Fender Strat HSS vs SSS

[ZMAN]

I have several Strats with various single coil pickups. I am finding that I pick up my HB guitars more and more lately. All of my Strats are in the SSS (three single coil) configuration and I was wondering what difference in tone and versatility the HSS (one HB and 2 singles) would make. I have even thought of two HBs on a Strat as well. I had a Tele FMT and I liked the tone but did not like the guitar.
I was wondering what you guys feel are the pros and cons of having an HSS, Or HH Strat. Keep in mind I have the SSS thing covered.
If you know what the Specific names of the pickups are in the HB position on the Fenders I would like to know that and how you rate those as well.

[hubberjub]

I swapped out all of the pickups on my 1991 American Standard. It now has a Seymour Duncan Lil' 59 in the bridge, Vintage Rail in the Middle, and a Cool Rail in the neck. I have Duncan 59s in two of my Gibson style guitars and I like them, but in the Strat I can't stand it. It has no definition. It's just muddy and looses all of the Strat character. The other two pickups sound alright though.

[marnold]

I never much liked the Strat bridge pickup, so an HSS has always made sense to me. Plus. I tend to play heavier stuff which almost demands a bridge humbucker. My Dinky is HH (JB and Jazz) which I like a lot. My old HSS Floyd had a Screamin' Demon at the bridge which I liked quite a bit. It also mixed nicely with the middle single coil. I've discovered that I like the sound of humbuckers more than single coils, so that's my direction. That's a personal preference, nothing more.

[ZMAN]

I started looking around at the various HSS and HH Strats available. Lo and behold the Fender Blacktop Strat. A new Edition at only 449 from MF.
Looks like exactly what I was looking for. The black on black with the maple board looks really cool.

[Katastrophe]

I've got the HSS setup for my Standard Strat. It's the best compromise for me, for that guitar. For distorted tones, I have the bridge pup. For the bridge/middle position, the bridge pup is split, giving me the "quack" that sounds great with clean settings. All the other positions are standard, and I just love the sound of the neck single coil with a clean or slightly overdriven tone.

I really want to try out the Blacktops, too. Duncan Designed pups are great in general (at least in the guitars I've tried), and I'll bet that they sound better than the stock Fender ceramics in the MIMs.

[Ch0jin]

Yup on on the humbucker bandwagon myself.

I swapped out the standard PU's in my Squier Strat for a GFS Fat PAF in the bridge and a Dimarzio Chopper (single spaced HB) I had lying about in the neck.

The closest I come to singles at the moment are P90's, but they aren't in a Fender type guitar..

[ZMAN]

I've got the HSS setup for my Standard Strat. It's the best compromise for me, for that guitar. For distorted tones, I have the bridge pup. For the bridge/middle position, the bridge pup is split, giving me the "quack" that sounds great with clean settings. All the other positions are standard, and I just love the sound of the neck single coil with a clean or slightly overdriven tone.

I really want to try out the Blacktops, too. Duncan Designed pups are great in general (at least in the guitars I've tried), and I'll bet that they sound better than the stock Fender ceramics in the MIMs.
That is the first I have heard that they are Duncan Design pickups. Where did you get that info? I have been trying to find out what pickups they were.

[markb]

HSS for me. Position 1 & 2 are different. Not so good clean (imo) but better driven.

I was demonstrating the range available from an HSS strat to a beginner friend the other day with his copy and Peavey Transtube amp. I was surprised with what I could get out of the gain channel just using the guitar controls and we're talking cheapo copy with ceramic pickups.

Pickups in mine now are two stock mid 90's Fender sc and a Dimarzio Super Distortion for Strat. Tone controls are connected to the neck sc and the humbucker. I've been through at least 4 bridge pickups in this guitar. I found the stock sc too thin, a Duncan SSL-6 was nice but not quite the sound I was after and a Duncan JB Jr was just too bright. The SDS is working well.

[Katastrophe]

That is the first I have heard that they are Duncan Design pickups. Where did you get that info? I have been trying to find out what pickups they were.


I had read something about them using DDs when they first came out. Fender's site and MF both only say "hot overwound alnico" pickups. Curious.

Sorry for any misinformation.

[ZMAN]

I had read something about them using DDs when they first came out. Fender's site and MF both only say "hot overwound alnico" pickups. Curious.

Sorry for any misinformation.
Not saying they are not DD pickups. I was curious as to what pickups they were. I have seen quite a few guitars from Fender recently with either sss or hbs by Duncan Design. The HBs I have in a Fender Master series Esprit are said to be a Jazz and JB, and they are killer pickups.
I find it really hard to find information on OEM pickups from Fender. I thought you might have read somewhere, that they were DDs
I am doing some research on them and I will try to find out for sure.
Update: I found an article by Premier Guitar, about the introduction of the series and it does state that the pickups in the Jazzmaster are a Duncan design single and HBs.
They don't mention the pickups in the other guitars other than hot alnico, but I bet they are DD.

[Katastrophe]

Sweet! :happy

[marnold]

FWIW, Duncan Designed pickups usually say that very thing on them.

*Edit* but those have chrome covers. Oh well.

[MAXIFUNK]

I have 1 HSS and 2 SSS strats.

I think its a total different beast with that HB at the bridge you can get as dirty as you want. But that #2 spot on the 5 way switch on the SSS clean or crunchy is still one of my favorites tones/sounds of any guitar setup around.
So I would say they both have their merits depending on your vibe and tonal needs for any given moment.