Hey guys,

i havent posted in a while but im in the process of listing down guitars i want to test out when i head out to nashville/chicargo/ohio, from across the pond, in the summer.

i have always liked the idea of a HSS strat and the deluxe american series looks awesome!

however im a bit spectical on whether the output of the neck pickup is enough to counter with the bridge. i like to flick up to the neck pickup for solos and keep the bridge for rythem but with most HSS guitars ive played the neck never has the right tone, it simply holds low output which dosent match correctly with the bridge.

i was wondering what you guys think of this and whether the neck output should match that of the bridge humbucker, if you have a HSS strat what do you do?

anyfeedback is much appreciated!

Cheers,

Larsson

You'll struggle to get similar output levels between a full sized bucker and a single coil sized bucker (which is what the Deluxes have).

I think you'd be better off to replace the neck pickup with a rails type bucker rather than the noiseless trying to be a single coil pickup. You stand far more chance of balancing the two.

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No no and no

if i run into this situation, i usually just back the bucker away from the strings a bit. however, my factory standard fat strat setup is fairly well balanced in output. personally, i cannot live without a bridge humbucker unless its a tele.

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10 LTD M-350NT (duncan custom4/jazz2)
99 LTD m-100 (duncan distortion/gibson 496R)
71 les paul deluxe gold top(mojo)
peavey vypyr 100, 85 red-knob, bad monkey, peavey iphone amp kit

I use the neck for rhythm and the bridge for solo, I find the Texas specials to be pretty balanced with the atomic hb in my American special.

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— did that sound like something?

thanks for the replies guys!

i will definatly be trying out a couple strats as my gas is building... (my hopes are that i manage to find an updated Malmsteen ^^)

its a few months away but i like to know what i want to play when i get to the store

I have two HSS configured Strats.

One is a Fender American Select Mahogany HSS Strat (basically same components as the American Deluxe, except different pickups) with stock Tex-Mex single coils and a Diamondback Humbucker in the bridge position. Sound of this guitar is good, but my modded Squier HSS Strat is much better.

My other is a Silver Sparkle Squier Standard Strat that I bought strictly for the looks. I upgraded all the tuners and electronics and installed Seymour Duncan Pearly Gates humbucker in the bridge with Seymour Duncan SSL-1 single coils in the middle and neck. All I can say is WOW, what a great sounding guitar and at a fraction of the cost of my American Select ( which has now been demoted to status of "backup" at my gigs).

My advice is to find a cheaper body/neck combo you like and pick your own pickups. Even $1500 Fender Strats don't necessarily use the "best" pickups.

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’04 Fender Custom Shop ’56 Stratocaster Relic RI 50th Anniv. Aztec Gold
'10 Fender American Select Mahogany HSS Strat
'07 Fender Custom Shop Vintage Heavy Relic HB Telecaster
'03 Gibson ES-345 RI
Schecter California Custom Hellcat
’10 Squier Classic Vibe 60’s Stratocaster (Fender CS ’69 /Candy Apple Red)
’10 Squier Telecaster w/Bigsby (Fender CS Texas Specials/Candy Apple Red)
’09 Squier Stratocaster HSS Standard (Pearly Gates HB/SSL-1/SSL-1/Silver Sparkle)
’02 Squier Bullet HHH (S. Duncan: Little ‘59/Duckbucker/JB Jr. /LockingTuners)
’10 Squier Vintage Modified Jaguar HH (Fiesta Red)
Breedlove AD25/SR Plus Acoustic

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