Which humbucker for HSS strat?

[contiContiCONTI]

Hi again guys!!

So not actually a strat but a Yamaha Pacifica, alder body, maple neck, rosewood fretboard, all stock and I love it (been my #1 for 10 years).

Thinking of changing the bridge humbucker, just a general uypgrade as the one that is in it right now sounds a bit cheapy as the highs just sound thin and the bass doesnt really come through all too well.

I play mostly clean, almost always. Atmospheric type playing and slow blues (David Gilmour and Mateus Asato). However, when I do go to an OD channel I like it to be pretty fat and punchy. I never really play with a crunch tone like Jimmy Page or Angus Young. My favourite driven tone is definetely Lukather's. The Dimarzio transition pick-up seems perfect of course (Lukather signature and 'organic'), however I am skeptical about whether it will pair well with the 2 stock single coils. It would also need to sound good split. Or relatevely good. Good enough to match well on the guitar without thinning out too much.

Pearly Gates seemed ideal. Could always boost it with my OD pedals, however it's too expensive.

I'm on a tight budget!

Cheers!

 

[JB_From_Hell]

Re: Which humbucker for HSS strat?

Just out of curiosity, what amp and pedals are you using?

 

[contiContiCONTI]

Re: Which humbucker for HSS strat?

Just out of curiosity, what amp and pedals are you using?

Guitar - Donner Tuner - Cry baby wah - Bad Monkey overdrive - Boss OS-2 - Blackstar HT60 Mark ii amp.

FX loop: TC Electronic Flashback X4 - Strymon Bluesky - Boss looper

I hardly ever use the boss OS-2. Usually the bad monkey for a very slight overdrive (and as a treble boost when using the amp distortion), and anything more than that, I'll use the amp OD channels.

 

[justFred]

Re: Which humbucker for HSS strat?

take a look at Tonerider...IMO some of the most under rated pickups out there and very reasonably priced...over here you could grab a used PG for a reasonable price...but don't know what's happening over on that side of the planet...

 

[contiContiCONTI]

Re: Which humbucker for HSS strat?

take a look at Tonerider...IMO some of the most under rated pickups out there and very reasonably priced...over here you could grab a used PG for a reasonable price...but don't know what's happening over on that side of the planet...

Had a wee look at them just now, look very interesting! Do you have any first-hand experience with these? I saw that the humbuckers are made using a Les-Paul to test them out. Maybe in an alder body they'll be wayy to bright? What do you think?

 

[justFred]

Re: Which humbucker for HSS strat?

Had a wee look at them just now, look very interesting! Do you have any first-hand experience with these? I saw that the humbuckers are made using a Les-Paul to test them out. Maybe in an alder body they'll be wayy to bright? What do you think?

have experience with single coils in Classic Vibes and they are very, very good. Here is a clip you might find interesting:

 

[Chistopher]

Re: Which humbucker for HSS strat?

A '59/Custom Hybrid works especially well in HSS Strats. The full humbucker mode has been raved about endlessly on this forum and other places. If you wire it to auto split to the Custom coil, it works especially well in position 2, almost regardless of what the middle pickup is.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Which humbucker for HSS strat?

I love the Hybrid, but here I would recommend a straight 59. They are found everywhere, balances well with singles, and have a great clean sound, too.

 

[donaldr]

Re: Which humbucker for HSS strat?

Just for a reference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-xkwOtdvRM
Yamaha Pacifica 812 and Screamin Demon

 

[hamerfan]

Re: Which humbucker for HSS strat?

I fitted 3 guitars with humbuckers in the bridge. I swapped a PG+, a Demon with a RC UO A5, an very old JB around. The JB did a great job on the Parallel Sound, but were a bit too hot with the single coils. The PG+ had a great humbucker sound, but don't split as good as the others. The Demon liked a RCUO A5 too and was the best all around - split, parallel and humbucker and get along well with single coils. My recommendation.

 

[contiContiCONTI]

Re: Which humbucker for HSS strat?

I love the Hybrid, but here I would recommend a straight 59. They are found everywhere, balances well with singles, and have a great clean sound, too.

Both of them sound very interesting as well but bth are quite expensive (on Reverb the cheapest is like £75 + £30 delivery). That's a bit out of my budget.

But out of curiosiy, does the straight '59 split well? I like the idea of the hybrid splitting to just the custom side.

 

[STLMTLHD79]

Re: Which humbucker for HSS strat?

I recommend the following:

SD Screamin' Demon-a tad bright, but amazing tone overall. gets almost single coil ish at times in terms of its attack.
SD Parallel Axis Blues Saraceno. Has a cool honk-y midrange thing going on but cuts really well at the same time.
as previously mentioned, the 59/Custom Hybrid is an amazing pickup. Its right on the line between hot and medium output but does so many things so well.

I dont have any experience with the Jason Becker Perpetual Burn, but it hear its almost like a JB but without the nasty upper mid spike and a tad less output.

In terms of other brands, the Dimarzio FRED is an awesome pickup, could be the only pickup from them i actually like. along the same lines as the Screamin Demon in terms of tone but not quite as bright.

 

[contiContiCONTI]

Re: Which humbucker for HSS strat?

Ok right, that will all get noted. Right now I'm swaying towards the 59/custom but what's stopping me is the price of them!

I've heard very good things about the JB, but maybe the output is too high (?). Again I usually play clean, but the JB splits really well apparently so I was thinking I could just keep it split when playing clean (70% of the time) and use it in humbucking mode when switching to gritty sounds and OD channels.

Thoughts?

 

[Mincer]

Re: Which humbucker for HSS strat?

Well, if clean is your thing, you won't be happy with a JB. I don't mind a 59 split, though. Its best clean sound is on full, though. I still think the Hybrid is too hot for what you want.

 

[Chistopher]

Re: Which humbucker for HSS strat?

Well, if clean is your thing, you won't be happy with a JB. I don't mind a 59 split, though. Its best clean sound is on full, though. I still think the Hybrid is too hot for what you want.

Why worry about a clean bridge humbucker tones when you have four other positions to do the job?

 

[contiContiCONTI]

Re: Which humbucker for HSS strat?

Well, if clean is your thing, you won't be happy with a JB. I don't mind a 59 split, though. Its best clean sound is on full, though. I still think the Hybrid is too hot for what you want.

Hmm see thats thing about pickups, cant try them out to make sure!

Might just starve myself for the next week to buy the '59 or hybrid haha

Thanks anyways, really useful replies. Any more suggestions, experiences or anything else, send 'em through!!

Cheers!

 

[Swampy]

Re: Which humbucker for HSS strat?

I love the Hybrid, but here I would recommend a straight 59. They are found everywhere, balances well with singles, and have a great clean sound, too.

The ‘59 in a Strat is an excellent choice. It beat out a Pearly Gates and a few others in my H/S.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Which humbucker for HSS strat?

Why worry about a clean bridge humbucker tones when you have four other positions to do the job?

He has stated he 'plays clean, mostly always'. I would think that means the bridge position, too. Versatility isn't the object here- a great clean sound is.

 

[Chistopher]

Re: Which humbucker for HSS strat?

He has stated he 'plays clean, mostly always'. I would think that means the bridge position, too. Versatility isn't the object here- a great clean sound is.

You're right, but he also wants the occasional overdrive, which is what the slightly higher output of the 59/C is good for. Bridge humbuckers aren't really that great at doing clean tones in general, but with a 59/C you can set your rig for an almost on the edge of breakup with the single coils, and then when you switch to humbucker mode and dig in a bit harder, you get nice firm yet articulate overdrive.

 

[contiContiCONTI]

Re: Which humbucker for HSS strat?

Yeah I think its one of those comparisons between 2 great pieces of gear, I'm sure I would end up extremely happy with either, both amazing in slightly different aspects.

I highly doubt I'll regret the decision with either one, especially because they are replacing an unbranded thin-sounding ceramic stock from a 200$ guitar (nothing against ceramics, just this one sounds quite cheapy).