Strat: Sss To Hss Conversion
Mudbone
Sep 5 2011, 08:58 PM
Learning Apprentice Player
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Hey Ivan I noticed you have a Strat with a humbucker in the bridge, did that come stock or did you install it at a later time? I plan on installing a humbucker and new single coils in my Strat, and was hoping you could offer some insight. I have a Seymour Duncan JB in a lawsuit Les Paul that I'm going to install in the Strat, but I'm not sure if its going to fit. Its the SH-4 variety, which is narrower than the TB-4. From what I understand the TB-4 is meant for guitars equipped with a Floyd Rose trem, but I'm not sure if its also for all tremolo equipped guitars. Have you had any experience installing a regular spaced SD pickup in a Strat?

My goal for this guitar is to make it versatile for many styles, such as metal, blues, and cleans. It will have a moderately hot bridge humbucker for metal stuff and low output single coils for bluesy stuff and cleans. Imbalanced? Yes, but thats kinda the way I want it biggrin.gif Also, do you have any experience with shielding the guitar cavity?

Anybody else that has some experience with this, please feel free to chime in biggrin.gif

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Ivan Milenkovic
Sep 6 2011, 04:46 PM
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From: Belgrade, Serbia
Hey mate,

If you have the SH4 version, then not sure what you can do really. You can try to put it into a strat, but the pole pieces won't match the strings. This should alter the tone a bit. How much? Dunno really, one way to find out smile.gif Be sure that you can match the screw holes on the pickup plate with the screw holes on the pickguard.

If you want to convert to HSS, you will need a HSS mask first. You can modify your SSS mask, although I recommend buying HSS one. Be careful when buying, because not all HSS masks are the same. If you can afford original Fender HSS mask, do it. If not you can try with some other masks. I bought a Chinese HSS black mask, and had to modify the "H" hole quite a bit, and to do shielding with a copper foil. It's not hard to do the shielding, but if you get fender one, you can be sure that it is shielded and that it has proper dimensions and holes in it.

I think that combo will work quite nicely, despite the output difference. You will just need to set the pole distances properly. Should note that humbucker in the strat on bridge position will never sound "big". It will inherit some of the twangy strat vibe, and it will sound mid-focused. Low end is lacking. Anyway, it's definitely better to have hum in the bridge, then single, so if you can do it - do it. You can do it yourself if you want, or you can take it to a guitar tech. Usually they can do it for very little money these days, and do it professionally. I did it myself, but did very clumsy job compared to a professional soldering job smile.gif


No experience in shielding a guitar cavity, just did a pickguard shielding job, but there are tons of tutorials out there, it's not hard. If you have the will to do it, and can find proper materials, it can be nice experience smile.gif

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This post has been edited by Ivan Milenkovic: Sep 6 2011, 04:49 PM


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Mudbone
Sep 6 2011, 06:35 PM
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Posts: 1.750
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From: Charlotte, NC (residence)/Boston, MA (home) USA
QUOTE (Ivan Milenkovic @ Sep 6 2011, 11:46 AM) *
If you have the SH4 version, then not sure what you can do really. You can try to put it into a strat, but the pole pieces won't match the strings. This should alter the tone a bit. How much? Dunno really, one way to find out smile.gif Be sure that you can match the screw holes on the pickup plate with the screw holes on the pickguard.


I should've thought of this before, but I just measured the pole pieces on the JB, and it almost matches up with the strings, I think it will be off by just a little bit. So you're probably right, it could alter the tone a little bit, we'll see biggrin.gif

QUOTE
If you want to convert to HSS, you will need a HSS mask first. You can modify your SSS mask, although I recommend buying HSS one. Be careful when buying, because not all HSS masks are the same. If you can afford original Fender HSS mask, do it. If not you can try with some other masks. I bought a Chinese HSS black mask, and had to modify the "H" hole quite a bit, and to do shielding with a copper foil. It's not hard to do the shielding, but if you get fender one, you can be sure that it is shielded and that it has proper dimensions and holes in it.


I actually have a friend thats going to give me an original fender pickguard in exchange for a bottle of Arrogant Bastard Ale, so thats taken care of wink.gif


QUOTE
I think that combo will work quite nicely, despite the output difference. You will just need to set the pole distances properly. Should note that humbucker in the strat on bridge position will never sound "big". It will inherit some of the twangy strat vibe, and it will sound mid-focused. Low end is lacking. Anyway, it's definitely better to have hum in the bridge, then single, so if you can do it - do it.


This is exactly the kinda feedback I was looking for biggrin.gif I actually want it to still have that Strat twang, just a beefy twang with no hum. I also want it to have a strong midrange, so these are good things to hear. As far as the lack of bottom end thump, I have another guitar thats mahogany with EMG's for that type of stuff wink.gif Its funny how a Strat will always sound like a Strat, my buddy put an EMG 81 in his Strat and it still had that twang going on lool



You are at GuitarMasterClass.net


Don't miss today's free lick. Plus all our lessons are packed with free content!

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--------------------


He who laughs last thinks slowest.

"That which can be asserted without evidence, can be dismissed without evidence." - Christopher Hitchens


Gear:

Guitars: Uncle Rufus' Twanger Classic
Amps: Mississippi Boom Box
Mojo: Hammer of Odin and a pair of Ox gonads
Inspiration: Samuel Adams Boston Lager

Zero to Hero: 1,387/10,000

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Ivan Milenkovic
Sep 6 2011, 09:34 PM
Instructor
Posts: 25.396
Joined: 20-November 07
From: Belgrade, Serbia
QUOTE (Mudbone @ Sep 6 2011, 07:35 PM) *
I actually have a friend thats going to give me an original fender pickguard in exchange for a bottle of Arrogant Bastard Ale, so thats taken care of wink.gif

Hahha, that seems like a fair deal biggrin.gif

QUOTE (Mudbone @ Sep 6 2011, 07:35 PM) *
This is exactly the kinda feedback I was looking for biggrin.gif I actually want it to still have that Strat twang, just a beefy twang with no hum. I also want it to have a strong midrange, so these are good things to hear. As far as the lack of bottom end thump, I have another guitar thats mahogany with EMG's for that type of stuff wink.gif Its funny how a Strat will always sound like a Strat, my buddy put an EMG 81 in his Strat and it still had that twang going on lool

Then you're all set mate, the strat is waiting to get reborn biggrin.gif EMG in strat? That should sound weird smile.gif I've seen couple of these, but never had the chance to play it. Well, the twang is a construction thing, so it's always there. But with a nice amp, it will always rock no doubt smile.gif

Good luck mate, let us know how it turn out, maybe post some pics smile.gif



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- (Please subscribe to my) YouTube Official Channel
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