Pickups for [?]SS Strat

[patchworkman]

I'm considering replacing my Epiphone Casino with a Strat, just because I like how Strats feel, but I generally find Strats a little bright and I've become very attached to having a big, fat bridge pickup sound with its own separate volume control. What I have in mind is a Strat with neck and middle pickups that share a volume and tone and then a bridge pickup with its own volume (connected to the tone or not, depending on the pickup). Ideally, the bridge pickup would be something that sounds more like a humbucker or P90, and the neck and middle would be fatter and smoother than standard Strat stuff and have output to pair well with the bridge but still be at least a little Stratty.

What comes to mind right away is either a Cool Rails or a Little '59 in the bridge, with Custom Flat or Custom Staggered pickups in the neck and middle, but I could also do a real HSS if the Strat is routed for it. Besides what pickups to use, I'm also wondering whether to use a 250K or 500K pot for the bridge volume, and whether or not to connect the bridge pickup to the tone pot.

I am first and foremost an acoustic player, so a lot of this stuff is new to me, but I'm playing more electric in my band lately, so any help is greatly appreciated.

 

[Sam SG]

I have a strat with 2 unknown( but classic sounding) alnico strat pups. A SD JB in the bridge with a series/parallel switch on it. In Parallel the HB sounds kinda strat but pairs really well in position 2 on the 5 way.
Sonething to think about.

 

[amdkj]

Can't help for the bridge because I'm trying to find something similar myself, but for the neck and middle I can definitely recommend the STK-S7 Vintage Hot Stack Plus. I use two along with an STK-S9 Hot Stack Plus in the bridge—which is pretty much the same output as my Shawbuckers, Custombuckers, and other PAF-style humbuckers—and the Vintage Hots balance in output perfectly. They've got the snappy attack of a usual Strat single, as well as the clear separation between strings when playing chords, but the EQ is more like a P-90, with much more in the low-mids and no piercing treble. Plus they're noiseless, of course. Clean with any amp, they're like an overwound Jazzmaster. With a little distortion, especially with an American-style preamp, they sound more like a Strat. With medium distortion and a British-style preamp, they go back to more like Jazzmasters.
FWIW the Hot Stack Plus is a perfect bridge match for the Vintage Hots, but it may not sound smooth enough for you. It's still got the Strat snap to the note attack. Otherwise, the EQ is very full and every now and then I do forget that it's not a 'proper' humbucker. Still, sounds like you want something even less Stratty.

Mine have 250k controls with a 0.1µF capacitor, including the bridge pickup, which does also contribute to the smooth high end. I strongly recommend the pre-70s 0.1 over the more common 0.047 value because it extends the roll-off to some of the upper-mids as well. And whether it's a separate control or not, I think all the SD Strat-size humbuckers and stacks are designed with 250k controls in mind; doesn't stop you from using 500k if you want, but that will always make it hotter and brighter.

 

[playas]

I'd recommend getting a full-size humbucker for the bridge. A single sized pup will be a decent approximation...but for my money, not close enough. If you really want that fat, put a humbucker in the bridge...as for which one I'll leave that to others, although I don't think the JB mentioned above was a bad recommendation.