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Post subject: HSS on a SSS body
Posted: Fri Jul 17, 2015 7:25 am
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Hello,

I have a SSS configured MIM strat and I'd like to replace the pickups with a HSS set up.
Is there an easy way for me to tell if this body can support it short of removing the current pickguard?
Even so, once I do that, how can I tell that this is possible?

Thanks,
Jeremy


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Post subject: Re: HSS on a SSS body
Posted: Fri Jul 17, 2015 8:00 am
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Unless it's something special like a vintage reissue the bridge routing should be large enough to accommodate a humbucker.


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Post subject: Re: HSS on a SSS body
Posted: Fri Jul 17, 2015 8:04 am
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Everything is possible :wink:

IMHO, it's no biggie if you unscrew the pickguard to check underneath - you even don't have to take it off totally.
Otherwise, it depends on which MIM you have: viewtopic.php?t=46670

And the 'easy mod' would be to get a preloaded HSS pickguard.


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Post subject: Re: HSS on a SSS body
Posted: Fri Jul 17, 2015 9:55 am
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A full sized humbucker doesn't fit an SSS body.

Major surgery is required and only a professional luthier can do that tedious job for you unless you've enough skills to DIY.

In your place I would recommend a single-coil sized humbucker such as the DiMarzio Chopper and the Duncan Hot Rails.

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Post subject: Re: HSS on a SSS body
Posted: Fri Jul 17, 2015 10:14 am
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stratmangler wrote:
Unless it's something special like a vintage reissue the bridge routing should be large enough to accommodate a humbucker.


+1

Otherwise throw in a single-coil sized "rail" in the bridge slot without the need to change the pickguard and alter the body for a full sized humbucking pickup.

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Post subject: Re: HSS on a SSS body
Posted: Fri Jul 17, 2015 10:38 am
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chromeface wrote:

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Funny, I saw him yesterday evening. He plays a dark gray American Strat with perloid guard (probably the one in the picture) and a Sienna Sunburst Strat with a back plate that looks like a Tele bridge.

Nice sound, super concert ! :D


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Post subject: Re: HSS on a SSS body
Posted: Fri Jul 17, 2015 10:42 am
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Hey thanks everyone for the input!

I do not have enough DIY know-how to mess with my main guitar (I built my first one from scratch recently and it's a POS) so I do intend to get a loaded pickguard and have a luthier handle it.

The suggestion to get a stacked single coil is interesting. Perhaps I ought to try one out first.

This may belong in a separate thread but the HSS setup question originates from this situation I am in:

I have an american roadhouse strat that I just bought off a buddy. This has texas special alnico pickups. I love the bridge pickup, but the other two bother me alot. So much so that I want to sell the thing. Trouble is, I am having a tough time going back to the mexican as the lower quality pickups are now bugging me. With the price I bought the MIA for and what I can sell it for I will pocket enough change to play with so that I can set my MIM up right.

Pardon my nativity, I am quite new at this.

I essentially want that texas special in the bridge position with standard fender alnico pickups in the other two positions. Is this a reasonable thing to do? Any considerations I should be taking into account?

The reason I bring up the humbucker is I suspect that if I'm going to go through all this trouble that I may as well explore a more common set up.

Thoughts?


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Post subject: Re: HSS on a SSS body
Posted: Fri Jul 17, 2015 11:58 am
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hoopla wrote:
I essentially want that texas special in the bridge position with standard fender alnico pickups in the other two positions.


Installing a Fat '50s pickup in your middle and neck position may provide a sonically-pleasing solution.

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: HSS on a SSS body
Posted: Fri Jul 17, 2015 3:20 pm
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hoopla wrote:
I love the bridge pickup
So the obvious solution is, keep that bridge pup...
hoopla wrote:
but the other two bother me alot
...and switch the mid and neck pups.
The funding would come from selling that MIM, and keeping the Roadhouse.

On which pickups to choose, I have no answer - the standard fender alnico definition you give means different things to everyone.
But at this stage a question: have you tried different pickup heights on those mid/neck pickups..? (IMHO, TexSpecs can tame nicely if you drop them down a tad).


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Post subject: Re: HSS on a SSS body
Posted: Fri Jul 17, 2015 6:38 pm
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Retroverbial wrote:
hoopla wrote:
I essentially want that texas special in the bridge position with standard fender alnico pickups in the other two positions.


Installing a Fat '50s pickup in your middle and neck position may provide a sonically-pleasing solution.

Arjay

Will Fender break up a set? I pretty much use just the neck pickup on my 12 string MIJ Strat and would like to upgrade it with a Fat 50 but don't want to buy the whole set.


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Post subject: Re: HSS on a SSS body
Posted: Fri Jul 17, 2015 11:07 pm
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You can often find individual pickups from specific Fender sets on Ebay.

As for the Strat 12-string, I swapped out the OEM pickups for a complete set of Custom Shop '69s in mine. They're not as hot as Fat 50's but work quite well to simulate the "jangle" of a Rickenbacker's DeArmonds. Very bright, very articulate.

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: HSS on a SSS body
Posted: Sat Jul 18, 2015 10:28 am
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hoopla wrote:
Hey thanks everyone for the input!

I do not have enough DIY know-how to mess with my main guitar


Hey it's a satisfying thing to actually replace your own guards and pickups yourself, tweaking it to your own liking. It's easy when you follow a plan. Have a go, you won't kill it :D ...try this


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Post subject: Re: HSS on a SSS body
Posted: Sat Aug 08, 2015 7:46 am
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I had great success converting my Highway One SSS to an HSS. Best move I ever did!!
The Highway bodies are all routed for HSS under the pickguard.
I've got premium pickups in her now and she screams!!

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Post subject: Re: HSS on a SSS body
Posted: Sat Aug 08, 2015 4:49 pm
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Texas Specials are reverse pole reverse wound, blue dotted pup is neck and red dotted is bridge. Reversing the neck and middle will delete the RP/RW and your Strat will become much noisier...

Depending on what you are using for amp, the TS pups have more than enough to go toe to toe with an HB. The Texas Specials are designed as a set. If you really dislike them, I would sample them thru a different amp but YMMV.
However perhaps a full drop in loaded pick guard may be the answer, then you only have a negative and positive connection to resolder....

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Post subject: Re: HSS on a SSS body
Posted: Mon Aug 10, 2015 8:03 am
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Just my own $.02 here...

First and foremost, if you want to know how the body on your guitar is routed, just unscrew the pickguard and take a quick peek. This really just isn't a difficult thing to do AT ALL...11 little Philips head screws. You can do this during a string change if you like so you can take a good look at everything, but it's not really necessary in order to find out how the body is routed. As long as you don't loose the screws or strip the holes when you put them back in (by over-tightening), then this just isn't a big deal at all.

While, as chromeface pointed out, a humbucker won't fit in a single coil routed body, it's WELL worth remembering that just because the guitar has single coils, does NOT mean that's how the body is actually routed! Fender mass produces those guitar bodies and it's more common to find Mexican bodies routed for H-S-H than it is S-S-S. That said, the ONLY way to know for sure is to simply look.


Now -if- your body is in fact routed for S-S-S, then you do still have a few options. Stacked humbuckers do certainly have their appeal...I have Duncan's in 2 of my Strats and I really love them! Personally I don't think they REALLY sound the same as a traditional HB...I feel they have their own unique sound, but in my book, that's not a bad thing by any means. Either way, depending on WHY you want an HB at the bridge position (a VERY good question to ask yourself), this could be a very viable option.

Next to that, while I would agree with chromeface in that re-routing the body is "major surgery", I would also point out that depending on your level of expertise with woodworking and such, it could still be an option. In my early years, I actually routed the body on my old NJ Kramer to add a second pickup (no pickguard and she only had a bridge pickup when I originally got her). At the time I had access to a Bridgeport mill and I already had a fair degree of woodworking experience, so it wasn't THAT big a deal for me...and I've never had any regrets about doing it. No, I wouldn't suggest just using a router and going at it unless you REALLY know what you're doing, however with a Strat it's not nearly as hard as some people would make it out to be. It's -your- guitar and only you can decide if you have the proper skills to do such a thing.

The last option of course is taking it to a shop and letting someone do it for you. For those who have the bread, I guess this too is a viable option, however there aren't really A LOT of qualified luthiers around any more and you can bet your bottom that it's gonna be VERY costly.

With all of this in mind, -if- the body is in fact only routed as S-S-S, my suggestion would be to start with a stacked HB...it's easy enough to change and doesn't alter the body in case you don't like it.

Good Luck!


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