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Author Topic: Putting a Humbucker in a 3 single coil Strat...  (Read 12742 times)

Tom

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Putting a Humbucker in a 3 single coil Strat...
« on: July 15, 2005, 12:20:11 PM »
I've decided to get a strat (Mexican) but as I'm left-handed the only one I can get is the regular one with 3 single coils. I like the percussive tone of the single coils when clean but I really love the humbucker sound of my Epi LP when distorted.

How do I go about putting a humbucker in the bridge position of a 3 single coil strat?

I imagine that there's not enough room for a bucker so some rooting out of the body would be required - is that a dangerous idea as it could damage the tone/guitar itself?

How much would it cost to get it done properly?

Or shall I just get a Sinner for the bridge and rely on that for thicker, crunchier, buckeresque sounds? Anybody got a Sinner out there? Are they as good as humbuckers?

Thanks, T...

Afghan Dave

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Putting a Humbucker in a 3 single coil Strat...
« Reply #1 on: July 17, 2005, 03:40:15 AM »
"There's more knowledge on these boards than there are necks under PhillyQ's bed"

Steve-Mr Pig 2U

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Putting a Humbucker in a 3 single coil Strat...
« Reply #2 on: July 17, 2005, 11:33:44 AM »
With some strats there is a swimming pool route under the pick guard allowing you to put any combination of pickups in, as long as you have the correct guard of course!
If it only has the routing for 3 single coils and you need to get it routed it shouldn't make any difference to the tone, it’s only a small piece of wood being removed. It shouldn't cost to much either, again because it’s only widening a hole out.
We can supply you with a HSS prewired guard too, so all you would have to do is solder two wires in and your done!

PhilKing

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Putting a Humbucker in a 3 single coil Strat...
« Reply #3 on: July 17, 2005, 02:00:07 PM »
If you are reasonably ok at woodworking you can open up the rout with a chisel and drill.  HB routs are not very deep, the legs and adjuster screws need the extra depth.  This bit can be done with the drill.

The only thing to watch it that you don't take away too much wood in front of the bridge.  Years ago I got a 63 strat that someone had 'upgraded' like this, but they had cut the rout back and the wood had split where the brdge screws went in.  In the end I junked the body and got a swampash replacement (also they had sanded the body with a sanding disc and hand painted it blue  :wallbash: ).  I still have the original 'snot green' guard cut for HSS, I keep thinking I will use it somewhere!

I love the sound of HSS sets, I have a NailBomb with 2 Trilogies and a more radical Crawler with 2 P-90's.  If you have the bathtub rout, then any pickup combination will work.
So many pickups, so little time

Tom

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Much appreciated...
« Reply #4 on: July 18, 2005, 02:53:34 PM »
Thanks for all that advice folks - I must say reading about those Sinners makes me not want to bother with a 'bucker at all; they sound amazing!
Having said that I still want an excuse to buy a BKP humbucker as they, obviously sound, but look awesome too! If I do decide on the HSS I don't trust myself to get it right so I'll get a pro to do it - any ideas on a reasonable price?

Whatever happens I've got to wait a couple of days before I get my Strat as I've still got to get my money back from the shocking ESP LTD Viper-50 I bought last week - a pile of cr@p! It's a real shame as I really wanted it to be great but was just rubbish. Hopefully I'll have it by next week!

Oh yeah, Steve - do you do left-handed pre-wired scratchplates, in black?

Thanks again everyone!

HJM

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Putting a Humbucker in a 3 single coil Strat...
« Reply #5 on: July 18, 2005, 02:57:25 PM »
Sounds like a job for Feline - pimp my axe.... :twisted:
Apache,VHII,Emerald,Nailbomb,MiracleMan,StormyMonday,BlackDog,Trilogy,Mothersmilk,Sultans+Sinner

Tom

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Putting a Humbucker in a 3 single coil Strat...
« Reply #6 on: July 18, 2005, 04:23:35 PM »
I was just checking out their site - dedicated to lefties, I'm impressed! Shame I missed the london guitar show...[/quote]

big steve

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Putting a Humbucker in a 3 single coil Strat...
« Reply #7 on: July 22, 2005, 11:26:00 PM »
i had a richwood sss strat that i made into HSS. it was a cheap guitar so i just got tore into it, drilling holes with a Dremel and hacking away with a chisel. i didnt geta new pickguard either, i just got tore into the old one with a stanley knife and a file... i mean, it's a bit of a rough job but i'm not too worried as it was a cheap axe. in general though, if it's a strat, it doesnt matter if the routing is a bit messy as the scratchplate covers it up anyway.

nice choice - i personally love my HSS
down from the glens came the marching men...

agileHORSE

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Putting a Humbucker in a 3 single coil Strat...
« Reply #8 on: August 31, 2005, 02:29:36 AM »
I am in a familiar situation as Tom but I have an older strat that I took all the electronics out of, all the paint off of and put danish oil on. Looks great but I am still deciding on whether I am gonna go HSH (Warpig, (not sure yet), Nailbomb or Miracle Man) or a HH pickguard (most likely Warpig and Nailbomb). Once I get the pickgaurd, what all will I have to do to put the HB(s) in?  I don't mean strictly wiring, but will they fit in the pickgaurd spots?  I know (well at least I think I do) that I will have to do some drilling but I am not sure to what extent with the pickgaurd on there.  

Since the wiring and pickups (thats being generous) were cr@p, I want to replace all that needs to be.  Should I just get a wiring bundle-type-thing from StewMac or Warmoth? or is there a better way to go in terms of quality? Anything would be helpful, thanks.

HJM

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Putting a Humbucker in a 3 single coil Strat...
« Reply #9 on: August 31, 2005, 08:57:09 AM »
Have you checked the body under the pickguard? You might be lucky and find a swimingpool route (a big hole that - if not leave the drill and get a router, or a repairer/luthier with one. It shouldn't be too expensive to creat the holes.

Electronics - I'd rip out the lot and fit CTS pots and switches, switchcraft jack. Stewmac, Warmoth, RS guitarworks and our very own BKP supply the parts.

You may want a Superswitch if you go for twin humbuckers, then you can do all sorts of coil tap options without push pull switches.

Hope that helps!
Apache,VHII,Emerald,Nailbomb,MiracleMan,StormyMonday,BlackDog,Trilogy,Mothersmilk,Sultans+Sinner

Bainzy

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Putting a Humbucker in a 3 single coil Strat...
« Reply #10 on: September 03, 2005, 12:58:41 AM »
I think mexican strats do have routing for a bridge humbucker - my SSS american series strat has routing for a neck and bridge humbucker if i want to fit them in there