Humbucker recommendations for HSS Strat?

  • I need recommendations on replacing an OEM ceramic humbucker (11.5 ohms) on a cheapo strat. This is for rock and heavy metal use. I'll probably switch out the ceramic neck and middle pups for some Seymour Duncan SSL alnico singles.


    I was going to sell the strat but I really like the guitar and it has sentimental value, so I am thinking of doing some upgrades on it --locking tuners, brass trem block. etc. and save it for a studio/practice guitar. The strat has a poplar body, maple neck, rosewood fingerboard - 12'' radius with narrow tall frets, and 9's for strings, synth bone nut, 2-point trem, and block saddles. I just love snuggling up to it.


    I'm looking into a Seymour Duncan JB, (I like this pickup a lot but have one already in my other HH strat), and would be using 250k pots for the cheapo strat. Any other suggestions and why?

    Larry Mar @ Lonegun Studios. Neither one famous yet.

    Edited once, last by BayouTexan ().

  • I like the JB in mahogany body guitars, but, I prefer the Duncan Custom Custom in a Strat. For me, it is a little smoother, with not quite as much gain. But, you can move it closer to the strings to volume match it with a JB.


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  • If you want to try something that could really take it to the next level, contact Lindy Fralin. I have done this twice. He will ask questions about the woods in the guitar, the type of sound you are looking for as well as your expected results and possibly some things you don't like about what it has now. He will wind you up some custom pickups. If you get them and you don't like them, you can send them back with a description of what you don't like and he will rewind them to resolve those issues and all it will cost will be the shipping to get them back to him. He hit is out of the park both times on the ones I had him do.


    I had him do a full set wired up on a pickguard for a start with his blues specials and a blender pot in it. He tailored them a little for me and put a metal base plate on the bridge pickup. He also put a smaller capacitor on the tone control for me after I told him what I didn't like about the tone controls on most guitars. They were fantastic.


    The other set I had him do were to put in a PRS Swamp Ash Special. I wanted better split tones from the guitar. He wound me up a set of his Unbuckers. Man, they did exactly what I wanted. I got great split sounds out of those pickups without the volume loss you typically get from splitting a humbucker.


    I had great experiences with him the two times I made the decision to call him.

  • JEverly I don't think I going that far on this strat. I'm looking for something already made and proven by other artist that is relatively inexpensive.


    I think a SD JB with 250k pots on poplar body will work, and I have experience with that HB already.


    I also like the SD TB-11 that paults is talking about and the TB-5 (but this one is ceramic).


    I need the TB or F-spaced version for the bridge with trem spacing and SD is out-of-stock on most of their TremBucker models.


    Ideally, I would like a cross between a JB and a Burstbucker.

    Larry Mar @ Lonegun Studios. Neither one famous yet.

  • I like to buy production model Duncans used - they will pretty much always be worth what you pay for them.

    I might have to look at Reverb.com or just wait until people go back to work and start making things again... :rolleyes:

    Larry Mar @ Lonegun Studios. Neither one famous yet.

  • the L500XL is a fun pickup and much more versatile than people think
    https://www.wildepickups.com/p…00?variant=32504736120894

    SD Invader is another great pickup - huge midrage, not all-around, but a good color to have IMO


    JB is always a solid choice, I have one in a Framus Diablo Custom, but with the magnet swapped for an AlNiCo II


    or maybe consider a Duesenberg Domino P90 in a humbucker housing
    https://www.rockinger.com/en/p…08/duesenberg-domino?c=83

  • I've now got Tom Anderson pickups in most of my electrics and they're definitely the best humbuckers I've tried. I've also got TV Jones and Kinmans for single coils, which I love.

    I swapped out the SD Alnico II set in my Yamaha SG2000 with Anderson H series and the results were great. Much more balanced, punchy and clear.

  • If I put a Burstbucker into a bridge with trem spacing will I get weird worbbling tone by the strings not being dead center of the pole pieces? Didn't EVH do something like that?

    Larry Mar @ Lonegun Studios. Neither one famous yet.

  • I put a EVH Frankie in an old Strat I had… sounded great, kinda pricey though. Not very high gain, but very articulate and enough juice for what your wanting to play.

    Seymour Duncan has the '78 at $160 US. But I want the strat to retain some of it's "stratiness". I think the 78 is more of a one-trick pup. I plan to buy a EVH bumblebee whenever they get re-stocked anyway. It's really aggravating trying to pick one out. I have my choice narrowed down to 4. :|

    Larry Mar @ Lonegun Studios. Neither one famous yet.

  • JB is a great choice. Got one in my strat, and it really sound great if splitted in single coil also.


    I know there’s a ton a great pickups but the jb always been the more versatile for me.

  • Pickups are a personal choice, like guitars. My choice is the JB. But, a guitar with a Black Winter came into my place for a setup, and I was impressed. Like a JB, with more pronounced mids. A nice pickup. I might get one to put in one of my guitars.

    The Black Winter in bridge is one of the best and versatile humbucker on the market imo. It cleans up nicely when rolling down the volume pot and sounds very, very good split too.


    Because it has really high output I developed a "low output" mod (L-Pad, voltage divider circuit).

    Volume drop is about 6db, but pickup still sees same load (2x500k pots).


    This is my main tone. And the standard output now acts like a 6db (passive) boost.

    Edited once, last by Ibot39 ().

  • Yeah I’ll way in here, JB in a SSH = no complaints, had it in a couple of strats over the years, solid.

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  • I have used dimarzio evo 2, and also JB on the bridge for quite some time, the Evo 2 clears wonderfully in a strat, and it is driven enough for high gain, but the JB sounds more chunky and powerful. It all depends what you want. In the end I stopped using Humbuckers in my strats after I put a EJ fender set on, the bridge single coil is astounding.


    Lastly, something to truly consider if you dont mind extra wiring, fishman fluence modern are all around SICK pups, any of the voicings, I used the neck in the bridge position with great results, because both voicings sounded too agressive in the bridge one, but so far I was impressed. Thise fluece ended in my schecter c1 fr, while my strat has again SSS config.

    The answer is 42

  • I've narrowed down my choices to a JB (TB-4) or a Custom-Custom (TB-11). Leaning more to the TB-11 because it has slightly boosted mids and not so boomy low end as the JB, plus reviews say it goes well with 250k pots which is what I'm using. I have a JB in my Charvel already and works great but I don't necessary want that same sound in another guitar.


    I think I have studied every HB that Seymour Duncan has, and I am like done with these comparisons!!! LOL. Very exhausting.

    Larry Mar @ Lonegun Studios. Neither one famous yet.