HSS Strat with SSS Tone?

[pf400]

Wondering whether there exists a Strat that has a humbucker pickup plus two single coils, but with some kind of configuration wherein one can get all the usual quacky tones that SSS provides. In other words, a strat with all of the tones of a MIA SSS, but with a good Gibson-like humbucker for hard rock and metal. Best of both worlds.

[Paleolith54]

Originally Posted by pf400

Wondering whether there exists a Strat that has a humbucker pickup plus two single coils, but with some kind of configuration wherein one can get all the usual quacky tones that SSS provides. In other words, a strat with all of the tones of a MIA SSS, but with a good Gibson-like humbucker for hard rock and metal. Best of both worlds.

Do Google searches for "Stratocaster with coil tap", that should get you started. I don't know if Fender has a regular-production HSS strat with coil tap, but they are quite common and easy to install or have installed. How good is it? Depends on the pickup and your ear, anywhere from terrible to just as good as a regular SSS.

Now if you look at strat-like guitars from Suhr, Anderson, and others like that my experience is that any HSS they make will already have a coil-tap switch, and will sound just like a regular SSS to all but the most discerning ear. Certainly, for gigging vs the studio, I think a good coil tap is equal.

You'll find purists who say you need two guitars, that you can't get there with any HSS. I don't agree, but that doesn't mean I'm right!

[Dru Edwards]

Like Paleo mentioned (^), you just need a humbucker with a coil tap switch. It's a simple mod. I've wired that in one of my guitars (my Frankenstrat I assembled). There may be a stock Fender model like that. If not, you could always get it done by a tech.

[LouieAtienza]

Well you can also mount two single coils in the bridge position, wire them out of phase so together they hum-cancel, yet you get a true single-coil if need be. I do my "coil taps" on the coil farther from the bridge because I like the sound better, but I try to use 4-wire humbuckers to make wiring easy...

[guitarlifestyle]

Suhr makes their HSS guitars in this configuration. When you're in position two, it's the bridge humbucker split with the middle singe coil. But, when you're in position 1, it's full humbucker. Very nice configuration.

[Comfort Player]

Look for an HSS Fender with S-1 switching. This is Fender's coil splitting fat strat. I own one and it is an extremely versatile guitar.

Something like this, but there are Mexican and USA models available.

Sweetwater HSS Strat with S-1 Switching

[Paleolith54]

[QUOTE=Comfort Player;5163639]Look for an HSS Fender with S-1 switching. This is Fender's coil splitting fat strat. I own one and it is an extremely versatile guitar.

Something like this, but there are Mexican and USA models available.

[URL="http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/StratDHSSMTS?adpos=1o1&creative=55280229001&device =c&matchtype=&network=g&product_id=StratDHSSMTS&gc lid=CJ_97OOogdECFQppfgode00D6A"]

Although the Sweetwater HSS Strat description says the S1 switching "...unlocks classic Strat chime...", it's not clear that it is a coil tap. From the Fender home page, in their description of S1 switching on an HSS Strat, it says the following:

The S-1 switch offers five additional pickup wiring options when engaged:

Position one: all three pickups wired in series
Position two: bridge and middle pickups wired in series
Position three: middle and neck pickups wired in series
Position four: bridge and neck pickups wired out of phase, with a special tone capacitor
Position five: bridge and middle pickups wired in series and out of phase, in parallel with neck pickup

Maybe the humbucker is in fact split in position 2 and they simply don't say so, I don't really know, but I'm just saying it's not all that clear to me that you're getting a split coil in position 2. Said differently, it's not clear that you're getting single coils in the bridge and middle position combined to be out of phase (the classic Strat position 2).

Of course if it sounds good, who really cares?

[Northward]

Check out a Charvel San Dimas 2016 Pro Mod. I suspect these are better quality instruments for money as 'headstock logo charge' are low, and these wouldn't sell if they wheren't good guitars. (Fender probably owns Charvel..)

Not the excact PU configuration that you seek, but this demo shows the diversity of sounds.
https://youtu.be/XIfWlAC_-Y4?t=1m13s

4 PU set up:
http://www.charvel.com/guitars/selec...w-blind-satin/

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[s2y]

I have some very old Kramer Pacers with a JB at the bridge and a coil splitter that sound really nice. I almost don't need to get a true SSS strat.

[blue]

It's amazing what you can get for $800. It's also amazing that they don't charge $835 and give you a hard case

That Fender looks very nice.

[guitararmy]

Depending on your budget, Tom Anderson guitars can be optioned with parellel/split switches for their humbuckers instead of a 5-way switch.

[redir]

I've done this mod many many times and in fact own a modded HSH strat that can be coil tapped to SSS. No matter what though a coil tapped pickup configuration is still never going to sound just like an SSS Start... It just doesn't. But for most people it's close enough and having the humbucker is worth it.