First off, feel like I know most of y'all, but I know none of y'all know me, LOL...been lurking a long time...this is my very first time, so please be gentle!!

This will be my frst time with an electric. I own an acoustic, and started playing when I was 13 years old but haven't picked up my guitar in years...was first busy with college, then was busy raising kids and tending to my family. Something happened recently to rekindle the fire, and I am just burning with a passion to get back on the guitar...this time, though, it will be on the electric as it has always been my first love and dream...just love the way it sings and is so soulful...it's like your voice...its singing takes you to other places and lofty heights...I get so lost in its singing...feel like I'm gonna cry...now y'all think I'm weird...oh my gosh, I need my electric guitar like right now!!!!

Been thinking of getting a Highway One and was wondering what the difference is between the SSS with the reverse wound middle pup, which acts as a humbucker, and the HSS. Are there any tonal differences? When I listened to comparisons of the two on YouTube, I couldn't detect much of a difference at all. Is that because the reverse wound middle pup in the SSS, which acts as a humbucker, makes it so that the SSS sounds very similar to the HSS? Already been to all of the guitar shops in my area, and they do not stock the Highway One as the American Special is replacing it (this is what they tell me), but they'll order a Highway One for me...so I'm not able to try them both out, drats!!

Appreciate any enlightenment y'all can give me...and I know there are many enlightened ones on this board...I'm so in awe of y'all!!!! Hope I don't sound too ignorant about electric guitars and their pups ...maybe I need an "Electric Guitar Book For Dummies", LOL!!

Love y'all, and thank you in advance for all your help!! <3



P.S: I wanted so badly to put an avatar on, but it said it was disallowed...boo hoo!!

Hiya Welcome to the Forums.

SSS configuration guitars sometimes have a reverse wound middle pickup to buck hum in the inbetween positions of the selector switch (I.E Bridge and middle and neck and middle pickups together in pairs).
It doesn't really sound like a Gibson type humbucker, or any other humbucker. It just gets rid of a lot of the noise that you would get in those positions if the middle pickup was wound in the same direction and had it's magnet polarity facing the same way as the other pickups.

Some people have a real problem with singlecoil pickup noise. Others (myself included) dont. That is for you to decide about. Try both pickup configurations. Personaly I think the HSS format is the best out there for a all round guitar. Though I can't live without having SSS too.

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No no and no

I totally get what you're saying...now I understand!! Your answer is a HUGE help!!!! I'm thinking I'll get an HSS Highway One to start...then sometime down the road get an SSS American Standard.

Thank you so much...I really appreciate your help!! And thanks so much for the welcome!!

Been playing guitar off and on for over 30 years now. I can completely relate to college, job, family, life getting in the way. I'm 50 and have been playing again pretty seriously for the past 8 or 9 years but when younger, I was lucky to play once a week.

You said "I totally get what you're saying...now I understand!! Your answer is a HUGE help!!!! I'm thinking I'll get an HSS Highway One to start...then sometime down the road get an SSS American Standard."

Yes, you will. I went the other way though. I started with a MIA SSS, liked it so much, wanted something different and added a MIM to the stable, then got a loaded pick guard with HSS configuration, then locking tuning machines, then... then... You know the story.

Welcome aboard. Always nice to have some grace and beauty around here.

Thanks so much for the welcome, Jeff!! Hmmmm...I just might get the SSS American Standard first...decisions, decisions........

Hi JabbasSweety, welcome back to music! Shall I confuse you a little bit more? Try the Lonestar Strat. It's MIM, but it has some nice pickups. It's HSS, but the single coils are the same as the Highway & American Special Strats, Texas Specials, & the humbucker is a Seymour Duncan pearly gates. Very nice combination, & IMO a much better deal than the Highway. I tried one in the shop & I thought that pearly gates pickup was an excellent bridge pickup. But I've had a Standard MIM Strat for 3 years, & I'm happy w/it. It also has a reverse wound middle pickup. Doesn't really change the tone of the pickups, but the hum cancelling is just an added bonus. I'd just try them all out in the shop first. Good luck

they told you the american standard was replacing the HW1???

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63supro
"The good thing is in a club situation, most of the patrons are trashed and really can't tell the difference."

Hi. Welcome to the forum, but more importantly - welcome back to the guitar!

Want a guitar that sings and weeps? Then it's single coils every time in my opinion. Go for the SSS format.. If you want a guitar that shouts, then pick out HSS..

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Fender Highway & Classic 60s Strats, Fender Toronado, Telecaster, Gretsch Projet, Charvel 3, PRS SE Soapbar II & Custom 24, Burns Batwing and many others!

I always looked at the in-between positions as the 'quack' positions
but Niki is right about the hum cancelling also.

You could ask many about what 'quack' is and find many different
theorys. Here's mine :


'Quack' happens when two pickups are selected and there is phase cancellation, due to the strings being at different phase points over each pickup.

To maximize phase cancellation, the pickups should be set to be equal volume. Otherwise, one will dominate, minimizing what they have in common, but out of phase. (quack)

Fortunately, this is how I prefer my setup anyway: all pickups at equal volume. Bridge highest, neck lowest.

Clean is best for 'quack'.


Welcome aboard and good luck !!!

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Being able to play and enjoy music is a gift that's often taken for granted.

Don't leave home without it!

JS,

I have aHWY 1 which started out as a SSS. I cannot stand the Atomic humbuckers on the AS or HWY 1. I guess it really depends on what type of music you play. I have a Dimarzio SD in the bridge now. Great for hard rock and metal.

BTW I heard from my tech that the HWY 1 series is being discontinued so if you really want one, now is the time. If money is an issue, the Blacktop or Classic Vibe (Squier) are both excellent guitars to check out.

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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

Hey jabbasweetie , welcome to the forum, I mean being
Fellow Texan and all.
I picked up the guitar on my 30th birthday, i wanted to play
Or learn how to play when I was younger, lack of funds got
In the way.
Anywho I'm 37 now, not an excellent player, but love to play
For anyone who wants to listen.
My 1st strat was a highway1 loved that guitar, sold it to fund
Other guitar projects.
But as a rule here, you have to post pics...Not really,
But please do, we would love to see your strat

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"Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift. That is why it is called the present."

oogway, kungfu panda 2008

Http://s1134.photobucket.com/albums/m620/Oskar582/
A very big welcome to you.
I have 2 MIM Standard Strats and love them think the single coil pick ups sound great.
hope to hear back from you.

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He who dies with the most Strats wins.

With all due respect, that is not what I posted. I posted that the people at the guitar shops told me that they don't stock the Highway One anymore because the American SPECIAL is its replacement (I did not say American Standard).

Hi!! Thanks for the welcome!! You've intrigued me...I'm gonna have to check it out...thanks so much for the info!!

Hi, and thanks for the welcome...I'm so happy and excited to be back at the guitar again...feels like I'm back home (and I'm not ever leaving again)!!

I so want my guitar to sing and weep...I'm getting chicken skin just thinking about it...so I guess it's SSS for me then.

Thank you heaps for the info!! With every bit of info y'all have given me, it's becoming more and more clear to me the kind of guitar I'm looking for...and I so appreciate all the guidance!!