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Post subject: Strat Classic 50's Humbucker or Trembucker?
Posted: Fri Dec 26, 2014 3:33 pm
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So I've bought a SH-5 humbucker (non returnable) and will modify my Fender Stratocaster Classic 50's to fit a humbucker in the bridge position. But is it true that this strat model requiers a TREMbucker because of the wider bridge or will I be fine with a humbucker even if the poles don't align perfectly?

I would love to try both of them but I have to turn my guitar in for others to do the job and it will get expensive so I kinda rather would have it right from the start. If a humbucker will be alright, that would financially be the best solution for me.


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Post subject: Re: Strat Classic 50's Humbucker or Trembucker?
Posted: Fri Dec 26, 2014 7:29 pm
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Check firstly that the body you are using is routed hsh and not sss.
I have read the trembucker needs a mod to the pickguard to fit but cannot confirm it.
F spacing is there for a reason but a lot here do not get too tied up about it ... I prefer it where I can but you did mention you already have the pickup.
The argument goes something like if you have more than 50mm or two inches between the middle of the two outer most strings you "should" use a trembucker.
Even some strat pickup poles do not line up that well. :D


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Post subject: Re: Strat Classic 50's Humbucker or Trembucker?
Posted: Fri Dec 26, 2014 8:02 pm
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When you say "modify", I hope that you mean route the body to accept a hum-bucker, because if your Strat is a Classic Series 50s, or the Classic Player 50s, the typical hum-bucker will not fit as the body is routed in the vintage style SSS.

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Post subject: Re: Strat Classic 50's Humbucker or Trembucker?
Posted: Sat Dec 27, 2014 2:44 am
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In your place I would put a single coil-sized humbucker in the bridge rather than hurting the value of your axe with all the hassles of re-routing the body for accepting a full-sized humbucking pickup.

Certainly Fender offers 1-ply 8-hole guards for an HSS setup but I advise you to keep your guitar as stock as possible and buy a humbucker housed into a single-coil format.

DiMarzio, Joe Barden, Bill Lawrence and Seymour Duncan offer a variety of rail humbuckers which can retro-fit into any guitar equipped with three single coils.


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Post subject: Re: Strat Classic 50's Humbucker or Trembucker?
Posted: Sat Dec 27, 2014 3:32 am
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Thank you guys.

I'm definitely going for a full sized humbucker and routing for one. I know all the requirements for humbucker vs trembucker but how is it in reality, really needed? Because as mentioned I have the humbucker and I'd rather not go through all the hassle of getting a trembucker version instead and installing that.


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Post subject: Re: Strat Classic 50's Humbucker or Trembucker?
Posted: Sat Dec 27, 2014 4:43 am
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It can vary depending on your Strat Bridge.

My Lonestar Strat came stock from Fender with a non-trembucker size humbucker at bridge, 50mm between outer poles (that is a neck humbucker size).
It has a classic 6 screw tremolo. Same tremolo as your Classic 50's.
That's not too bad looking over the bridge poles, outer strings hover over the outer 1/3 edge of the poles. No problem.

Another Strat I have has a Fender 2 pole tremolo. This has a wider bridge by about 2mm. That has an EVH Frankenstein non-trembucker size. That I'm fine with, still sounds great, even with outer strings over the outer edge of the poles.

Have it routed, stick in your nice Custom SH-5, and turn it up!!

You're gonna change that pickup later anyway...

Because it's not the only pickup in the world man. It's not like you're married to it. It's not gonna sue you if you sell it on ebay... freak, that reminds me :shock:

So this is what you're looking at if you put the standard neck size SH-5 in the bridge, this Fender Lonestar humbucker is same width as the SH-5 non-trembucker.
As you see, the string width (51.5mm) is slightly wider (some Strats are even wider) than the outside pickup poles.
And this guard humbucker slot is cut to fit a slightly wider Trembucker or F-Spaced bridge humbuckers to match this wider string width ....

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Last edited by Johnny Soniq on Sat Dec 27, 2014 7:50 pm, edited 3 times in total.

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Post subject: Re: Strat Classic 50's Humbucker or Trembucker?
Posted: Sat Dec 27, 2014 5:05 am
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Personally I would buy a MIM Standard HSS having already a bridge humbucker and keep the Classic 50's stock rather than hurting its value.

Image

With the MIM Standard HSS you can upgrade the stock Fender humbucking pickup with a better-sounding replacement of your choice.

Here's a useful link for reference, check it out:

http://www.seymourduncan.com/forum/show ... d-F-spaced


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Post subject: Re: Strat Classic 50's Humbucker or Trembucker?
Posted: Sat Dec 27, 2014 5:13 am
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Thank you, I know about the options but I don't care about value though and I like the 50's strat. I know what I want, just a matter of if I have to go with a trembucker when I'd rather not already having a humbucker.

Johnny, looking at my guitar I think the strings are wider than that on my 50's classic. Measuring above the bridge pickup I have 54 mm or 2 1/8 inches.


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Post subject: Re: Strat Classic 50's Humbucker or Trembucker?
Posted: Sat Dec 27, 2014 6:33 am
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Yeah well if it's 54mm from E to E over your bridge pickup, you'd want a Trembucker.
In my pic above, the Lonestar measures 51.5 directly over rear coil.

It's annoying how Fender change their bridge specs all over the shop. I tried to swap over a set of bridge saddles this week, from one Strat to another, and they wouldn't fit!!! Not enough room, saddles were too wide, wasn't enough room for the last middle saddle hahahaha?.... aaaaargh!

I like Chromeface's olympic white strat suggestion, does look like it would enjoy a few tickles under the covers.

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Post subject: Re: Strat Classic 50's Humbucker or Trembucker?
Posted: Sat Dec 27, 2014 6:56 am
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Alright, I'm gonna go with the Trembucker just to be safe. I will have to custom order one from Warmoth, so will I need a pickguard routed for Trembucker or FAT trembucker. They seem to have two choices.

Thank you guys, really helpful.


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Post subject: Re: Strat Classic 50's Humbucker or Trembucker?
Posted: Sat Dec 27, 2014 1:15 pm
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You know looking at second hand prices for a mim hss you could be better off as suggested by getting a second strat.
Once you factor in the cost of the pickup, the cost of installation and the drop in value of your original strat due to the routing.
You would then have two good guitars for the money spent.
Good luck! :D


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Post subject: Re: Strat Classic 50's Humbucker or Trembucker?
Posted: Sun Dec 28, 2014 5:24 am
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I already have the Classic 50's and I've had one before modded with humbucker and loved it, so going for that again. Not so fond of the modern HSS. Value is no big deal either, it's not like they're $1300 MIA :)

I have another problem though. Before I used to order custom pickguards from Warmoth because there are no 8-hole vintage HSS pickguards to be bought, at least not in Europe. But ordering from Warmoth would cost me $53 with shipping so it doesn't really feel like an option.

There are plenty of 11-hole HSS, can I customize those in some clever way or do you guys have other ideas?

Thank's in advance :)


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Post subject: Re: Strat Classic 50's Humbucker or Trembucker?
Posted: Sun Dec 28, 2014 5:48 am
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In order to fit properly an 11-hole guard you need to drill a few extra holes into the body.


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Post subject: Re: Strat Classic 50's Humbucker or Trembucker?
Posted: Sun Dec 28, 2014 5:49 am
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jimmy_james wrote:
You know looking at second hand prices for a mim hss you could be better off as suggested by getting a second strat.
Once you factor in the cost of the pickup, the cost of installation and the drop in value of your original strat due to the routing.
You would then have two good guitars for the money spent.
Good luck! :D


+1


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Post subject: Re: Strat Classic 50's Humbucker or Trembucker?
Posted: Sun Dec 28, 2014 6:03 am
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chromeface wrote:
In order to fit properly an 11-hole guard you need to drill a few extra holes into the body.


So that's basically all? Is there a clever way to hide the existing holes, maybe black tejp and do I need to widen the humbucker hole for the trembucker or will it fit?


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