What kind of Duncan?

One thing for sure, Matt's supplying us with chuckles today.

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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.

...and you guys are supplying me with chuckles.

If you like it, play it...

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American HSS Mahogany Special Stratocaster-Limited Edition 2008
American HSS Special Stratocaster (Black) 2010

Ah yes.... a kindred spirit.( I think I've made my opinion clear about the Strat's bridge pup.)
If you do decide on an HSS, you can leave one of the 3 at home. My HSS can do a lot....but it CANNOT do an ACOUSTIC!!

Keep an open mind when making your choice.

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I refuse to have a battle of the wits with an unarmed man!

Stratocat

To digress from the somewhat harmonycentral'ish tone this thread seems to have taken, heres a sensible reply.

There are many wiring options for a HSS strat. You can wire it so the coil on the humbucker splits (and sounds closer to a 3 singlecoil guitar) in position 2 with the middle pickup, or have it so that its full humbucker with the singlecoil in position 2. If you want it to split in position 2 you can decide what coil you want to be active, the inner coil or the outer coil. All without any horrible push/pull or seperate switches added.

Theres no right or wrong answer its your choice entirely and your world to explore. You wont get a full 50's/60's sound, you will have a very usefull and diverse sounding guitar though.

Personaly I like HSS strats, I own 2 very nice ones. I also like SSS strats and own 2 of them too. Nobody can tell you whats right or wrong. Arguments of such are nothing but vain school playground posturing.

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No no and no

Yeah, some folks get all fired up when you say their Strat isn't a "real" Strat.

If you don't like the bridge pickup in your guitar, you don't like it. That's all there is to say.

With that out of the way, you do have a lot of options and getting a humbucker is your best bet to start with because it will give you want you know you want (a fatter sound) and it might give you a position two quack tone you are happy with.

What you'll need to do is a get new 5 way that allows you split the bridge pickup so one of the coils of the humbucker combines with the middle single coil in position 2. The only catch is if you want that position to be hum-cancelling, you'll eventually need to get a RWRP (reverse wind, reverse polarity) middle single coil (if your guitar doesn't have one already) but what and see if you like the sound of the humbucker to begin with.

The fact is it is possible to get a fat tone out of a single coil with the combination of EQ and gain. It's not easy but it is possible. It all comes down to what you want to spend time on.

Eh, I state my opinion and people freak out. What can I say?

There is a very easy way to tell if a Strat is a "real" Strat. If you look at the front of the peghead on a Fender electric guitar, it will have the name of the model printed on it. If it say "Stratocaster" , and it is manufactured by Fender, then it is a "Real Fender Stratocaster" ....by definition.
Are you kidding me????????
I guess a Les Paul with humbuckers isn't a "real" Les paul cause the first ones had P-90s in them huh????

MY Strat can kick YOUR Strat's $@!; nah, nah, nah-nah-nah!!!

Seriously, and although I still stand by my above post, this all goes back to what I've said many times: It is the owner of the guitar who, above all has to play it and be content with it, and this is all that really matters. Let's face it, if I said, I can't stand Les Pauls, should I be hung out to dry even if it is true? Viva La Difference!!

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You dig?

+1, Thanks Paisley.

And for the record, nobody was upset about their guitar not being a real Strat because nobody was stupid enough to agree with such rubbish.

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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 concur...rubbish.

RK

Hey, let's be civil here.

To some folks, there are certain elements of classic iconic guitars (not just Fenders and Gibsons either) that define what they are. If those elements are not there, the guitars are not the same but to some, what those elements are is differently.

What you so kindly call "rubbish" happens to be my opinion. You don't have to like it but there is no need to covertly call me stupid either.

I know that different people have different opinions about Stratocasters. I started listening to music in the early Eighties. By this time a lot of Rock bands were already using Fender Stratocasters with humbuckers in at least in the bridge position. In my point of view, the only way a Stratocaster is not a Stratocaster is if it does not have an orginal Fender body and neck if it is a Fender or an orginal Squier body and neck if it is a Squier.

Oh yes, a Stratocaster is still a Stratocaster even if it is a Squier. This is just my opinion. Some agree and some do not.

HSS Vs SSS is a personal choice. There is no right or wrong. I have one of each and play both guitars all the time.

RK

Heh, I would ask, why would you only want to take one electric to a gig?

I never played without a backup (at least not after the first time i had one breakdown on me, and nothing to switch to.)

That said, if you want the extra versatility of a humbucker in the bridge there is nothing wrong with that. Now to get that sound you'll be giving something up, but if you don't like the tones you are giving up then it is irrelevant. Get your guitar to what you want.

On my personal choice i really like the bridge pup in my strat. But all that means is my strat won't get swapped out. if i decide to add another Strat to my arsenal i would consider an HB equipped one though. it would provide something new to what i have. Oddly i am looking at my 10-ish guitars, not one is a mix of SC and HB. weird, because that was never a conscious thought. they're either all SC or all HB, not counting the acoustics.

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I'm not an expert, but I play one on the internet.