Newbie looking for pickup updates for MIM HSS strat

[xland]

I bought a MIM HSS strat a few weeks ago and I love everything about it (looks, feel and playability) except for the tone from the stock pickups. They are not horrible but they are uninspiring and the humbucker is a bit too bright for my taste. I don't have any pedals and I play through a Fender Champion 40 modeling amp (which I really like) and usually play on the Tweed Deluxe, Blackface Deluxe and British models (60's, 70's and 80's).

I want to play blues, blues/classic rock (SRV, Clapton, ZZ Top, AC/DC, Sabbath, The Who, Cream, REO, etc) and some grunge (Nirvana, Foo Fighters, Alice in Chains, Bob Mould/Sugar) so I'd like a relatively versatile guitar. I'd like to upgrade to get a more gritty and powerful sound than what I am getting from the stock pickups now. I really like the tone of LPs but I don't find them very comfortable for me to play so for now I plan to stick with my Strat. I know that a Strat will never sound like LP but I'd like the tone to be in that direction.

I'd appreciate any and all suggestions, I'm not very familiar with all of the options. Thanks in advance.

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: Newbie looking for pickup updates for MIM HSS strat

Welcome to the forum.

Before suggesting anything, I wish to ask about your guitar and amplifier.
1) What type of bridge does the guitar have? Traditional six screw fulcrum, two point fulcrum, Floyd Rose-licensed or some other?
2) Do you have access to an all-valve amplifier?

 

[xland]

Re: Newbie looking for pickup updates for MIM HSS strat

I'm guessing that it's a traditional six screw fulcrum. It is not a Floyd-Rose for sure. I don't have access to an all-valve amplifier...unless I buy one, which is not really in the cards in the foreseeable future.

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: Newbie looking for pickup updates for MIM HSS strat

Does the lower Tone control have any effect on the humbucker?

 

[xland]

Re: Newbie looking for pickup updates for MIM HSS strat

Does the lower Tone control have any effect on the humbucker?

nope.

 

[Despised]

Re: Newbie looking for pickup updates for MIM HSS strat

I have been hearing a LOT lately that the Alternative 8 and Cool Rails combo is a really good and really versatile set to go with. Especially in your case because you play a LOT of different styles and genres, you need the versatility for sure. I would start there, and maybe look for a different bridge humbucker if the Alternative 8 is going to be too hot for your tastes. But I doubt it will, since you're doing some heavier stuff like Sabbath, AC/DC and Alice in Chains.

 

[elelpe]

Re: Newbie looking for pickup updates for MIM HSS strat

PG/STK-S7/STK-S6

 

[dotsdad]

Re: Newbie looking for pickup updates for MIM HSS strat

SSL-1 neck and middle with Screamin Demon bridge sounds great in my Mexicaster. I have rosewood though; the Demon may be a tad too bright for maple. We'll have to see what the other guys think about the bridge, but SSL1 is a must-have to make your Strat sound like a Strat.

P.S. On other great upgrade for the Mixis is to swap the cheap potmetal bridge block out for a steel one. If you can afford a Callaham, get one. IF you can;t, the cheap ones at Guitar Fetish are still 10 times better than stock - and theyre only lik 20 bucks!

P.P.S. Free upgrade...remove the rear spring cover and throw it in the trash. Do not replace it. Srsly!

 

[Despised]

Re: Newbie looking for pickup updates for MIM HSS strat

I wouldn't throw out the cavity covers, especially the one for the spring cavity. I would first stuff the whole cavity with cotton balls to kill the spring noise (underneath, between and above all the springs, claw, and between the block on both sides of the trem...) and then mount the cover back on.

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: Newbie looking for pickup updates for MIM HSS strat

+1 for improving the bridge before tackling the pickups or electronics.

Does the lower Tone control have any effect on the humbucker?

nope.

Well, adding a short wire to the selector switch will correct this. The loading effect of the pot may help to take the excess edge off the humbucker.

 

[xland]

Re: Newbie looking for pickup updates for MIM HSS strat

Thanks for the suggestions!! Just out of curiosity, has anyone changed out the two single coils for two (mini) humbuckers such as the Little 59 and/or Lil' Screamin Demon before? I'm just wondering how that might sound along with the full humbucker in the bridge.

 

[Despised]

Re: Newbie looking for pickup updates for MIM HSS strat

It can be done, and very easily too... here is a video I was looking at today of the Alternative 8 and Cool Rials combo:
http://youtu.be/-H7egNnFzRo

Plus one of the cool things you could do with mini or single coil sized humbuckers in the middle and neck, is wire them to a push/pull fkr either the coil splits or series/parallel wiring, as well as keeping the control your tone pots. I like to change out the tone pots and make them volumes for each pickup, allowing for more blending of the two pickups for an even more diverse tone when in positions 2 & 4...

 

[Jermo3178]

Re: Newbie looking for pickup updates for MIM HSS strat

JB/STK-S7/STK-S7... PAFish bucker/Tx specials

BUT, if it were me... route out the neck pickup cavity... drop in a JB/Jazz combo (JB/ single of choice/ Jazz), new CTS 250k pots, and orange drop caps, then rock on!

What am I say... I generally don't do singles, except for my AM special strat...so forget the first suggestions

 

[JimmyO]

Re: Newbie looking for pickup updates for MIM HSS strat

If you want to move in more of a Les Paul direction and not spend too much you may want to consider the vintage blues set. It includes two 59 humbuckers for the bridge and neck and is a pretty good deal at about $130 for the set. It will give you that humbucker in the neck position which brings it closer to the les paul type tone and the pickups are vintage output so would match with the middle single coil.
You may also want to balance how much you upgrade the guitar with investing in a tube amp, blackstar and peavey make pretty reasonably priced tube amps. This is more of my personal opinion though as I mostly like to play through a crunchy tube amp and use my volume control for adjusting the level of dirt.

 

[xland]

Re: Newbie looking for pickup updates for MIM HSS strat

If you want to move in more of a Les Paul direction and not spend too much you may want to consider the vintage blues set. It includes two 59 humbuckers for the bridge and neck and is a pretty good deal at about $130 for the set. It will give you that humbucker in the neck position which brings it closer to the les paul type tone and the pickups are vintage output so would match with the middle single coil.
You may also want to balance how much you upgrade the guitar with investing in a tube amp, blackstar and peavey make pretty reasonably priced tube amps. This is more of my personal opinion though as I mostly like to play through a crunchy tube amp and use my volume control for adjusting the level of dirt.

This sounds interesting. I think that I am leaning toward changing out the single coils with (mini) humbuckers. A tube amp is an option but just not one that is going to happen soon.

Thanks for all of the suggestions everyone! You gave me a lot to think about.

 

[dotsdad]

Re: Newbie looking for pickup updates for MIM HSS strat

if it were me... route out the neck pickup cavity... drop in a JB/Jazz combo (JB/ single of choice/ Jazz), new CTS 250k pots, and orange drop caps, then rock on!

I did this to one of my Mexicasters. Kicks @$$!!! Only drawback is that I ad o do some routing to make room for the neck bucker. But ,yeah, it rawks

 

[vjm]

Re: Newbie looking for pickup updates for MIM HSS strat

Pearly Gates Plus(look on ebay) or Dimarzio AT1. Both very versatile. Good rock and blues tones.

 

[SFW]

Re: Newbie looking for pickup updates for MIM HSS strat

The JB or Custom Custom work great in strats. The PG+ is also a great pickup. For singles... I'd go SSL-5 in the neck and a SSL-1 in the middle.

 

[Brian Griffin]

Re: Newbie looking for pickup updates for MIM HSS strat

I'm guessing that it's a traditional six screw fulcrum. It is not a Floyd-Rose for sure. I don't have access to an all-valve amplifier...unless I buy one, which is not really in the cards in the foreseeable future.

View attachment 58508

I just bought one that looks like that a month ago, but in tobacco sunburst with a rosewood fretboard. I changed the bridge to Custom 5 and the neck to Hot Rails, both of which were sitting idle for a new guitar. I really love the sound of the Custom 5, great for hard rock, not too heavy. The Hot Rails isn't too bright , probably cause the pot is 250K.

 

[xland]

Re: Newbie looking for pickup updates for MIM HSS strat

I ended up going with a Little 59 in the neck, a Lil' Screamin Demon in the middle and a JB in the bridge. It's definitely a serious rock guitar now. I still need to play around with it more but it is definitely more of what I wanted tone wise than what I started with so I'm pretty happy right now. I also contacted Seymour Duncan and asked for their opinion and this is what they came up with so I went for it and I'm glad I did.

Up next, a new amp.

Thanks everyone for your suggestions, it helped me focus on a few options which was very helpful.