Strat or Fat Strat

Strat or Fat Strat

  • SSS

    Votes: 66 57.9%
  • HSS

    Votes: 48 42.1%

  • Total voters
    114
Re: Strat or Fat Strat

Keep the bucker and make it splittable...So you will have both at the flick of a switch.:laugh2:
 
Re: Strat or Fat Strat

zionstrat said:
I've got both and if you add Gillmore to your list, these are the sounds I go for the most- To sum up what others have said, if you want entirely the classic sounds you would go SSS-

But, the S in the bridge is the sound I least use and I use lots of combintaitons- If you are going live a good splitable Humb (like the JB) it would sound extremely stratish in 2 position. But the addition of the bridge full humb is something you just can't otherwise get on a strat- So if you will ever play rock that isn't clapton/srv/knopfler, it will sure come in handy-

Note that not a lot of humbs split very strat like and this is one of the reasons I highly recomend the JB.

So, you think the JB offers the best split HB tone in a strat?
 
Re: Strat or Fat Strat

On my Strat I have SSL's in the neck and middle with a '59 humbucker in the bridge. Again as most have said I really love this for the versatility, but I never use it for shred or anything. It's nice to be able to move from a quacky Little Wing-ish neck and middle tone and then into a good "Crossroads" tone with the bridge. But then again I've never had a S-S-S strat or played with one much so maybe I don't know what I'm missing.
 
Re: Strat or Fat Strat

I tend to prefer the SSS or even...dare I say it...SSH.

But Spin-A-Split is a great solution to the bridge/middle notch tone problems of Fat Strats. Dial in just as much or little of that second coil as you need to compensate for any tonal deficiencies of full humbucker or single coil only.
 
Re: Strat or Fat Strat

I like the option of a HB in the bridge for blues. This doesn't just come in handy for shred type playing. Oft times you find yourself playing through vintage type tube amps with just hint of distortion. It can get plinky at times unless you go to playing in the neck position. Sometimes you want bridge position tone, and that little extra drive and fatness you have with a HB in the bridge compared to a SC is just what is needed. As long as you use a good bluesy HB like the 59, or a perhaps something like a Pearly Gates, it will still work okay in conjunction with the middle pup, and balance with neck and middle SC's.

On the other hand you can get by fine with the right strat SC in the bridge position. In the bridge position on a replica strat I built; the vintage output SC works about as good as a PAF HB, with a tone control on it, and with the tone rolled down to about 7. The bridge pup is slightly hotter (but not hot by any means) than the neck and middle positions. A calibrated set of SC's may be just fine for blues.
 
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Re: Strat or Fat Strat

for a vintage strat how can you say anything but s/s/s? the ssh setup is more versitile but if you want vintage, s/s/s is the only way to go. i like s/s/s more just cause it looks cooler and with the right amp, you can get humbucker like sounds anyway
 
Re: Strat or Fat Strat

No such thing as HSS on a vintage piece....:)
 
Re: Strat or Fat Strat

I like to think I've got a pretty versatile strat setup:

S-S-S but w/ SD lil 59 in bridge (much better and more useable than standard SC)

Anyway, i've got a push pull which, when down, is the normal strat setup (but with the 59 obviously - not split at all - even in pos2)

With the push/pull up it gives:

5: Neck and Middle in series
4: Neck single
3: Kill
4: 59 humbucking
5: 59 humbucking in series with middle - great raw 'triple' coil rock lead tone

as i said - very versatile 1 axe setup! all the clean/blues/classic rock tones i need
 
Re: Strat or Fat Strat

V-Spot said:
What about H/S or H/H?

Now for me that goes beyond Stratdom. While H-H Strats are really good, I would never have one as I prefer Les Pauls. I do infact really like the warm neck single coils sound like on a Strat though.
 
Re: Strat or Fat Strat

Active electronics a la Eric Clapton Strat. Lots of good noiseless SC pickups available these days. I like the old gold lace sensors the best. I have an '89 Clapton strat, and it pushes the amp harder than my Les Paul with the mid boost up.
 
Re: Strat or Fat Strat

Keep the humbucker in, you never know when the versatility can come in handy. I have a MIA strat with a SH-6 distortion in the bridge and I can go from playing something metal and then something SRV/clapton style with the flick of a swith and a quick amp setting adjustment. When I put the SH-6 in my strat it made me fall in love with it all over again. It was like I got a whole new guitar without sacificing anything.
 
Re: Strat or Fat Strat

I am currently building a H/S/S strat to accmpany my S/S/S strat. I have played the S/S/S config for a long time now and find it suitable for nearly all styles of music bar really really heavy metal when i thing the need for a humbucker is paramount. Especially as you can wire it split for position 2 which starts to calm it down a bit. Having said this, for the blues tones you seek i agree with most people in he S/S/S is probably best. The only other thing to cross my mind is a system employed by Clapton, Townsend and Gilmour, all of who can play good blues, is active electronics. I think they mostly use mid boosts to make the guitar sound more punchier and fatter whilst not being lost in overdrive.
 
Re: Strat or Fat Strat

I am a Humbucker junkie.
I have a Standard Fat Strat that rocks with a JB in the bridge and I put a lil59in the neck. I am going to get rid of the middle pickup completly.
 
Re: Strat or Fat Strat

I prefer a regular, real 3-single coil Strat tone. If you want a Strat-like body with a humbucker, get a Showmaster or a Jackson.
 
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