Okay, so i have the chance to get a set of Ibanez humbuckers out of a RG300-something for dirt cheap.

And ive been looking for some cheap humbuckers to put in an old squier strat.

I don't know too much about installing pickups, but will something like this work? and how might i go about doing this?

oh yeah and the squier is a HSS configuration so do i still need to up the pots?
Also would i have to get a different switch to replace the 5 way? or is there a way to wire 2 humbuckers up... 5 way?

And of course any input on these pickups is appreciated.

Thanks,

I'm pretty sure any pickup you install in a typical Strat or Squire has to be F-spaced. I believe the "F" stands for Fender. Its simply a wider pickup than a standard one. The strings on these guitars are spaced slightly wider than a standard guitar.
I learned that the hard way when I ordered a DiMarzio humbucker and installed it. The strings were spaced wider than the with of the humbucker. The sound wasn't balanced at all. Luckily I was able to exchange it. Thats about all I know, hope it all works out.

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2008 Fender Deluxe Fat Strat
1998 Gibson Explorer
1985 Ibanez DT350FR
Peavey Valveking

thanks, that could decide this for me.

but...

Does anybody know if the INF3 and 4 are "F" spaced?

I'm pretty sure they're not. I have an older Ibanez and its standard spacing.

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2008 Fender Deluxe Fat Strat
1998 Gibson Explorer
1985 Ibanez DT350FR
Peavey Valveking

Alright i have got them measured. there F spaced.

but would these pickups would give me a better "higher gain" sound?

Or would a fender atomic in the neck be better?

F-spaced means Floyd Rose spacing. Floyd Rose bridges have a wider spacing than regular bridges. If your INF pickups came out of a guitar with a Floyd Rose bridge, most likely it's F-spaced.

INF pickups are decent. I've heard them sound pretty good through Marshall amps. Might be a step up from a stock Squier PU (depending on the model).

Your post is confusing to me though. You say you have a HSS, but you're asking how to wire 2 humbuckers together, and whether you should buy a neck humbucker.

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You need to check the body routing. If it's HSS routed, you'll need to rout the body further for an H-H setup and do a number of other things. It isnt
gonna be a simple operation.

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Alright, im not sure if its routed for another humbucker, but routing shouldn't be a problem

I just need to know some things about what i should worry about while doing this.

And is it possible to remove the pickguard assembly without removing the strings?

and if i have to remove the strings do i have to do anything with the truss rod?

Why do so many people when starting a post, begin with, "OK" and, "Alright"? Inquiring minds want to know!! OK, alright, I shall join the club:

OK, the pickups will work in your guitar and give you a higher gain sound.

Alright, if you don't know how to install them, there is no concise statement which can answer this question for you.

OK, premising you don't know how to install them, there are WAY to many things to watch out for where again, there is no concise statement which can answer this question for you.

Alright, your existing pots and 5 way switch still can be used.

OK, the spacing on a Squier bridge is more of a standard spacing than an 'F'.

Alright, chances are very high that the Ibanez and the Fender pickups, component wise are out of the same Indonesian factory so they are pretty much the same.

OK, it is possible to remove the pickguard assembly without removing the strings. Personally, I'd LOVE to see how you plan on routing (if need be) with the strings still on.

Alright, nothing need be done with the truss rod as a collateral action of removing the pickguard assembly.

OK? Alright.

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You dig?

Yeah, i see you point with the "okay, Alright" thing, point taken.

First off, thanks for confirming my thought of higher gain sound.

I was more looking for a place i could look up a wiring diagram for a HH style strat, or even HHH. i know pretty much how to solder the pickup in, i just haven't gone around rewiring the guitar for a totally different pickup arrangement.

The 5 way switch. That would work with two humbuckers? would i leave a few of the switch locations empty? or again... a way in which i can combine two pickups for 5 configurations.

I measured my string spacing, and the distance between the the end poles in the neck position. and they match up with F spacing measurements, which if i recall should be about 55mm, correct me if i am wrong.

I was not planning on routing without removing the strings, that would obviously create a mess. but thanks for reminder.

I was aware that removing the pickguard would not have any effect on the neck, but if i were to remove all the strings to to routing, etc... would the released tension require me to have to release tension from to neck to avoid damage?

"OK, Alright" any further input is appreciated.

You're quite welcome.

I'll try and go, "shot for shot" with your questions:

Premising the coils are already link wired on the humbuckers, you'd wire them the same as any other pickup. How many conductor wires do the humbuckers each have?

If you decide to use one of the OEM single coils, your only consideration here would be that pickup's phase orientation in regard to the two humbuckers. Once this has been resolved, the wiring would be virtually identical to the way the guitar is wired now.

If only using the two humbuckers and no single coil, the 5 way would work and you'd merely have those extra two clicks in positions 2 and 4. Naturally, you'd be using positions 1, 3 and 5 only. In this case, you'd wire the switch like a stock Telecaster:

http://www.seymourduncan.com/images/sup ... d_tele.jpg

The thing with MANY imported Strats is that the string spacing tends to be closer together than a "real" Strat's. Even at this, the spacing can be quite varied even from run to run at the same factory depending on where they got their hardware from so, you having the pickups and bridge in front of you, would surely have the most accurate assessment.

If you relieve the tension of the strings or even outright remove them, the neck will relax due to the strings' pulling tension now being gone. No damage will be done.

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You dig?

Sounds good.

i hate large walls of text, so i tend to overuse the enter button.

and after i get the pickups, i'll have a little more information, of wires etc.

and the standard tele diagram answered my questions, and i now have a wiring diagram of sorts to work off of.

I got the pickups.

Each has three wires: a red, a white and a black (the black is thicker)

I'm guessing the black is ground? and the red being coil tap.

If i'm not using coil tap can I just cap the red wires and leave them?

otherwise i just rig this up the same as the Tele? I cant seem to find i wiring diagram that shows me how to rig this up with two tone knobs. one for each pickup.

I'm open to all suggestions on different ways to wire this up.

You are correct on the color code; the red wire would not be used and the tip should be insulated off.

I'll keep this simple:

Disregard the part of the Tele schematic where it shows the one tone pot having wiring coming from the volume pot.

For your two tone pot hookup, solder the pickup's hot wire AND the hot wire from whichever tone pot you want for that pickup to the SAME terminals of the pickup selector switch the diagram shows the appropriate pickup going to.

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You dig?

I kinda see what you saying, and thanks for assuring me of the colour code.

turns out the shop by my house might only have pickguards with two holes. a master tone and volume. if that's the case I'll just wire it up so. and that would be standard tele wiring?

if not... I'll do two tone.
and im now going to photoshop up this diagram.


once i finish my diagram il upload it here, and maybe il get some "proofreading"