Anyone here ever done or seen/heard a Strat with 3 'Buckers? What was tr like? Do you think it was worth the effort required to mod? The reason I ask is, I know it's been done, it just doesn't seem all that common, all I ever see is Strats with an HB at the bridge position and every once in a great while with one at the neck, too. Why do you suppose it's not more popular?

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Good question. There are 3 humbucker Les Pauls and SG's. Why not Strats? And of course there is the Spinal Tap 4 humbucker guitar :

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The lead guitarist of the 60's band "Vanilla fudge" did 4 humbuckers to his 1959 strat. (It was the 60 and all) and Stevie Ray Vaughan ended up with it.

As to what would it sound like, it would all depend on quite a few factors like the pick-up used, the placement of said pick-ups and what type of switching system you use. (A 3 5 otr 7 position switch).

My guess? If done right, like a lace sensor strat.

Was this Vince Martell?

I got to know them a bit from opening some shows for them in the late 60's and early 70's.

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Yes sir, that be him.

thanx yogi. crazy cool guitar and another tune for the set list.

heres one that i built




wasnt all too difficult really (minus the chiseling because i didnt have a boat route). it was a neat guitar though. sounded cool, but I ended up selling it when i was strapped for cash.

The HHH is definitely my all-time favorite pickup layout in terms of versatility and reliability. With this configuration, you can get a wide palette of killer tones, from single-coil clean to fat humbucker crunch.

Dave Murray from Iron Maiden currently runs this configuration, albeit in single coil spaced humbuckers. Steve Vai had a guitar built by Performance Guitars (who built Frank Zappa's 80's strats as well) in the 80's with three humbuckers. Its a cool setup, but much like with three pickup Les Paul Customs, that middle pickup is obtrusive with the way I play.

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You may never see such a guitar because of the space required on the body routes and the pickguard. You might see a HSH with a seymour duncan JB and create a HHH type strat....

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I've done it several times (for others only though).

Frankly, I'd say its unpopular chiefly for three reasons:

1. It voids a Strat sounding like a Strat. Rather, it makes it sound like an SG Custom. Even with mini-switches involved, it is not the same.

2. There's no place to pick as the middle pickup has too much mass too close to the underneath of the strings.

3. The humbuckers alone will most likely cost well over $200.

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You dig?

That's kind of what I was thinking. Why buy a strat and make it sound so un-strat like? Unless you just love a strat body or neck.

To each his own though. Not making any judgements.

+1

Martians hit the main issue for me. It gets in the way. I'm not too keen on the look either (which for me, is sometime more important than it
should be )

H-S-H offers far more desirable tonal options than a HHH (IMO) and leaves a nice gap for picking (looks better too ).

Andy

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