the bridge and the Fat 50's in the middle/neck. I really tried to like that HB but I think I'm just not a humbucker guy. I like single coil bridge pickups. I understand them. I use them.

Anyway I do like the Fat 50's pickups but I have a set of those in my other Strat so I figured why not go for a full set on this guitar? Ended up with a set of Fender '59 Stratocaster pups. Finally got them all installed with the new pickguard and wow do I ever like these pickups! They've got a really light and jangly tone to them. Bright but not in a harsh or bad way. Exactly how you would expect a late 50's Strat to sound. Very pretty sounding. Most surprising part is I haven't had to jerk around with the pickup heights at all! I just set them wherever and when I slapped the strings on and plugged it in it sounds great in all positions!

 

[JB_From_Hell]

Re: Just converter my Strat from HSS to SSS

Every time I’m tempted to put a ‘bucker in my Strat’s bridge, I play it and decide to leave it be. Nice looking guitar.

 

[Securb]

Re: Just converter my Strat from HSS to SSS

Looks great man. Now I know who to send my singles to when I do mods.

 

[Powdered Toast Man]

Re: Just converter my Strat from HSS to SSS

Every time I’m tempted to put a ‘bucker in my Strat’s bridge, I play it and decide to leave it be. Nice looking guitar.

Nah don't. You'll regret it.

Every time I would plug in the guitar and play on the HB I'd think, oh this is pretty good. Then I'd play over on the middle and neck pickups for a while and when I'd switch back to the bridge it was like, ugh this sucks.

Also of note is the Fender 59 set isn't really a "calibrated" set. It's three of the exact same pickup (cause that's what they did in 1959). So no RWRP middle.

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[Lewguitar]

Re: Just converter my Strat from HSS to SSS

Good move! Nice looking guitar too.

I no longer use a RW/RP middle pickup on my Strats.

I think it sounds better. I like the way that sound “feels” better too.

Made the change a few years ago.

I also use the Ilitch backplate to eliminate hum on my favorite Strat.

 

[Silence Kid]

Re: Just converter my Strat from HSS to SSS

Nah don't. You'll regret it.

Every time I would plug in the guitar and play on the HB I'd think, oh this is pretty good. Then I'd play over on the middle and neck pickups for a while and when I'd switch back to the bridge it was like, ugh this sucks.

Also of note is the Fender 59 set isn't really a "calibrated" set. It's three of the exact same pickup (cause that's what they did in 1959). So no RWRP middle.

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If I have a Strat I want to do anything clean or surfy with, it needs a bridge single. But some Strats are just whores to stuff whatever pickup in and rock out, so I have a few of those.

(That said, a Screamin Demon comes somewhat close to sounding like a single coil in many ways; a close second is a Jazz Bridge; mostly not a fan of humbucker cleans at all, except those two. Also, it's much more important IMO to have a single in the neck position, I'm not really a fan of neck humbuckers.)

 

[Powdered Toast Man]

Re: Just converter my Strat from HSS to SSS

Good move! Nice looking guitar too.

I no longer use a RW/RP middle pickup on my Strats.

I think it sounds better. I like the way that sound “feels” better too.

Made the change a few years ago.

I also use the Ilitch backplate to eliminate hum on my favorite Strat.

Yeah it's interesting how much of a difference it makes in positions 2 and 4. These pickups definitely don't "quack" like most have come to expect from those positions.

I'm loving these 59 pickups. They sound like rock n roll. They compare sort of to the CS69 pickups in output and response except with much more mid range (the 69's are very scooped sounding).

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