I am wanting to replace the Humbucker in my 2009 HSS HWY 1 strat.... I want a pickup with amazing tone, but also screams under distortion... The Atomic Humbucker in my strat is "okay" it's pretty good but I want something amazing.....

That being said, I don't want the output volume to be double that of the neck single coil so when I flip the switch for a solo, the volume doesn't drop off a cliff.....

Any suggestions, and anybody own a HSS HWY 1 strat that replaced their humbucker... what did you drop in and how happy are you with it?

Thanks,
Kevin

Well, you're kind of in an impossible situation here. If you want a humbucker that screams, you need high output (higher than 11 ohms). If you want tone and a good match for your single coils, you want under 11 ohms output, and probably AlNiCo 2 magnets.

I think the Pearly Gates would be the best you can do.

I have a Fender Highway 1. It started out looking like this:



to this:



I used a Dimarzio Super Distortion. This is also the same pickup that Dave Murray used on his 57 Fender Stratocaster for Maiden's earlier works. I had also replace the volume pot with a Dimarzio 500k pot. My Dimarzio has an equal volume when when going between pickups. I still have stock Alnico 3's in the bridge and middle postions. Still using the same stock 250k pots for the tones.

Honestly the choices you have on your survey are all good. I love the sound of the Super Distortion. Also remember Dave used the PAF as his neck pickup on that same '57 Stratocaster.

The choice is completely yours, post pics and update us when you are finished.

_________________
RK

2007 Fender Highway 1
2012 American Deluxe
2015 MIM Dave Murray HHH
2010 Fender Blacktop
1987 Fender Avalon Acoustic
2012 Marshall DSL 15 watt head

Kevin.......you've come to the right place/person.
I am the proud owner of 7 Highway One Strat HSS's (the ENTIRE color spectrum of the series!!) and have gutted them ALL with new pickups.
That's NOT including the used FSR Highway One HSS I picked up this week!
I love ALL the choices I've made and regret NONE of them!
Granted ...I don't know what YOUR taste in music is........I for one, am NOT a METAL-HEAD.....and my pickup choices reflect that!

From my arsenal....some suggestions:

Gibson 498T: ballsy GREAT rock pickup
Gibson 490T: another GREAT ballsy rock pickup
Gibson 57 Classic Plus: smooth, yet ballsy rock pickup
Gibson BurstBucker 3: Old skool rock balls......awesome
DiMarzio 36th Anniv. P.A.F. : Vintage powered pickup with all the great classic rock sounds we grew up with!(currently my new 'favorite')

NONE of these pickups overpower the combination of DiMarzio Area series and Fender Vintage Noiseless I have in the single coil positions!

One thing these ALL have in common.....NO ceramic magnets!
I am an AlNico man!

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

I just upgraded the PUP's in my 08 HSS. I play mostly blues/hard blues and a bit of early hard rock and metal. After alot of research i went with the CS Texas specials in the mid. and neck, and a SD custom 5 in the bridge. The bucker sounds decent clean and great with a little dirt thrown on. Overall a great setup for the stuff i like to play. The only downside is that the Tex. specials only come in a set and i now own a bridge pup that has no home currently

Thanks HWY1... I am a straight Alnico dude too.... I like the "sweetness" of Alnico.... Usually Alnico V

+1 for the DMZ Super Distortion.

_________________

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.

Gibson Burstbucker Pro if you really want some vintage, aggressive, bare knuckle tone.

_________________
"Epitaph on a blues musician’s tombstone: “I didn’t wake up this morning”" Davy Knowles


facebook.com/313DBC

Had that one in my Chrome Red 2003 Am. Dlx. Fat Strat. I DON'T like ceramic magnets....to damned METAL for my maturing tastes.
I put in an AGED COVER DiMarzio 36th Anniv. P.A.F. and am MUCH happier. It compliment the 2 stock Vintage Noiseless much better!

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

Yeah, my Highway 1 is a pure Hard Blues/Metal beast. I love it.

_________________
RK

2007 Fender Highway 1
2012 American Deluxe
2015 MIM Dave Murray HHH
2010 Fender Blacktop
1987 Fender Avalon Acoustic
2012 Marshall DSL 15 watt head

of course there is the Angus Young Signature P.A.F.

_________________
"Epitaph on a blues musician’s tombstone: “I didn’t wake up this morning”" Davy Knowles


facebook.com/313DBC

tone zone!

_________________


1991 MIA Std Strat, Partsocaster, and a Blues Jr.