Humbucker In A Strat

[ajax]

Any thoughts/recommendations on putting a humbucker in the bridge position of a strat? Looking to fatten up the sound a little. I am not terribly knowledgeable about what to look for as far as output relationships to the other pups. Any advice is appreciated.

[SwedishLuthier]

A HB is generally a bit hotter than a SC, so a mix of a low to medium output HB and medium to high output SCs are a good start if balancing the outputs are important. Something often overseen is the art of balancing output via adjusting the pickup height. You might think that is a nobrainer, but I had a customer in today with a nice sounding Tele with bad balance between neck and bridge pup. A quick tweek and the neck pickup were up and the sound/output balanced.

[ajax]

Thanks SL, I don't think anything Is a no brainer. I struggle with electronics and setups. I've only been building a few years and any advice is always appreciated.

[ansil]

what about something like a hot rail? and rip the single coil from bridge the neck pickup for a bit better balance

[SwedishLuthier]

Thanks SL, I don't think anything Is a no brainer. I struggle with electronics and setups. I've only been building a few years and any advice is always appreciated.

Good, I didn't know what level of electronics understanding you were on and didn't want to offend you...

Another thing to consider is the flexibility you have with a HB. The most common is to split it to have the option of a more SC sound via a switch or a push/pull pot. However there are a few more variations I would like to push (at least to experiment with, possibly also to gain some experiment with guitar electronics). There is something called "spin-a-split" and similar solutoions that let you seamless fade between full HB and SC sound from the same pickup. However if you manage to balance your HB and your SCs there is a good possibility that the split sound will be noticeable lower than the SCs you have. Then it might be a good idea to try a series/parallel swithc instead of a split. Normally the coils in a HB is connected in series, giving that slightly fatter, hotter sound compared to a SC. you can also connect the coils in parallel (like the position 2 and 4 on a Strat pickup selector). That will change the sound from the HB sound to something a bitt more SC-ish. It will also dropp the output a tad, but not nearly as much as a split and it is often a very good alternative for matching a HB to SCs in the bridge + middle position on a strat.

Seymore Duncan has a lot of schematics and is a good place to start:

http://www.seymourduncan.com/support/wiring-diagrams/

Guitarelectronics is another place

http://www.guitarelectronics.com/c=B1QXto9ceI3Wk8I9wDNw1QqZG/category/wiring_resources_guitar_wiring_diagrams/

and fot the more adventurous, DGB studios:

http://www.geocities.jp/dgb_studio/index_e.htm (some really odd things like variable mid cut filters without induction coils etc...)

[guitar2005]

What are the pickups you have in the guitar now? Its hard to suggest anything without knowing what's already in place.

[Workingman]

I modded an inexpensive Strat copy by putting a fairly hot HB in the bridge. I used a push pull pot to coil cut it to to single coil mode. It lives most of its life as a single coil and gets switched for leads when needed. Just a note, depending on the guitar, if I were goind to do it again I would use a mini switch rather than the push pull pot. The plastic pick gaurd on mine is fairly flexible and when I pull on the pot it distorts making it harder to pull.

[Prostheta]

"Spin-a-split"? You mean a volume control assigned exclusively to one coil of a humbucker pair? Fancy name for a semi-coil tap ;-)

An fun alternative is to use a tone control instead of a volume for a semi-coil tap. This cuts the highs from the dumped coil, gradually removing the cancellation of upper frequencies which brightens the sound "towards" a single coil whilst continuing to cancel the lower ones. This also has the added benefit of not being such a stark dark/bright contrast between a bucker and a single.

They are all worth experimenting with to see what suits your configuration best.

[SwedishLuthier]

"Spin-a-split"? You mean a volume control assigned exclusively to one coil of a humbucker pair? Fancy name for a semi-coil tap ;-)

Spin-a-split

[Prostheta]

Ah, old idea taken whose ownership has been taken by slapping a name on it. A semi coil tap it is then.

[ajax]

Thanks for input guys.

I don't have any pups for this build yet, just looking into my best options for it. I like Swedish luthiers suggestion/description of wiring the hb in parallel. I was looking this morning at JB jr. And thinking this might be a nice option. Also checked out the hot rails pup on YouTube which kinda sounded pretty metally. Looking for a warmer bluesy sound.

[SwedishLuthier]

Warm and bluesy: Pearly Gates or Seth Lover from Duncan, PAF from DiMarzio will probably all be good alternatives. Or I can wind you a custom pickup...

[Prostheta]

How do you rate the SD vs. DM PAF clones?

[SwedishLuthier]

Haven't had the opportunity to do a side-by-side comparison, but they are both OK, slightly lower output, slightly cleaner-in-a-good way sounding. To be honest it was quite some time ago I listened to either of them but I think the DiMarzio was slightly "warmer" sounding.

[Prostheta]

Cool. Looking for a covered nickel A2 PAF clone set or slightly hotter versions of. The SD Slash set would be great if they came covered (which changes them). LP for my wife's birthday in Jan.

Anyway, sorry to go OT there.

[guitar2005]

I don't recommend a Dimarzio PAF in the Strat. I think that the PAF Pro is a better pickup for a Strat.

The coil split is a definite plus in the Strat and for the middle/neck pickups, I'd get a medium/high output pair of single coils.

[SwedishLuthier]

Carl: PM me and I might be able to make something interesting

guitar2005, you are absolutely right, a four conductor pickup is of cause something to look for if you are going to split it(run it in parallel mode.

[Prostheta]

I'm hanging fire on these because I need to buy binding cutters, fret cauls, etc. first. Duh. should send this to PM. Now I'm even talking to myself.

[ansil]

i tried to reply earlier in the thread but interfacing with my phone was problematic for some reason. the whole parallel idea and switch to hb for leads is crushingly awesome btw. parallel hb was my main sound for a few years with a recessed push pull pot kicking into series hb for leads and more over-driven tones. if your going to be cutting the pick guard or getting a new one that is for a full size hum why not add in a hot rail sized pickup and a single coil to go with it. you get the rocking hot bridge hum that we all crave and still can get a true single coil sound in the in between settings. a simple mod can allow you to even hook it up to an emg81 style preamp [if that's your bag it is mine lol] and so you get the normal

5. neck

4. neck middle

3.middle

2.slightly askewed bridge sc and middle

1.bridge hum bucker only.

if you don't use the middle only position you can actually use a four way and make it simpler. it works really well, and you can use any of the hot rail cool rail whatever set it as high or low as you wish and its the most versatile system for a single coil style guitar i have seen.

just my .02.

or you could pull the bridge pickup and wind some more wire on it and re pot it.

oh i forgot to add a push push pot is a fantastic idea for strats and depending on your usage last for a long time. i had one on an 80's Yamaha that i beat to death and still worked when i sold it five years later.

[bob123]

Umm, pertinent questions that no one asked... what music are you playing? What amp(s)? Are you looking to get an actual humbucker, or do you want to get a single coil sized humbucker?