Author Topic: Best humbucker for an HSS Strat (Read 9969 times)

froglord · « **on:** March 21, 2007, 09:35:09 PM »

Just suppose for a moment that you have an HSS Strat with an alder body, maple neck/fingerboard, stainless steel frets, and a lovely pair of Apaches.

No, I don't have one either.

What humbucker would you put in there to get good rock tones, but also to split well with the middle Apache in position 2?

I've already got a pair of Mules, so I'm after something different. WarrenTrucks' Stormy Monday demo in the Players section sounds excellent, but I'm wondering if this is hot enough. Problem is, the VHII sounds a bit sizzly for my tastes, the Riff Raff seems quite mid-focused, and the Black Dog ... well, I never did like Page's tone on "Black Dog".

Any hotter and I'm worried about losing compatibility with the Apaches, so anyone who says "Warpig" will have to face the "rolling eyes" smiley!

PhilKing · « **Reply #1 on:** March 21, 2007, 10:48:56 PM »

For my HSS rosewood neck strat, I went with Rebel Yell and 2 Mothers Milks. This was Tim's reccomendation, so I went with it. For a maple neck, the RY might be a bit bright, but I bet a Crawler will work great.

Peter Antal · « **Reply #2 on:** March 21, 2007, 11:22:00 PM »

That's a tough one... with an Abraxas or Crawler position 1 will be louder than the other positions but position 2 will be really nice when the HB is split. On the other hand with a Stormy Monday the balance will be perfect but position 2 might sound rather weak. :?

What about a Mississipi Queen with Alnico III? :)

Canadian Steve · « **Reply #3 on:** March 22, 2007, 12:32:08 AM »

You could get a Stormy Monday bridge and 2 underwound Apaches.

Adam.M · « **Reply #4 on:** March 22, 2007, 07:55:37 AM »

Warpig!

:lol:

froglord · « **Reply #5 on:** March 22, 2007, 10:49:24 AM »

Quote from: Adam.M

Warpig!

:lol:

Right, you asked for it:

:roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll:

Antag · « **Reply #6 on:** March 22, 2007, 11:06:06 AM »

Holy Diver

Yes, it's a hot pickup, but it sounds fantastic in alder & despite being capable of murderously heavy riffage also has a wonderful clean sound.

I have the HD/Irish Tour set, never tried Apaches, but are the ITs really that much lower output?

FWIW, my other strat has a Miracle Man with 2 Sultans' - yes there's a very big jump in volume when switching to the bridge :lol: & if I bought it again I'd get the MM/Trilogy set, or perhaps Slowhands (actually, I wonder if Slowhands might go really well with an HD), but it's not unusable...

froglord · « **Reply #7 on:** March 22, 2007, 11:08:13 AM »

Thanks for the suggestions, guys. To be honest, I'm dithering over whether I want a maple or rosewood fretboard (I'm thinking about a custom build). To get the traditional Strat sound it seems Apaches are best for maple, while Mother's Milks are great for rosewood.

The MMs seem to offer more compatibility with humbuckers (I know that the MM/MM/Crawler combination is a favourite of Tim's), but I'm tempted by maple because I find rosewood a bit rough as a playing surface. Unless, of course, I can get it built with a really smooth slab of rosewood.

Hmm ... Decisions, decisions!

Phil, the Rebel Yell sounds interesting. Do you know what its DC resistance is?

Kilby · « **Reply #8 on:** March 22, 2007, 11:32:12 AM »

Quote from: froglord

The MMs seem to offer more compatibility with humbuckers (I know that the MM/MM/Crawler combination is a favourite of Tim's), but I'm tempted by maple because I find rosewood a bit rough as a playing surface. Unless, of course, I can get it built with a really smooth slab of rosewood.

Hmm ... Decisions, decisions!

If you are going custom you could always consider Ebony (just to complicate matters) ;)

PhilKing · « **Reply #9 on:** March 22, 2007, 11:44:16 AM »

Quote from: froglord

Phil, the Rebel Yell sounds interesting. Do you know what its DC resistance is?

The bridge is 14.7K (I think - mine were early sets, but I am pretty certain that they were the final version).

froglord · « **Reply #10 on:** March 22, 2007, 11:47:51 AM »

Quote from: Kilby

If you are going custom you could always consider Ebony (just to complicate matters) ;)

Sadist!

I think ebony is too bright for a traditional strat sound, although now you've got me wondering if Pau Ferro would be a good idea...

Curse you!

Kilby · « **Reply #11 on:** March 22, 2007, 12:04:42 PM »

Quote from: froglord

Sadist!

I think ebony is too bright for a traditional strat sound, although now you've got me wondering if Pau Ferro would be a good idea...

Curse you!

Yeah I was born evil,

I never could quite like rosewood for some reason, possibly as most rosewood guitars I owned where from the cheaper end of the market :(

Though personally I prefer the feel of a lacquered fingerboard which usually means Maple, which includes my SG (yes SG) & my sons wolfgang, though I have lacquered rosewood on my Ric, which feels real good.

The Eggle I have is Ebony and it's very bright indeed, but it still has the Kent Armstrongs in it which are notoriously bright !

I'm gonna have to speak to Tim for reccomendations once I get some enthusiasm and cash together.

It would be nice to see a guitar with something other than maple or rosewood fingerboards (sounds like a fashion statement)

froglord · « **Reply #12 on:** March 22, 2007, 12:56:15 PM »

Quote from: Kilby

Quote from: froglord
The Eggle I have is Ebony and it's very bright indeed, but it still has the Kent Armstrongs in it which are notoriously bright !

I had Kent Armstrongs in my Eggle (Berlin) and yes, I agree, it was a very bright guitar. The Alnico IV Mules have transformed it. Take the plunge! Stick in some BKPs!

On the Pau Ferro front, it seems like it's slightly brighter than maple, but much less than ebony, while retaining ebony's smoothness. Sounds interesting. The fact that Suhr guitars particularly recommend it with an alder body makes me sit up and take notice.

I've been listening to some Rebel Yell clips - sounds to me like one of the most balanced BKPs. Not too much sizzle, no mid-hump, lots of grunt for rock tones, but a sweet clean tone too. Tempting!

Kilby · « **Reply #13 on:** March 22, 2007, 01:14:33 PM »

Quote from: froglord

On the Pau Ferro front, it seems like it's slightly brighter than maple, but much less than ebony, while retaining ebony's smoothness. Sounds interesting. The fact that Suhr guitars particularly recommend it with an alder body makes me sit up and take notice.

I've been listening to some Rebel Yell clips - sounds to me like one of the most balanced BKPs. Not too much sizzle, no mid-hump, lots of grunt for rock tones, but a sweet clean tone too. Tempting!

Heh I just posted about pickup options, as I was worried that the Mules may still be too bright

The Pau Ferro sounds like a nice combination (do companys other than Ric offer lacquered rosewood which really does feel the business). Hmmm alder (alder / ash, ash / alder I just can't decide).

I have totally fallen in love with the RYs with the Steve Stevens and Hunters clips. Though I think those may suit my sons Wolfgang more than the eggle (Grrrrr damn you Eggle). Though I do know where there is a nice all mahogany Berlin for sale (damn you again eggle)

Rob...

horsehead · « **Reply #14 on:** March 22, 2007, 04:52:49 PM »

If you have a strat I don't think that you can have anything except a rosewood neck for a humbucker at the bridge, everything else just sounds too treble-ly. The stormy monday would be my bet....but then again I'm new here, so what do I know :lol: