Some help with an HS setup

[TVFV]

So the first part is I'm having hard deciding on is what to put in the neck. I can't decide between a STK-S7 or STK-S4. My main concerns are the clean tones and the volume jump between the neck and bridge. The bridge pickup will be a 59/Custom.

The next part is the cap and pot values. What would you use for the following setup?

Neck single
Neck and Bridge split
Neck and bridge humbucker
Parallel Humbucker
Series Humbucker

Thanks for your help in advance guys!

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[Chistopher]

Re: Some help with an HS setup

I'd say get a STK-S7n and use a 250k volume and 500k tone, given how naturally bright the 59/C is and how the S7n has slightly rolled off highs this setup should work well. There also wouldn't be a major volume jump with this setup. I have recently found a lot of good things from .018uF caps so you might have some luck with then as well.

As for the switching, I've found the most enjoyable HS guitars only have neck, neck and bridge split, then bridge in series. You might think differently, but I feel adding a 5-way switch to an HS is just asking "too much" for the given setup. You can of course add a 1meg spin a split on the bridge so that you actually get more versatility without the trouble accidentally knocking the switch into the wrong position, as would likely happen often if you were a fella like me.

 

[TVFV]

Re: Some help with an HS setup

I'd say get a STK-S7n and use a 250k volume and 500k tone, given how naturally bright the 59/C is and how the S7n has slightly rolled off highs this setup should work well. There also wouldn't be a major volume jump with this setup. I have recently found a lot of good things from .018uF caps so you might have some luck with then as well.

As for the switching, I've found the most enjoyable HS guitars only have neck, neck and bridge split, then bridge in series. You might think differently, but I feel adding a 5-way switch to an HS is just asking "too much" for the given setup. You can of course add a 1meg spin a split on the bridge so that you actually get more versatility without the trouble accidentally knocking the switch into the wrong position, as would likely happen often if you were a fella like me.

Being a strat player all of life, 5 ways are second nature to me. I'm really not a fan of flicking a switch then pulling a knob. I might just try 500k all around. I've never found any humbucker to be too bright with the tone at 10.

I've seen you've used the STK-S7. How do you like it for cleaner applications? I'm not too worried about lead work in the neck.


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[Chistopher]

Re: Some help with an HS setup

I love warm Strat neck pickups, they sound round and warm, but don't have all the honky congested mids of a humbucker. The best way I could describe it would be if you mounted a vintage Strat pickup to a hollow body. They would probably sound rather nice with two 500ks, but like I said earlier, if that's too bright, the 59/C definitely won't sound bad with one 250k in there.

 

[TVFV]

Re: Some help with an HS setup

Something a little different I was considering today was a Parallel Axis Stack in the neck.

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[Silence Kid]

Re: Some help with an HS setup

My simple response is my own Strat- Demon Bridge, S4n Classic Stack, 500k volume. Works.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Some help with an HS setup

I have an STK-S4 in the neck of an HSS, with a 59/Custom Hybrid in the bridge. I love that combination. Yeah, there is a little (and I mean little) boost with switching to the bridge, but not as much as you think. And the S4 sounds so clean and clear in the neck. I am a big fan.

 

[TVFV]

Re: Some help with an HS setup

My simple response is my own Strat- Demon Bridge, S4n Classic Stack, 500k volume. Works.

Do you miss the tone knob?

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[Silence Kid]

Re: Some help with an HS setup

I tend to use tone knobs on my guitars, but the idea behind this setup was to make something more minimal that I wouldn't mess with as much. It is useable without a tone knob, and to my ears sounds good enough I don't want to further impact the sound by the possible addition of a tone knob... But I do sort of miss having a tone knob.

That said, the 500k plus stacked single isn't inordinately bright or anything.

 

[donaldr]

Re: Some help with an HS setup

I have a STK-S7n with a Screamin Demon bridge in an HS Strat. Stk-s7 is a bit dark but not that much. Using 250k volume with 2x 250k tones and a 3-way blade switch. I find the middle position quite usable on its own, no splitting of bridge.