I have a MIM strat (HSS) that I want to change the standard pickups out of. However, I would like to ditch the humbucker and go SSS. Could I just exchange a prewired SSS pickguard for the HSS or would there be more involved? Also, if anyone has done this what did you think (I know it's a personal taste question, but I'm curious to know what you thought)?

Thanks

I did this on a MIM strat I had, switched it was a loaded pickguard from an american strat. And late I switched that to some SD hotrails.

It's an easy switch, just need to solder the input jack back up and maybe another ground wire and that's about it.

I had converted mine to SSS Vintage Noisless PUPs. The easiest way as Jason said is to buy a preloaded pickguard. I had bought wired electronics and added a pickguard.

You will have to de-/re-solder the 2 wires at the output jack, a wire to the trem block in the back, and screw a wire to the body in front. You will have to remove the PG, the jack and the rear guard to do this (all easy enough via screws). I recently restored mine to stock - also easy enough to do (I have the Noiseless setup available).

The guitar sounded and worked fine...the hardest part will be trying to decide what PUPs to buy, and how much to spend (oh and what color - I used White Pearl guard/rear cover (with a Lake Placid Blue guitar) as most of the PUP covers available were white - I would have preferred to stick with the parchment.

There are usually several such 'loaded pickguards' of various origins (i.e. different type of PUPs) on EBay and what-not.