Pickups
You might want to check out guitarfetish.com for some decent noiseless pickups for way less than Fender. They also have 'Lil Killers that are twin blade single coil size rail humbuckers, and you can wire them to coil tap them so they work as single coils for the twang.
Also, a good processor multi pedal will probably have a twang setting to make your guitar sound highly countryish.
I had a guitarfetish 'Lil Killer in the bridge on a guitar and it was really neat, high gain. Like 17K. Probably about what your humbucker is. You can get a whole set and replace all three pickups.
Duffy
South Williamsport, Pa.
"So let us stop talking falsely now, the hour's getting late." (as by JH)