As it says in the title - I have got a 2011 HSS Strat and wondered of it was a relatively simple task to make it SSS - am I being naive to think that all I need to do is solder in a single coil pup and transfer everything to a new (obviously SSS) scratchplate or is it more complicated than that. If so, how much more complicated??

Sorry if this is a stupid newbie question.

You will probably want a new pickguard, and then from there, it's a matter of moving the electronics, and swapping the Humbucker with a single coil in the process.

it is easy to do...

i decided to put noiseless pups in my 2009 mim strat hss. i bought a white pearloid sss pickguard at the same time. i then transferred the controls to the new pickguard, wired in the pickups, and was very happy with the results.

btw, it is not a stupid question. i have been playing since 1960, and still ask questions. that way i get it done right the first time

Thanks for the quick responses guys - from what you say, I guess the volume and tone pots (probably more relevant to the former) are compatible with a 'standard' single coil pickup (if there's any such thing!). I ask because although I can handle a soldering iron OK, I don't actually know a lot about electronics!

Phred - great minds obviously think alike - a white pearloid pickguard was exactly what I had in mind as well!

Again, thanks for the advice.

I know dimarzio and other parts companies make loaded pickguards. Pickguards with pickups & electronics already in them. Maybe a more expensive way to go? Maybe easier and cheaper in the long run?
Maybe just a couple of solders?
Plus if you don't like your current pickguard, it'll be a nice change.
That's my two cents.

Being as your new it will probably take you 30 min to do the job once you have the parts.

a bit of advice- take pictures, or make a wiring diagram. that way it will be easy for you to figure out. there are wires connectec to the pots and the 5-way switch, so having picks will save you aggravation

Thanks guys - your helping me pluck up the courage to do the job.

Any suggestions on a bridge pickup that can be sourced on it's own. The guitar in question is a MIM Standard HSS 2011. For what it's worth, I tend to like a mostly clean sound through my Blackstar HT5R.

Hi ayjaycee. One more thing that I don't think has been mentioned yet. Take a look at the backs of the potentiometers for their values. Possibly they'll all be 250K-ohm and that will be fine. But if you find that humbucker at the bridge is hooked to a 500K pot you'll probably do well to exchange that for a 250K one, otherwise the single-coil pickup you put in there might sound overly shrill and piercing.



So, so many options out there. I'd suggest unless you are changing all three pickups you need to find a bridge unit that pairs nicely with what you already have in the middle and neck positions - assuming you like the sounds you're getting from those.

For starters, I don't know if your MIM has ceramic or AlNiCo magnets? Someone here probably knows the spec, or you can check for yourself by taking off the pickguard and looking at the bottoms of the pickups. I'd suggest you shop for the same sort in order to keep a reasonably balanced sound across the guitar's selector positions.

You also will want a bridge pickup with an output the same or a bit higher than the others, since the strings create proportionately less signal closer to the bridge where they vibrate less. Again, someone might know the output on 2011 MIM Standards, or you can find out for yourself by measuring with a volt meter. I know that sounds like a bit of a pain if you don't happen to have one, but you might know someone who does, or otherwise they're not very expensive and handy to own.

If you find your middle pickup is, say, 6.0K then something in the 7.0 - 7.5K range might be nice for the bridge. Though sometimes people like all three pickups to have the same output - that would usually be for a "vintage" flavoured setup.

Some more stuff to think about. Any help?

Cheers - C

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Ceri, Even more good stuff - many thanks. I kind of thought the pot might need some attention and will take all your advice on board - I have got a multimeter and will dig it out and maybe explore beneath the surface in the near future. As far as I know, the spec says:

Middle Pickup: Standard Single-Coil Strat® Middle Pickup
Neck Pickup: Standard Single-Coil Strat® Neck Pickup

Which, I guess, probably means that I need a 'Standard Single-Coil Strat® Neck Pickup' but I don't seem to be able to source one of those on it's own here in the UK - only the set of three. Before typing this, I did a quick Google and could only find a Texas Special Bridge Pickup available singly (about $80).

Anyway, as I said, thanks for all the advice thus far.

Regards, AJC

Hi again AJC. Ah, you're in the UK. Me too - and I'm afraid I don't know where to get a Standard single-coil Strat bridge pickup on its own either, except by stumbling across one on Ebay that someone is swapping out. I just looked: none there at present, far as I can see.

I also don't know whether that's a ceramic or AlNiCo pickup or what its output is - but as soon as we do know those things, by someone posting here or you looking under the pickguard, I promise you we can easily find you an aftermarket match for what you need from one of the sellers here. No probs.

Something on this page will likely fit the bill:

http://www.wdmusic.co.uk/category/Elect ... ?limit=200

Or this chappie has affordable offerings:

http://www.axesrus.com/axepickup.htm#Scoils

Or this gentleman will build to order at prices that are surprisingly less than silly:

http://www.wizardpickups.co.uk/shop.asp?category=Strat

Just a few suggestions, and plenty more where they came from. Don't worry, we'll get you were you're going!

Cheers - C

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Ceri, Again thanks - I have heard very good things said about Wizards and they could be candidates. As I said earlier, I might decide to have a look under the bonnet in the near future. Trouble is I have only just replaced the strings and don't really want to have to do it again unneccessarily. In my experience (which, granted, is fairly limited!!) slackening strings all the way doesn't end well when they are simply retuned rather than replaced - it's the aggro rather than the cost of a set of Slinkys.

I will report back idc,

Regards, AJC