LinuxMusicians

Hi everyone, I have an SSS Highway One (original pickups) that I've been thinking about making HSS by adding a single coil sized humbucker. I usually play it with a fairy loose bridge and I would like a little more sustain and a "crispy" sound on that position. I don't know a lot about pickups in general, so I would appreciate reading some of your suggestions or experiences! Thank you!

ancares wrote: ↑Mon Jan 11, 2021 10:13 pm Hi everyone, I have an SSS Highway One (original pickups) that I've been thinking about making HSS by adding a single coil sized humbucker. I usually play it with a fairy loose bridge and I would like a little more sustain and a "crispy" sound on that position. I don't know a lot about pickups in general, so I would appreciate reading some of your suggestions or experiences! Thank you!

I changed pickups of my Squier Affinity Strato to some cheap chinese rail pickups. From ebay, selected ones that had some values for resistance of coil, and picked up ones with higher value. Built whole thing from zero, with push-pull pots (needed also wood work to fit them), and having all pickups splittable, and also having phase reverting circuitry for mid pick.

For metal-kind of sounds, they sound great.

Same Stratocaster I have here and I just grab the HSS Wilkinson set off of Amazon for I think $80 and I am happy with the tone I'm getting out of these pickups especially on a guitar I paid $100 Canadian for.

Thank you both! I've been also looking some cheap wilkinson pickups in amazon and they look just great, but i was thinking on them for a cheap peavey that i would like to improve. With the fender we're talking about a slightly more expensive guitar (it was like 800€ at the moment) so i'm not shure if changing original pickups by some cheap ones is going to be a real improvement, but maybe those are just prejuices. In fact, i've replaced on it original tuners with a set of cheap locking tuners from amazon and they do the work well....

And other options I was considering:

http://www.irongear.co.uk/
https://www.guitarfetish.com/

And sure, my balance is on affordable side, but they both get high reviews.

tavasti wrote: ↑Wed Jan 13, 2021 10:00 pm And other options I was considering:

http://www.irongear.co.uk/
https://www.guitarfetish.com/

And sure, my balance is on affordable side, but they both get high reviews.

Iron gear was actually the choice I wanted to go for but I couldn't find the HSS set but on my Ibanez guitar I've got one of their humbuckers and that is one beautiful sounding pickup. I replaced a Seymour Duncan with it. The guitar in my profile pic is the Ibanez I'm talking about. That's the Seymour Duncan that's in it which is a JB.

What sound are you after? Don't just rely on reviews, people have different tastes and sound ideas.

I have used a Seymour Duncan Distortion SH-6 (full size humbucker) in a HSS pickguard in the past which sounded pretty cool for high gain sounds but it didn't match too well with the single coils on neck and middle. Timbrewise and output=volumewise.

So I switched back to a SSS pickguard with now a Seymour Duncan little '59 (SC sized humbucker) at the bridge position with which I am happy now since years and had a lot of positive feedback from other Strat players about the sound. I like the sound and it matches better with the single coils. If I was more interested in playing hard and heavy mainly, I would prefer the SD SH-6 though. But I am more after classic rock sounds with the bridge PU (not saying that I don't get enough high gain from the little 59 if needed, it's plenty for me, it's just not hardcore and of course less massive than a full sized HB).

sprock wrote: ↑Fri Jan 15, 2021 11:12 am
I have used a Seymour Duncan Distortion SH-6 (full size humbucker) in a HSS pickguard in the past which sounded pretty cool for high gain sounds but it didn't match too well with the single coils on neck and middle. Timbrewise and output=volumewise.

Hey! That's a really good point, and something to consider, I think I need a little more research ... I've been also watching some videos about cheap pickups and I'm thinking I'll start experimenting with that peavey and see what happens ... Thanks for all your recommendations, I will definitely check them out!