Swapping pickups on SSS strat...considering Humbuckers

[RHCP]

Hey everyone. I currently own two SSS strats (one is a Highway One, the other is MIM, both alder bodies). They're both great guitars but I would like a more versatile setup. So, I'm considering swapping the pickups on the MIM. I'm thinking about the plays all set that consists of the JB jr., the Duckbuckers and the Lil 59.

I love the tone of the full size JB, how similar is the JB jr? What kind of tones would I get from the Lil 59? Are there other pickups I should check out (Hot Rails, Blackouts, Screaming demon). I'd prefer to stick with single coil sized humbuckers. I also might be interested in coil-splitting the humbuckers, how do the ones I mentioned sound as single coils?

I play a variety of music, so versatility is a huge plus. Band I play include RHCP, Muse, the Beatles, Oasis, Children of Bodom, Pink Floyd, Avenged Sevenfold, Nirvana...pretty much everything rockish actually. The tone I am aiming for is probably closest to a Jackson Soloist/Dinky (alder body, high output humbucker).

Any ideas are appreciated.

 

[jeremy]

Re: Swapping pickups on SSS strat...considering Humbuckers

welcome to the forum!! if you are looking for a very versitile setup thats noiseless you can run with the jb jr, duck, lil 59 or the hot rails, vintage rails, cool rails. both give you lots of tonal options and can cover almost any style you want to play.

the jb jr has some similarities to the jb but because it only hears half as much of the string it does sound a little different.

 

[RHCP]

Re: Swapping pickups on SSS strat...considering Humbuckers

Thanks for the quick reply.

What exactly would the tonal differences between the single coil and full sized JB and 59 be? How does the Hot Rails compare to the JB jr?

 

[dominus]

Re: Swapping pickups on SSS strat...considering Humbuckers

Your guitar bodies are probably S-S-H underneath the pickguard. Unless you're looking to keep it looking "Strat-Like", I'd recommend replacing the pickguard with an S-S-H one and sticking a full size humbucker in the bridge. That opens up MANY more possibilities.

 

[ericmeyer4]

Re: Swapping pickups on SSS strat...considering Humbuckers

Thanks for the quick reply.

What exactly would the tonal differences between the single coil and full sized JB and 59 be? How does the Hot Rails compare to the JB jr?

I'm also interested in this.

I bet someone has posted a comparision of the Lil humbuckers vs full sized counterparts.

I'll give it a search

 

[RHCP]

Re: Swapping pickups on SSS strat...considering Humbuckers

Your guitar bodies are probably S-S-H underneath the pickguard. Unless you're looking to keep it looking "Strat-Like", I'd recommend replacing the pickguard with an S-S-H one and sticking a full size humbucker in the bridge. That opens up MANY more possibilities.

I had thought about that since I heard that the JB jr didn't quite measure up to the full size JB, the problem is that the strat I am considering modding is one of the Splatter Stratocasters Fender made a few years ago and I don't really want to mess with the looks since the pickgaurd is a big part of its appearance. Check the link below to see what I mean:

http://images.google.ca/images?hl=e...latter stratocaster&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wi

I'm also interested in this.

I bet someone has posted a comparision of the Lil humbuckers vs full sized counterparts.

I'll give it a search

Let me know if you find anything.

 

[Robert S.]

Re: Swapping pickups on SSS strat...considering Humbuckers

I tried more pickups in my Strat than I care to think about and finally came up with the JB/Hot Stack/lil59n combo and those pickups have been in that guitar for years now.

The single sized humbuckers dont have the output of thier full sized counterparts and the tone is a little different because of the string area they cover but they are still very convincing sounding.

I like the Hot Stack in the middle because it pairs a bit better with the humbuckers both in output and mids content but thats just me.

Good luck, there are a lot of good choices!

 

[jeremy]

Re: Swapping pickups on SSS strat...considering Humbuckers

my splattercaster is a spitting image of yours. everything over surf green, yes?

if you want full bucker tone you wont get it from a single sized pup. if you can deal with the looks the cool rails, vintage rails, hot rails is a cool set up if you want a consistant look. i really like the lil 59 but i like the hot rails more than the jb jr, although the jb jr does sound more like a jb than the hot rails

 

[RHCP]

Re: Swapping pickups on SSS strat...considering Humbuckers

Actually my strat is yellow layered over orange and red layered over blue, green and white....it that makes any sense. I can't seem to upload a picture right now.

How do the Hot Rails compare to the JB jr.? Also how is the lil '59. I like the Jazz quite a bit but I don't remember what the '59 was like.

 

[El CHupacabra]

Re: Swapping pickups on SSS strat...considering Humbuckers

Hot rails are very trelby, not warm like a full Hummer. They do work well for shred and metal styles though.

BTW Hi RHCP.

 

[RHCP]

Re: Swapping pickups on SSS strat...considering Humbuckers

A few more questions:

How do the Stack pickups sound (since they are humbuckers)? I'd probably be looing most at the Hot Stack.

If I don't buy the pickups as a set, I may only replace the bridge and neck since I never use the middle alone. I do use positions 2 and 4 occasionally, so how would that sound with most likely a Duncan Humbucker and a stock Fender single?

Also, I don't know if anyone would know this but how what is Silver Leaf Maple like as a tonewood? The reason I ask is because I have a Godin similar to this one:
http://www.godinguitars.com/godinsdp.htm
that is HSS, so it might be better for new pickups. To me it sounds almost like alder, but I'm not quite sure since I don't know if the stock pickups are all that great.