Looking for the right HSS set for my dream Strat build

[chumbucket]

I have 2 cruiser and a Transition in the bridge. Not balanced output, but a versatile guitar for sure.

I like the Transition as well. Not too hot but more than a PAF style. Works good with the Areas if you're going for a cleaner sound from the singles. The Injectors would probably be a little closer output-wise to the bridge humbucker.

 

[GreatRedDragon]

Further deliberation has me circling around a Duncan Distortion with a set of Custom Stack Pluses.

What draws me towards the Distortion is Randy having one in his Concorde and I've always loved the sound of that guitar. The Custom Stacks just seem a safe bet, they're the noiseless version of what Charvel pairs with the Distortion and Full Shred.

Picked up a CRL 5-way switch and a couple Tone knobs. I way prefer the chunky feel of the CRL over the standard 5-way. I used a Copic marker to tint the lettering on the knobs green to match the switch tip and the killswitch. I may do a few other accent pieces here and there.

 

[LPMojoGL]

Been planning this one for a very long time, and it's only now that it's finally coming together. The oldest records I have in my research and planning file go back ten years, to give an idea of how long I've been planning this.

This year I discovered Butala Guitars, and a quick email correspondence confirmed he could build me a neck and body to my exact specifications, with no compromise on any custom feature I want. After a few months I have the bones in hand:

Upgrades/special requests were:
- Premium ebony fretboard
- Stainless steel frets
- Wheel-adjust truss rod
- Swimming pool pickup cavity
- Killswitch cavity
- Recessed spring cavity cover

Overall specs:
- Basswood body
- Black TusqXL nut
- Gotoh locking tuners
- HSS pickguard, with reverse slanted singles ala Jake E. Lee
- 5-way switch with auto-split
- Individual 500k volume for bridge, shared 250k volume for neck/middle
- Sanwa killswitch
- Non-fine tuner Floyd Rose with a gigantic block (just look at all the space I have for it!)
- Brushed black aluminum backplate

All finished in candy lime green with a matching headstock.

But the final question I have is...

What pickups?!

I know I want noiseless single-coils in the neck and middle positions for great cleans, and I know I want something powerful for 80s shred in the bridge, but I've got total analysis paralysis right now. Super Distortion, EVH Frankenstein, Duncan Distortion, Duncan Custom, Suhr SSH+, Full Shred, just can't pick. And for the singles I've looked at Duncans, Dimarzios, even Lace Sensors.

Anyone who can push me in the right direction will be much appreciated.

I have 3 strats with HBs in the bridge. I have @scottosan pups (Sunset and Roxy) in 2, an SSH+ in the other. I love the Sunset with my HSS strat. Perfect blend with the single coils, but still hot enough to rock. Nothing but greatness from that guitar. The Roxy is way better than the JB that came out of that guitar. The SSH+ is pretty hot, with plenty of low end, wouldn't be my first choice in an HSS.

 

[GreatRedDragon]

Few updates:

First, got the guitar dropped off at the painter. After a lot of looking at paint chips I decided on Sublime Green Pearl.

Second, I picked up a Bourns 250k dual gang pot. It was tough tracking down the right pot, because most dual gangs are blender pots, and it cost me a little extra, but I'll be able to have my neck and middle pickups on a single volume pot. This gives me independent control of the bridge pickup without needing all three pots (because I hate the Strat volume placement).

 

[mooncobra]

I had a Tyler with the hot retro (still fairly low output) and two jts5500 I think the single coil were called and they sounded and felt epic. Best feeling single coil I have ever played. The Humbucker sounded and felt epic also. Great pickups.