I was just wanting to know everyones opinion on changing the diamondbucker out of my American Series Hss. My style as well as musical preference has changed great since i got the guitar in 07 mainly because of SRV lol. I used to like metal and hardrock now I'm a blues man and I don't like the clean sound of the humbucker. I like keeping things original because of value, but i'd like to know other peoples opinions on this.

Screw value. Who's playing that guitar...you, or the next guy that might own it? Unless it's a museum piece, do as you please. Fender make's 'em so we'll play 'em.

Is the other guitar in the picture your's? Do you like the 3 singles?

There's much to be said for three good single coils, and there are some powerful arguements for having a humbucker at the bridge.

My personal opinion is to have 3 singles. I love my Lindy Fralins. My Carvin CS4 is on order...mahogany neck and body with humbuckers. That's how I cover the bases, but to each his own.

yea the other guitar is mine its a 89 SRV sig i got off ebay, and yes i love the singles in it the texas specials are awesome.

Umm the SRV didn't go into production until 92, so do you mean a 98?

If the humbucker no longer serves your needs then by all means replace it. If you're concerned about keeping it original, just keep anything you change out so if you want to get it back to original you can.

Actually they made them in 89 because the serial number reads SE915208, they might have not released them until 92, but i've seen many other srv's with the SE9 as the begining of the serial number.

This guitar is from the Signature Series
made at the Corona Plant (Fender), USA
in the Year(s): 1989

Signature series doesn't follow normal dating. My John Mayer has a serial that is SE0, although it was made in 2007. Trust me they didn't release the SRV sig until after SRV died. He worked with Fender on the guitar but never ever go to see it release. He died in 1990. says right on the Fender site:

"Introduced: 1/1992"

Fender doesn't start building guitars 3 years before they are introduced.

Either way this post wasn't about the srv its about my other guitar. I'm not worried its pick ups the texas specials are awesome. Its prolly a 92 because they made those serial numbers with intentions of it being released in 89 as a custom shop deal but jimmy wanted it to be affordable for everyone so it was shelved until 91. Thats what i've read i'm not wanting to be a but lol so hopefully i havent offended you. By the way you mention you have a mayer strat would you happen to be yogisizzle on youtube if so I like the songs you post there pretty cool. I like the squier 60's classic vibe you have as well if you are indeed that person lol

Yeah that's me. Sorry if I sounded offended but I was just trying to get the facts straight.

I wouldn't be to concerned about the value unless your selling it.
It takes many years for a played secondhand guitar to be worth more than the original MSRP.

If your playing the guitar and you want a different pickup go for it.
If you want pristine electronics swap the whole loaded pickguard out.

Otherwise its not a big deal to mount a single in a replacement pick guard or buy a humbucker that has a single coil split with the sound you like and rewire the pickup switching if you have to (cheapest option).

First thing,there are people on ebay trying to sell the 92 SRV as some rare custom shop piece for around 4500 dollars when there was no such intent .They are really only worth around 2500.In regards to your other strat.I did the same thing .I bought a 03 Texas Special Fat strat and converted it to a sss.I bought a pickgard ,bridge pickup and 5 way switch (the fat strat uses a super switch) and wired it according to the schematic for the Texas Special strat with the exception of the tone controlling the bridge and neck pickups only.Worked out really good.Hope this helps.

you could always throw a P-90 in there im sure it would give you the edge your looking for and it will sound different to a normal single coil

just a thought - B

I've been considering The Evolution 2 for my HSS strats as well as the Seymour Duncan Hot Rails for my single coil strats...I'd like to hear some feedback from anyone who has tried either pickup on thier Strats

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Onelove&peace2allyourendeavors/G.

hot rails sound mean! especially on a rosewood necked strat. havent tried in on maple and probably wouldnt really bother either i think single coils sound best with maple. you do however get that BIG BIG sound with a rosewood neck

the thing with hot rails is that they have a higher output than most single coils and i'd be worried in case your neck and middle pickup were too low output in comparison to it. what my buddy done was got the cool rails for the neck and the vintage rails for the middle, the guitar sounds class its one of those 60's classic player strats, he plays it thru an orange rocker 30

hope that helps

yeah i think the hotrail would be a lil to much power compared to my other single coil's lol because there just the tex mex pick ups.