PU advice needed - HSS Strat with Auto-Split

[koepernikus]

Hey guys,

I'm currently building a HSS strat from Warmoth components, simple alder for the body and Goncalo Alves with Pao Ferro Fingerboard for the neck. I play blues, classic rock and hard rock.

I'd like to use full humbucker in bridge position and auto-split humbucker in bridge/middle position to get a decent approximation of the Fender quack in this position.

My assumption is that the output of the splitted humbucker should be about the same as the single coils for this, right? Possible candidates for the humbucker so far are the Pearly Gates, Custom Custom and Custom 5 (warmer sound to fit to brighter strat sound). Any opinions on these pickups in a Strat? And which single coils would go well with these?

Alternatively, I could use two volume pots, one for bridge, one for mid/neck to offset any difference in output level. Is this a viable alternative?

Also, will I need RP/RW single coil in the middle position?

Thanks for any advice,
koepernikus

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: PU advice needed - HSS Strat with Auto-Split

Welcome to the forum.

The RP/RW centre single coil pickup helps by making the neck/centre and centre/split bridge combinations noise-cancelling.

One theory is that the output of the split humbucker should be approximately equal to that of the central single coil. My preference would be to go for more output from the bridge/treble pickup to compensate for the reduced string excursion close to the bridge saddles.

Alternatively, have a more moderate output HB (such as the Pearly Gates Plus) and do not bother with coil split.

 

[MikeM]

Re: PU advice needed - HSS Strat with Auto-Split

I'd personally go with an A8 59/Custom hybrid. That way you have the extra power of the custom coil for when you split the pup, and a nice thick bridge tone.

 

[koepernikus]

Re: PU advice needed - HSS Strat with Auto-Split

Thanks for the feedback so far. I've been listening to some of the hums and SCs and now have a better idea which ones I like.

But how can I compare the output level? I cannot seem to find a technical spec that makes this comparable.

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: PU advice needed - HSS Strat with Auto-Split

The output level of a pickup on a specific guitar is a product of the pickup specs, the guitar construction, the pickup height adjustment relative to the strings, the gauges of the strings and how hard you play 'em. All this before considering the gain settings and dynamic response of your amplification.

Published statistics are only a crude guide.

 

[koepernikus]

Re: PU advice needed - HSS Strat with Auto-Split

Ok, I'm slowly seeing clearer. Thanks for bearing with me.

Next steps: Single coils. So far I was assuming I would need true single coils for the typical 2 and 4 position sounds. When browsing the wiring diagrams yesterday I stumbled on this one here, which has stacked single coils in position 1-3-5 and splits them in position 2-4.

Should work with a humbucker as well. Has anyone tried this wiring with stacked single coils? How do you like the sound in positions 2-4?