Pickup suggestions for a hard rockin HSS hardtail strat

[Shredmrt]

Hi guys!

Im building a strat and going to put a humbucker in the bridge with single coils in the neck and middle.
Most of my guitars have a jb in the bridge so that is the sound Im used to, however this time Id like something that would work well with the singles. I will not be using a lot of those quacky in-beetween pickup positions so the most important thing will be the balance in volume and punch.
I like a decent amount of oomph in the pickups so Im thinking of getting hot single coils and a medium output humbucker. Any suggestions? My initial thought is to go for SSL-6 singles and something like a perpetual burn for the bridge. I figure the humbucker will benefit from a decent ampunt of high-end in a 250k pot setup?

All input appreciated!

 

[mantis]

Re: Pickup suggestions for a hard rockin HSS hardtail strat

Hello,
The JB in the bridge is always the way to go fro what you described. It's an amazing pickup with about the most flexibility I've ever used. You can play everything with it. I have 3 guitars that have JB's and they all have a slight different tone but all retain that amazing flexibility.
As far as matching to the JB, nothing matches better then the mighty Lil59. I put one in my Charvel that was a JB and Classic stack. I felt those 2 pickups didn't work together at all especially the middle position on a 3 way switch. When I put the Lil59 in there, all kinds of magic started to happen. The Warmth the Lil59 is amazing. It's crazy clear and punchy. It blends perfectly with the JB in the Bridge position . I never used the middle position on any of my guitars until this one. I can't believe how well they go together.
Your guitar is going to be slightly different due to the Strat Layout. I would put the JB in the Bridge , a Lil59 in the middle and try a Hot rail in the neck for a slight different versatile tone.
It will go nicely with the Lil59 being in the middle position as you will get awesome tones in the 2 and 5 positions.
yes a 250k pots are the way to go in this setup. I don't suggest Spit coils unless you like that thin crappy tone of single coil pickups. Once you go Mini Humbuckers in single coil guitars, it's not even an option in my case to ever play a single coil ever again. You lose all the warmth and soul of your sound. Screw that thin crap man.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Pickup suggestions for a hard rockin HSS hardtail strat

A Perpetual Burn along with Custom SSL-6s in the neck and the middle will give you balanced tones, although it won't sound 'classic strat-y'. If you want that, you might have to go for something even less output, like a set of SSL-2s and a 59.

 

[treyhaislip]

Re: Pickup suggestions for a hard rockin HSS hardtail strat

Best HSS pickup combo for hard rock that I've used was the JB+2 Hotrails. Incredible tone and awesome harmonics. Some forum bros prefer Cool Rails to the Hot Rails though.

 

[BruceBruce]

Re: Pickup suggestions for a hard rockin HSS hardtail strat

SSL6 would need 500k pots. 2 hot rails are unnecessary, as the middle and neck position would sound almost the same. It would be better to put a true single coil in the mid position for more versatility.

 

[treyhaislip]

Re: Pickup suggestions for a hard rockin HSS hardtail strat

2 hot rails are unnecessary, as the middle and neck position would sound almost the same.

With all due respect, have you tried this combo before? They totally do not sound the same.

It would be better to put a true single coil in the mid position for more versatility.

How so? The Rails gives you both a Humbucker option as well as the option to Split it or Tap it for a Single Coil...that would be more "versatile" in my book.

 

[BruceBruce]

Re: Pickup suggestions for a hard rockin HSS hardtail strat

With all due respect, have you tried this combo before? They totally do not sound the same.



How so? The Rails gives you both a Humbucker option as well as the option to Split it or Tap it for a Single Coil...that would be more "versatile" in my book.

Yes they do. It's always better to use different pickups in mid and neck positions. The hot rails split sound DOES NOT sound like a regular single coil. It has some similarities, but it has a different construction and sound. The hot rails split sound is just a little quieter and thinner than the un-split pickup. That means dark and hot and cetainly not clear and chimey.

 

[treyhaislip]

Re: Pickup suggestions for a hard rockin HSS hardtail strat

Yes they do. It's always better to use different pickups in mid and neck positions. The hot rails split sound DOES NOT sound like a regular single coil. It has some similarities, but it has a different construction and sound. The hot rails split sound is just a little quieter and thinner than the un-split pickup. That means dark and hot and cetainly not clear and chimey.

You didn't answer my questions–have you tried the JB+Rails combo? I've used it in several different guitars with different wood combos–the neck and middle didn't sound the same. How is a single coil in the middle more versatile?

Always better? That statement is a matter of opinion–one that some guitar players and manufacturers would disagree with.

How do you define the sound of a "regular" single coil? Not all single coils are the same. That is like saying a JB doesn't sound like a "regular" humbucker.

The OP said "the most important thing will be the balance in volume and punch". With a JB the Rails (Hot or Cool) would have no issue with that at all–I doubt the SSL-6 would either for that matter.

 

[Lucy Diamond]

Re: Pickup suggestions for a hard rockin HSS hardtail strat

If you are looking for b@llsy output and not a lot of quack from the middle pickup, I want to throw the quarter pound flat wound into the suggestion box.

I have one in the middle of my Jem and it is a pickup unto its own.

So between the JB bridge and the lil 59 neck that everyone is suggesting (and I'm agreeing with) if you put the quarter pound in the middle you will essentially have:

Bridge: B@lls

Middle: Different kind of B@lls

Neck: Smoother singier B@lls.

You can't lose.

 

[Leon Of Late]

Re: Pickup suggestions for a hard rockin HSS hardtail strat

I'm not great with single coil suggestions, but the best pickup I've had in a trem equipped guitar was the PATB-3. I ultimately ended up with the Original PATB for a different sound, but the -3 had a real PAF vibe and thickened up the tone that can get lost with a trem.