H-S-H vs H-H

[GarrettS]

My guitar project planning is coming along. The body shape, which is the hard part for this project, is nearing completion of initial 3D draft. So, on to pickups…

H-S-H vs H-H

Switching from HSH 5 way to HH 3-way — it'd simplify switching sounds while playing. That can be challenging.

Why not? Can I still get roughly the same sounds?

Can H-H position 2, split neck get the power ballad sound? Would split humbucker get a single coil bridge and neck sound? How does a split humbucker compare with a single coil?

The middle pickup can tend to get in the way with picking. It's only slightly annoying. But it is slightly annoying.

 

In my 5-way HSH strat, I use positions 1, 4, 5, and sometimes 3. 

1) Neck: Punchy neck leads

3) Neck split + Middle: Hendrixy leads / less gain

4) Bridge split + middle: Power ballad ("Pull me Under", "Wind of Change")

5) Bridge: Rock chords (AC/DC) Metal riffs (Maiden, Ozzy). leads.

I also want better clean tones with piezos and I don't know if that will work in the Sophia bridge I'm planning on putting in it. Probably should go in a separate thread

[GarrettS]

I guess the other question would be which pickups to use to get these sounds. I've used Air Norton, True Velvet, Tone Zone. The guitar I'm designing has a large chamber cavity with a small soundhole on the body. It will probably use roasted swamp ash with a maple cap with a 1mm layer of cocobolo middle layer.