Swiss Army Strat Brainstorming

[JB_From_Hell]

I have an '87 American Standard Strat with CS Texas Special pickups. I want to do something totally different with it. I can't decide if I want to go HSS, three little 'buckers, two full size, HSH... Tonally, I'm into the gritty cleans to blues rock high-ish gain. The rest of my gear is an old Super Reverb, a Radial Tonebone, EHX Big Muff, Way Huge Green Rhino, and a Crybaby. I can already achieve those tones with said gear, but like I said, I wanna do something different.

A few ideas I'm kicking around:

'59/Custom hybrid/Jazz neck
'59/Custom hybrid/ 2 lil 59's
P-Rails set
'59 set
Lollar Imperials
Lil '59 set

 

[gregory]

Re: Swiss Army Strat Brainstorming

Air Norton/Fast Track 1/Satch Track

 

[JB_From_Hell]

Re: Swiss Army Strat Brainstorming

^ interesting

I forgot to add, I’m stuck on a 5 way switch, 1 volume, 2 tones as the controls. The only reason I’d add push/pulls is for the p-rails.

 

[TVFV]

Re: Swiss Army Strat Brainstorming

How about a P-rail in the neck and a 59/Custom in the bridge?

 

[justFred]

Re: Swiss Army Strat Brainstorming

Pearly Gates bridge, Fralin Hot Strat middle and neck.

 

[gregory]

Re: Swiss Army Strat Brainstorming

You can mix and match most of these (Duncans this time, but doesn't have to be)

Bridge:
Pegasus, something from the Custom family, JB2

Middle:
Cool Rails Neck, JB Jr. Neck, Lil' Screamin' Demon Bridge

Neck:
JB Jr. Neck, Little 59 Neck, Hot Rails Neck, Cool Rails Bridge

I advise against splitting any of these single-sized HBs.

The first combo to catch my eye from the above list: SH-5/Cool Rails Neck/Little 59 Neck.


An HSS or HSH set of PATBs can kick ass too!

 

[gregory]

Re: Swiss Army Strat Brainstorming

Pearly Gates bridge, Fralin Hot Strat middle and neck.

I was going to entertain true singles, but he's got CS Texas Specials and wants to do something totally different.

...but since you opened that door...

Middle: Area 67
Neck: Area 61, Virtual Vintage Blues or Injector Neck

The Area 67 in the middle will work well with any one of the single-sized humbuckers I mentioned in the neck without splitting.

A permanently split HS-2 in the middle will work well in a hotter style HSH. That with a split PAF Pro in the neck work well for position 4, with the full PAF Pro in position 5. I'd put The Breed Neck or AT-1 in the bridge. Position 3 could be the middle, but I'd probably go with the two humbuckers in that position. A push pull to split them to inner coils can be good too.

I'll also toss up an Air Norton/Area 67/Bluesbucker (with split or parallel options for positions 4 and 5; you may need to flip the magnet in the Bluesbucker for double-split to be hum cancelling).

...but if you don't want position 2/4 quack, don't go with an Area 67.

If Strat-style positions are unwanted altogether, I would still recommend the Injector Neck, Bluesbucker or PAF Pro.


I think I can (and probably should) shut off the fire hose for now, though this was just the tip of the iceberg for HSH. I will say that I highly recommend position 3 be neck and bridge humbuckers in an HSH.

 

[Chistopher]

Re: Swiss Army Strat Brainstorming

You know what I've always wanted to try? El Diablo bridge (the overwound Screamin Demon, not the Iommi) the Lil Demon middle, and the Screamin Demon neck. Then add a switch that adds the mids from the neck in series with the bridge.

 

[Jeff_H]

Re: Swiss Army Strat Brainstorming

Still, one of my favorite guitars is my old 80's Yamaha HH Strat. Something about it just sounds right. All of the early stuff I recorded in the early 2000's was recorded on that strat, because I couldn't afford anything else. I had a CC/APH in it, then a 59'/APH. Both were excellent and I played everything from GNR to Tommy Tutone on that thing. Split the HB's for some single sounds and you'll be set.

 

[PFDarkside]

Re: Swiss Army Strat Brainstorming

59/Custom Hybrid
SSL-1 (I forgot if it needs to be RWRP)
59n or SSL-5t

 

[gregory]

Re: Swiss Army Strat Brainstorming

SSL-1 (I forgot if it needs to be RWRP)

In the middle?
Standard polarity

SSL-5t

This one should be RW/RP, but it's going to be hot against the bridge.

Alternatively you flip the magnet in the bridge pickup. With the flipped magnet the easiest way to keep the phase correct on a fresh install is to reverse the wiring on the singles so white is ground and black is hot.

 

[Paully]

Re: Swiss Army Strat Brainstorming

Duncan APH1 nice in the neck. Joe Pass to Nugent.