how do they sound and how is the quality ?? Looking at the HH--- just arrived today

_________________
2011 PRS 25th SAS
2008 Eric Clapton Custom Antigua Strat
2012 PRS Artist Package Studio Special Order

I have owned 2 Blacktops. One HH and one Floyd Rose HH. I think the quality is as good as any MIM Fender Stratocaster. You need to play before you pay.

My old Blacktop I used as a trade in on my MIA Standard Stratocaster. There is no comparing the 2, the American Standard is way better. My current Blacktop (Floyd Rose) HH is good, but I am going to be honest, I bought it as a platform guitar. I am converting mine to a HSH configuration. I am not impressed with the stock pickups. Some like them and some do not. You are going to have to be the judge of that when you play it.

_________________
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

Which of the 2 Blacktops was converted into an HSH guitar? The regular Blacktop with the chrome humbuckers or the Floyd Rose Blacktop with the open-coil ones?

The Floyd Rose Blacktop HH deserves a third humbucker in the middle, an S-1 coil-splitting system and a Passing Lane switch.

Personally I prefer the "original" Floyd Rose over the Special variant.

It is the Floyd Rose Blacktop being converted to HSH. I agree that the Orginal Floyd Rose is better than the FR Special. I am putting Seymour Duncan chrome covered pickups pickups in it. It hasn't been done yet, but should be finished in a month or so. My future plans is to put a chrome Orginal Floyd Rose in it once the pickups are in place.

I am putting in a JB in the bridge, a Tele neck in the middle, and a Pearly Gates in the neck. I am also putting in a push/pull switch to change the humbuckers into single coil mode.

_________________
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

With an HHH setup you'll have much versatility than an HSH layout.

Installing a Seymour Duncan HotRail pickup in the middle makes an HHH configuration without the need to rout the pickguard for three full-sized HBs.

Just add an extra 3-way toggle switch to split and tap the HotRail.

i love my blacktop strat ...it really is one of my favorite guitars , as I've said before ..suits my style perfectly ( generally all rock music with some blues ) . i like the pickups but as said above , they are a matter of opinion really . go try one and find out for yourself

heres my two blacktops :

_________________
2014 Fender Classic 50's nitro Stratocaster - Candy red.
2011 Gibson Les Paul Junior 'Billie Joe Armstrong' Signature.
2011 Fender Classic Player Jaguar Special HH - Olympic White
2012 Epiphone Dove Acoustic
Marshall MG100CFX
Marshall MG15CFX

i'm hoping my dealer in Billings gets a Blacktop in so i can try it

_________________
2011 PRS 25th SAS
2008 Eric Clapton Custom Antigua Strat
2012 PRS Artist Package Studio Special Order

think i'm pulling the trigger on a Sonic Blue-Maple fretboard-HH

_________________
2011 PRS 25th SAS
2008 Eric Clapton Custom Antigua Strat
2012 PRS Artist Package Studio Special Order

The sonic blue + maple + HH config is a killer setup. It is such a great mix between old and new. You can totally see where they were heading into the "Pawn Shop" models from that configuration.

_________________
My Rig: Guitar into Pedals then into Amps and out into Speakers.

ordered this morning From Reno,Nv so probably tuesday or Wednesday

_________________
2011 PRS 25th SAS
2008 Eric Clapton Custom Antigua Strat
2012 PRS Artist Package Studio Special Order

in transit

_________________
2011 PRS 25th SAS
2008 Eric Clapton Custom Antigua Strat
2012 PRS Artist Package Studio Special Order

Saweet

_________________
My Rig: Guitar into Pedals then into Amps and out into Speakers.

Long story short the new guitar arrived with NO damage--the rest of the story when i get back from VEGAS next week PS: her name is LUCKY

_________________
2011 PRS 25th SAS
2008 Eric Clapton Custom Antigua Strat
2012 PRS Artist Package Studio Special Order

Here is how this was shipped to me--this little piece was around the headstock
and the thin foam bag was around the hole guitar kinda


the body was slid down into this u shaped piece


main box was 1 layer and bent


the guitar arrived without a scratch :unsure: :unsure: tone report after i catch up on some sleep--my sons dogs got sick and we drove straight thru the nite 14 hrs--980 miles

_________________
2011 PRS 25th SAS
2008 Eric Clapton Custom Antigua Strat
2012 PRS Artist Package Studio Special Order

Wow...Lucky is not the word here, remarkable there was no damage. Guitar looks good despite careless package handling.

_________________
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