i have a standard hss strat. i want to change the original fender humbucker for a 'gibson burstbucker pro 3' would this work? any advice, tips, feedback?

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Fender Standard Stratocaster
Maton ER90C

I don't see any reason why it wouldn't as long as it is wired correctly. The string spacing over the poles might be off though.

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the vacuum store is a lot like the guitar store. but they do not attract the same clientele as the guitar store, cause if they did, the vacuum store would be loaded with a bunch of broke guys who just wanted to run the new vacuums.

It's certainly not impossible. People were modding Strats with humbuckers long before Fender ever decided to make one that way. You might need a new pickguard. String spacing is different between Strats and Les Pauls and so is the size of the pickups. Burstbuckers are nickel covered so they have a more square cornered shape. If you're handy with tools you might be able to mod your existing guard yourself but it would prolly be better to order an aftermarket guard to your own specs going that route. That way you'll still have the option to go back. There are also many good sounding humbucking pickups designed to fit a Strat without mods. The key to knowing if they will fit without mods is to look for the term "Trembucker". The Seymour Duncan Pearly Gates is very popular and IMO would prolly sound better in a Strat than a Burstbucker.

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Just think of how awesome a guitar player you could have been by now if you had only spent the last 10 years practicing instead of obsessing over pickups and roasted maple necks.

I've used both pickups and when it comes to a Strat, I would definitely go with the Pearly Gates, a very fine pickup that sings in a Strat.

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Dennis in CR
Rockin' since 1963

qeustions about the 'pearly gates'
are they really hot? because i want something with a not-to-high output. still want some bottom end to the sound.

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Fender Standard Stratocaster
Maton ER90C

I have read,( having never actually tried that pickup I can't be positive) that the Burstbuckers are kind of a "bright" sounding pickup. That being said, I think the only solution to this is to get one and try it out. I prefer Dimarzio, Some prefer Seymour Duncan, I don't care for Gibson pickups in a Strat. They were designed with mahogany bodies in mind. There are enough pickups out there that are designed for a Strat, That I'd try those out first. Like it was said earlier, Buy a Seymour Duncan "trembucker spacing" or if you use Dimarzio Get one that is "F spaced" I put pickups in a Gibson SG, and in the bridge I needed a F Spaced pickup too. You do not want your strings out past the outside poles. If you are like me, you will be swapping out a few sets of pickups until you find one you like, irregardless of whats said on these forums. It's your own ear thats telling your brain what you hear as a "good sound". If you swap the Bridge PU, I'd look into swapping the Standard's Single Coils also. But that's just me.

The string spacing on a Standard (meaning, MIM) Strat has 'standard' string spacing so you'll have no problem with the polepieces of the BB3 lining up. Chances are however, the phasing of the BB3 will be out vs. that of your remaining OEM pickups. Most likely, you'll have to reverse the wiring of these two remaining OEM pickups. Then there's the ohm problem of your volume pot: The BB3 will sound choked and fizzy if you leave the OEM 250K volume pot in. Conversely, if you change to a 500K pot to accommodate the BB3, your other two pickups' tonality will become rather 'anemic'. So, your best bet is to change to a 500K volume pot and where the other two OEM pickups are wired to the pickup selector switch, solder a 470K resistor each to the respective pickup's terminal and then the other lead from each resistor should get soldered to ground. What this does is it makes the two OEM pickups electronically 'see' a 250K pot.

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