Dropping humbuckers in neck and middle position on a Stratocaster...

I'm debating dropping humbuckers in my neck and middle position on my Strat, but I'm not sure how it'll sound.

I love the single coil bridge, but I need a thicker rhythm sound, so I think the HBs will do that for me.

Anyone tried this or something similar?

Any input?

Never heard of a HHS setup before - usually HSH.

What are you using in the bridge now?

You could be really wacky and go S-H-S configuration!

Get a boost pedal instead of messing with the pickups...

Get a boost pedal instead of messing with the pickups...

That would be the best option. A Seymour Duncan Pickup Booster would be great.

Well, I already own the Humbuckers, so that'd be the cheaper option.

I'm debating doing an SSH setup (with a humbucker in the neck), instead of an SHH setup.

Never really looked into boost pedals though.

Well, I already own the Humbuckers, so that'd be the cheaper option.

I'm debating doing an SSH setup (with a humbucker in the neck), instead of an SHH setup.

Never really looked into boost pedals though.

Depending on what humbuckers they are, you could probably sell them and get the pickup booster. It's $80.

Well, I already own the Humbuckers, so that'd be the cheaper option.

I'm debating doing an SSH setup (with a humbucker in the neck), instead of an SHH setup.

Never really looked into boost pedals though.

I think that could be interesting. But I would probably miss the classic Strat neck and neck/middle tones. But if you've got the pickups, I'd say go ahead and try it. What matters is what sounds good to you.

I wouldn't route the body just to try it out. Quite a risk, as its very likely the bucker will be too loud and warm for the other two strat PUs to match well.

I've had a few teles with neck buckers, and they take a bit of thought and planning to get them sounding good, but even then I've put them back to stock, or in one case, used an Antiquity minibucker.

Head into a guitar store to see if any pedals to the trick...

I've got a humbucker in the neck of a Tele (with a Barden bridge pickup). I've had no problems getting the volume to balance, just used the recommend heights for each... then again, the Barden is a hotter pickup.

I've got a humbucker in the neck of a Tele (with a Barden bridge pickup). I've had no problems getting the volume to balance, just used the recommend heights for each... then again, the Barden is a hotter pickup.

Those Bardens are LOUD! :lol:

Your biggest problem is going to be magnetic string pull leading to ghost harmonic dissonance. You're going to have to lower the pickups so much that it will negate anything you are trying to accomplish.

Your biggest problem is going to be magnetic string pull leading to ghost harmonic dissonance. You're going to have to lower the pickups so much that it will negate anything you are trying to accomplish.

There are hundreds of strat type guitars out there with humbuckers in every possible position. I like the your idea. Here's a pic of Andy Fairweather Low with just two HB's in the bridge and middle and no neck pickup.

There's a reason he has 'em in the bridge and middle position. The neck position is where the strings are going to swing closest to the pickups.

Hey, I'm not saying don't try it. I'm just pointing out the largest possible problem.

Check out post' #17 and 33 in this (http://www.tdpri.com/forum/stratocaster-discussion-forum/166146-who-should-have-signature-strat-but-doesnt.html) thread...

I wound up going for the SSH today, and the sound is phenomenal.

In the neck only position, the sound is very harsh. These are hot humbuckers I have. With the middle blended it, it goes from bassy and hard to a very warm, round sound, and it totally kills the high end, which is what I was trying to do.

You do realize now you are obligated to show us pics, right?

You do realize now you are obligated to show us pics, right?

I could do a video or pics. Purely your choice.

*edit* Looks like a video will have to wait till tomorrow. My housemates are cranky about amps past 8pm. I need to find less cranky ones.

Pics, however, are available.

http://img14.imageshack.us/img14/8735/06232009404.jpg

http://img32.imageshack.us/img32/1541/06232009405.jpg

One of a kind for sure! Hit us with some audio or video when you can:)

Strange...it's usually the bridge position that most Strat-men opt for when installing 'buckers. Playing clubs in the 70's, I needed a thicker sound for stage, so I 'buckered my mahogany hard-tail bridge and neck. Then I put a Rick Toaster in the middle!!

I had a Strat set up like that - humbucker in neck only. Was pretty cool.

I recommend avoiding a standard humbucker in the middle position at all costs. They sound like crap (yes, I've tried it). A minihumbucker works well in the middle though, because it's more narrow and picks up the right quack frequencies to blend with neck and bridge.