Strat with SC neck and HB bridge

[Kelsey]

If you were to combine a Strat neck pickup with a humbucker bridge pickup in an alder/maple Strat, what combo would you choose. I don't care about the middle pickup -- I'm thinking an HS Strat for this one. I want a combo that will sound good together in terms of output and tone for blues and blues-based rock.

The poll lists a couple of the options I'm considering, but feel free to add others that seem to work.

Thanks for sharing your opinions.

 

[Kelsey]

Re: Strat with SC neck and HB bridge

Almost forgot that I've also considered the 5/2 Nashville Strat neck pickup, but I'm not sure which bridge HB would match better as a starting point for the poll.

I should also mention that this Strat will complement my other Strat with SSL-1's at neck and middle and Twangbanger at the bridge.

Carry on...

 

[Artie]

Re: Strat with SC neck and HB bridge

Just curious, do you already own the Strat that you're gonna mod?
If not, a Cyclone would be right up your alley.

 

[Kelsey]

Re: Strat with SC neck and HB bridge

Yes, it's a Texas Special Strat. I love the neck and body on it, but it needs something to bring out its best. I'm primarily a Tele player, and Strats have proven a struggle for me. I love 'em when others play them, but I have trouble finding my tone on them -- hence the search for a different pickup scheme. I'm also considering a Phat Cat neck (like I have in a Tele) paired with a CC bridge HB for something different.

I guess this isn't a very interesting topic judging from the response so far. Oh well...

 

[Hardtailed]

Re: Strat with SC neck and HB bridge

I used to have a Fat Strat Texas Special and even with a gun on my forehead I wouldn't be able to say something bad about that neck pickup! To me, those Texas Specials were begging me to play some blues or blues rock, even though I was in a metal band at the time \m/
The bridge pickup however (Pearly Gate Plus) left much to be desired, sounded like a single coil, but without the sweetness, no depth.

Perhaps if you told us what you don't like about your Strat and how you want it to sound? You could also send me your stock pickups once they're replaced

 

[Kelsey]

Re: Strat with SC neck and HB bridge

The Texas Specials are OK, but not quite as nice as the SSL-1's in my other Strat. Neither has quite as much beef as I would like. The Twangbanger is an improvement at the bridge, but it still falls short of my Tele lead pickups, so I'm considering a HB bridge pickup instead for this Texas Special Strat. I'm not sure whether the Strat SC neck pickups that I listed will keep up with the PAF-style bridge HB's, so I would consider a Phat Cat instead.

I guess the bottom line is that I find myself with two nice Strats, but only need one of them to sound like a traditional Strat. So, the question is what to do with the other one, aside from selling it?

 

[Artie]

Re: Strat with SC neck and HB bridge

Here's a couple of ideas based solely on what I've come to like:

If you go with the HS idea, then make the single either a tapped Quarter Pound, or a tapped SSL-6 Custom. The important thing is to get them "tapped". Add a switch in there somewhere and you get a great variety of tones out of two pups.

Or, go with an HH and make the neck pup an SH-6 Distortion (neck). Its got a great split tone for that single coil vibe, but can morph to a fat 'bucker at the flip of a switch. Make "split" its normal mode, then switch it to phat, would be a cool touch.

Just my 2-cents worth.

Artie

 

[Gamera]

Re: Strat with SC neck and HB bridge

HS is a great idea for a guitar. I'm a diehard HSS user and even with the 10 options offered by the new S-1 switching I find myself using the neck single alone or the bridge bucker alone almost always. The simplicity of HS, maybe with a 3-way switch where position 2 would be a "killswitch", sounds like a great idea. Be sure to update us on this project!

 

[Kelsey]

Re: Strat with SC neck and HB bridge

OK, those are some new ideas to consider. I'll have to revisit the SD clips on the QP, SSL-6 and SH-6. I'm not generally into high output pickups (other than the STL-2 Hot Tele), so I haven't looked into those options. I was considering the Cool Rails neck pickup, but I don't want anything that might get muddy.

BTW, Gamera, how do the bridge HB and neck SC in your Strat match up in terms of output level?