Looking to tap into the infinite wisdom of the Fender community. I'll apologize in advance for this potentially vague/broad question, but I'm looking for input on Strats/Strat-style guitars with H/S/S pup combinations.

I've currently got a Fender Strat with S/S/S and it does exactly what I want it to do. I've already got the Les Paul side of things covered as well, and now I'm curious about the inbetween. So, I guess what I'm asking, is:

1). Are there any major drawbacks from an H/S/S combination?
2). Relative to a S/S/S tone, how would you say a humbucker in the bridge affects your tone in pickup switch positions 2 and 3?
3). I've heard of scenario's where the volume levels are irreparably off balance between the bridge-only, middle/neck-only. It's just the nature of a humbucker versus a single coil. Is this true?

I'll probably end up with more questions, but I think these three are top of mind.

Thank you

There are no real "cons" to HSS as long as you have it wired with a coil split switch to make the humbucker a single coil, that way your position 2 still have good quack, and the bridge can be either a single coil OR humbucker with the flick of a switch! Do this, and your strat will be the hands-down most versatile guitar you will ever play

Coil tapping is all well and good, as long as it's from the factory that way. I don't want to feel the need to sink money into a brand new guitar after market.

If I were going for a "cheapy", it'd be a different story. I want American-made though. Fender USA (maybe G & L)...

I'm picking up what you're putting down though. Best of both worlds right there, and I'd be inclined to agree that it would be my most versatile guitar.

Coil tapping is just a slightly different way of soldering you humbucker into the guitar. It no less "stock" than installing a bucker without coil tapping.

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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.

Ok. I was under the impression that a coil tapped hb was produced differently than a regular hb, despite the wiring you would need to also do. So what about "engaging" the feature? Wouldn't that require a push/pull knob, or switch? If so, and the guitar was not from the factory in such a way, wouldn't that require after market mods? If this is all true, this is what I'm looking to avoid.

If you are a big fan of the single coil bridge pickup sound, losing that is a BIG CON.

I say that because a tapped humbucker does not equal a real single coil sound.

On the other hand, if you are mostly a user of the neck pickup (as I am), then going with a HSS is like getting a second guitar at the flick of a switch, one with a screaming rock humbucker sound.

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My other guitar is a Strat.

Yes...this is pretty much what I'm after. The rock-ability of an hb in the bridge, but also the awesome blues/twangy tone from single coils. Hence the "inbetween". I've played on some other coil tapped hb's, and while it's an additional tone, it's not a real single coil tone, as you said.

I guess, all that being said, it's not imperative the hb is split. Might be a cool option, but I wouldn't deny myself an awesome guitar because it didn't have it. Besides, though I said I don't want to mess with mods, that's still an option if I ever woke up one day and wanted to do it.

I'm just trying to thin the herd a bit, and also acquire what I feel I'm lacking. Kind of round out the collection, and feel like I've got most bases covered...with the exception of Tele's. They just don't do it for me, but that's a whole other post in a whole other forum.

ive got a standard hss, and i love it. the versatility is amazing! if you want a pure, classic strat sound, your probably better off with a sss. ings and not that you cant acheive that with a hss, its just not a 'purists strat'. i do find that the neck pickup is a bit to dull, but the right strings and possibly some pickups from the custom shop will solve this. all in all, the best choice in my opinion and a fantastic guitar.

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Fender Standard Stratocaster
Maton ER90C