Bridge humbucker suggestions for HSS Strat

[SonVolt]

I went full Andy Timmins on my strat. Wonderful combo

I did too but found the AT-1 way too dark. The highs are really rolled off. Great for leads though.

 

[csguy0]

I did too but found the AT-1 way too dark. The highs are really rolled off. Great for leads though.

Great point, I tend to gravitate towards darker sounding pickups. In this case, they worked well for me and even brighten up a bit when coil tapped.

 

[rstites]

Unfortunately, there just isn't a great way to balance output volume between the bridge humbucker and any kind of actual single in the center/neck. Your choices are to stick to lower output humbuckers and/or lean into higher output singles. The other option - what I've generally done - is to get into it accepting the volume change with a hot amplifier. The difference in guitar volume outputs hit the amp differently and naturally allow a different tone with the amp.

Finally, in a strat you could consider rewiring it for separate volume controls for the singles vs. humbucker. Dedicate the tone control to the just one of them, or for the overall guitar. Only you can say if that'll actually working for you.

 

[csguy0]

When I went to HHH in my HSS strat (Andy Timmons setup) I had some extra switches added to allow a super humbucker setup with the neck and middle pickups acting like 4 coils - it's a unique and fat sound that has the added benefit of balancing volume with the hotter bridge pickup. I also added a switch to convert all 3 humbuckers to single coil (coil split) which gives me even more tonal options. Mixed with an EQ pedal, you have a very flexible platform to work with.

 

[Scot]

I have a Player2 Strat and swap between two pickguard's I built after ditching the single coil bridge p/u (couldn’t happen fast enough).

I have a Duncan ’78 or (EVH) configured HSS and a Dimarzio Norton + Steve Morse Neck p/u in a HSH pickguard. Both pickguards have a mini switch to split the humbuckers. Both configurations sound great but the Norton/SM HSH combo is what does it for me. They split well and play nice together. I miss it when switching to the ’78, so I vote Norton bridge - YMMV.

 

[SonVolt]

I have a Player2 Strat and swap between two pickguard's I built after ditching the single coil bridge p/u (couldn’t happen fast enough).

I have a Duncan ’78 or (EVH) configured HSS and a Dimarzio Norton + Steve Morse Neck p/u in a HSH pickguard. Both pickguards have a mini switch to split the humbuckers. Both configurations sound great but the Norton/SM HSH combo is what does it for me. They split well and play nice together. I miss it when switching to the ’78, so I vote Norton bridge - YMMV.

What's your thoughts on the '78? I was considering putting one in my American Std HSS. I replaced an AT-1 (too dark) with a Duncan Custom (too much sizzle) and thought I'd try the '78 next.

 

[tallcoolone]

The PG is far from a dark pickup—pretty much the opposite actually. Had good luck with Duncan Custom/Custom and Custom Hybrid. Put Super Distortions in the last few HB bolt ons I’ve been loving them

 

[Scot]

What's your thoughts on the '78? I was considering putting one in my American Std HSS. I replaced an AT-1 (too dark) with a Duncan Custom (too much sizzle) and thought I'd try the '78 next.

Fantastic pickup - chimey, open and evenly balanced. I get along great with it and it sounds great in my Strat. Pesonally - I’d like it to be a tad hotter. If you use a boost in front of the amp (I don’t) - that problem goes away. The Norton is similar and has ‘something’ going on that my ears miss when I’m not using it. Nonetheless, you cannot go wrong with the ‘78

 

[tallcoolone]

Fantastic pickup - chimey, open and evenly balanced. I get along great with it and it sounds great in my Strat. Pesonally - I’d like it to be a tad hotter. If you use a boost in front of the amp (I don’t) - that problem goes away. The Norton is similar and has ‘something’ going on that my ears miss when I’m not using it. Nonetheless, you cannot go wrong with the ‘78

The Norton is a great pickup indeed

 

[SonVolt]

Fantastic pickup - chimey, open and evenly balanced. I get along great with it and it sounds great in my Strat. Pesonally - I’d like it to be a tad hotter. If you use a boost in front of the amp (I don’t) - that problem goes away. The Norton is similar and has ‘something’ going on that my ears miss when I’m not using it. Nonetheless, you cannot go wrong with the ‘78

Gotcha. Ok that may work perfectly for me then. Most of my other guitars are higher output, so this may work out great. I'm just hoping it nails that VH1 thing. The Custom definitely nails it, but the mids are too hollowed out and it has too much of that ceramic sizzle in the high-end. The Wolfgang does also, but I've got too many of those already.

 

[Scot]

Gotcha. Ok that may work perfectly for me then. Most of my other guitars are higher output, so this may work out great. I'm just hoping it nails that VH1 thing. The Custom definitely nails it, but the mids are too hollowed out and it has too much of that ceramic sizzle in the high-end. The Wolfgang does also, but I've got too many of those already.

The ’78 is bright, however not sizzly bright. The sizzle from that pickup comes from your hands and that’s kind of what’s so good about it because it’s very dynamic. Output is good and seems situated somewhere just shy of compression (like a higher output JB, for example). Hard to go wrong with one, for sure. The Norton, I think, has a lower-mid thing that is just glorious and addictive to me.

 

[mermer]

Just by itself how did the Pearly Gate sound as a bridge pickup?

I have always found it a bit boomy. Great for leads but not tight and articulate on the higher strings. So the sound was getting a bit darker when I switch pickups. I think a better match can be obtained. I am currently considering BKP VHII or Dimarzio PAF 36.

 

[Fiesta Red]

I have always found it a bit boomy. Great for leads but not tight and articulate on the higher strings. So the sound was getting a bit darker when I switch pickups. I think a better match can be obtained. I am currently considering BKP VHII or Dimarzio PAF 36.

Or a regular old 59

 

[zenk]

I went with a Suhr Andy Wood Woodbucker Bridge and Suhr V60lps in a Music Man Luke III HSS.
Great match.

 

[napalmdeath]

The ’78 is bright, however not sizzly bright. The sizzle from that pickup comes from your hands and that’s kind of what’s so good about it because it’s very dynamic. Output is good and seems situated somewhere just shy of compression (like a higher output JB, for example). Hard to go wrong with one, for sure. The Norton, I think, has a lower-mid thing that is just glorious and addictive to me.

Yeah, my experience with the '78 was positive. It's not overly hot at just over 9k, which is a tad hotter than a Pearly Gates. I found it balanced across the board. Not overly bright, not dark, tighter low end than a PG for sure. It's supposed to replicate a 1978 hot rodded PAF rewound by Duncan for EVH.

I had an ESP Desert Eagle Lynch model that had a '78 and it was great sounding. Too bad the guitar itself was a QC nightmare. I was flabbergasted how poorly made it was..

 

[mermer]

Or a regular old 59

Yes, I'm thinking about that too. If I find a used one in one of them, I'll try it.

 

[Luca79]

Is normal to have a volume jump.

 

[LPMojoGL]

My first guitar was a MIM Fender HSS Stratocaster and I used it for more than 10 years (It was fairly easy back then, just plug and play without these rabbit holes.). Then I got myself a second one, a Custom Shop HSS Stratocaster , Seymour Duncan Pearly Gates in the bridge, Ancho Poblano pickups in the neck and middle. The single coils were sounding great, being a bit overwound it fits to my style very good, but the humbucker was always off. It was just too dark. Then I noticed it's wired to a 250K pot, I changed it to a 500k. But after that, I noticed a volume jump when I was switching to the bridge. So I lowered the humbucker; the attack decreased so much, I hated it. Then, i decided to change the bridge pickup with Arcane Inc. Triple 8 (PAF style 9.2k with Alnico 8 magnet) pickup. It has a bit more upper mids than Pearly Gates, so at the beginning, it was fine. But I noticed the volume jump was still apparent so I increased the level of the single coils. However, the single coils are now also sounding unsatisfactory, and I am also unhappy with the bridge pickup. So things are going in the wrong direction...

For a long time, I just thought, 'Eh, these are how humbuckers sound, dark with less attack.’ Then I got a Les Paul Custom. Immediately noticed how open and present the bridge pickup sounds, got shocked. Now I know that it's not just the pickups but the bridge, wood, construction, etc. that effects the how the guitar sounds. But I would like to win that strat again.

I am open for suggestions, prefer keeping a humbucker in the bridge and Poblano single coils. I would like to use that guitar for classic / hard rock applications. Think about Doug Aldrich with Dio or Ritchie Blackmore's sound on steroids. Here is a reference video.

I mainly use it with my Friedman Twin Sister, one channel swapped with JEL high gain channel (so a modded JTM / JCM with switches and more gain on top).

I currently have 2 hss Strats, and have had several more over the years.

The JB always worked well for me. You're always going to have some tone/volume discrepancies when going between single coils and HBs, regardless of output, tone etc.
I learned long ago to work my volume and tone knobs, and play to the strength of each pickup position. A simple treble bleed cap on the volume pot (not the cap/resistor circuit) helps even out the hb tone and volume with guitar volume turned down, and rocks hard when cranked. I always wire the hb to see 500k and single coils for 250k.
Burstbucker 3, Seth Lover, Pete Thorn, Wolfgang, and any other hotter type with an A2 mag, or SD 59s usually blend well paired with single coils, if you're not looking for a hot rocking bridge tone, and sweet clean tones in 1 guitar.