HH Strat, Thoughts ?

[jebbo]

What do you guys think of HH Strats ? I have a Gibson SG Special, but I just don't like the feel of it. I prefer maple fretboard, one volume knob, a neck with a curve to it. (The SG's neck is wide and flat, I find it uncomfortable.) I have the SG for trade, and I was looking for an american strat. I found a guy who builds partscasters, mostly strats. He said he could build a strat to my specs, and I give him the SG. I already have a S/HS tele (Splitable humbucker in the bridge), and an SSS strat. My original plan was to have him build me another SSS strat and use my current one for slide, but I think an HH would be pretty good. That way I still have my humbucker sound, but the feel of a Fender. What do think about HH Strats ?

BTW, pics of your HH strat would help give me some ideas as to what I want built.

[mlove3]

some would say it's sacrilege to mess with the classic strat setup. Not me, I had a HH strat when I played more hard rock in the big 80s and loved that sucker. If it works for you it's worth it.

[HWY1Strat]

I, personally, prefer the HSS format.
All the classic Strat sounds of positions 2 through 5 are there AND you have the power/chunk of a humbucker in the bridge!
I was never a fan of humbucking neck pickups.....

[dog fart]

If you're more comfortable playing a Strat and you want the HH of your SG. Get the HH Strat and don't worry about the approval of others. There was a time I wouldn't have typed that but I'm mellowing as I age.

My only other advice would be to take your time and save the money or collect the parts for your Strat. A used Strat works for this to. That way you can raise the action on the SG and have a slide monster.

[roadkillbill]

A couple mij Squier strats from the '80s, one HSS, one HH, both 24 3/4 scale..the red one's got Seymour Duncans, the black one's stock...

[RevMike]

I wasn't really looking for one when I came upon mine. But it caught my eye in the store at a price that was rediculous. I have a Fender Blacktop Strat with a Floyd Rose. The cool thing about it is that the 2 and 4 positions on the 5 position switch allow for single coil tones. So it is a really versitile guitar. I have never been a Strat guy really (I don't hate them, just prefer Teles and LP's) but I find myself reaching for this guy quite a bit lately.

[Nub]

I put together one just to see if I'd like it, as I've been playing my LP a lot lately. DiMarzio 36th Anniversary PAFs, 3-way switch, 1 vol & 2 tone... I'm really liking it:

[Zillinois]

I'm pretty fond of mine, through it's been rebuilt, with splitters on both pickups...
Smokie

[dog fart]

Hey Nub, how do you like those Dimarzio PAFs? Sorry for the derail, we'll be back on track shortly.

[adjason]

I would be nervous to have a "partscaster" built just from the resale alone. As to HH strats I have never had one, but check out Jimmy Herring -he plays one in widespread panic and makes it sound really good

[trev333]

some HH candy... ..short lived....

I used the buckers in another build.. so this black beck is back to an SSS noiseless tort PG...

the HH chrome on black looks kinda cool though, and has lots of space,

[jebbo]

Originally Posted by adjason

I would be nervous to have a "partscaster" built just from the resale alone. As to HH strats I have never had one, but check out Jimmy Herring -he plays one in widespread panic and makes it sound really good

The resale doesn't worry me. I plan to have this guitar as a keeper. I love widespread panic, that's actualy where I got the idea of an HH Strat. I'm actualy having second thoughts though. I might go for a second Tele. I realy love those 52 style Teles. The HH is still a possibility though. I'll just have to talk to the guy.

[paulblackford]

Not technically HH, because the neck pup is a actually single coil. Hardtail, too. The Stets is top mounted. My favorite gweeter.

[Hiker]

It occurs to me that if you're not already playing a guitar with two humbuckers, this one may sit around too much (if you get an HH).

My first was a Les Paul copy, and it's great to play but it's second fiddle to my single coil guitars. Make sure you're wanting it to play, and not simply because it's different. A guitar that sits too much is a terrible waste.

[jebbo]

Originally Posted by Hiker

It occurs to me that if you're not already playing a guitar with two humbuckers, this one may sit around too much (if you get an HH).

My first was a Les Paul copy, and it's great to play but it's second fiddle to my single coil guitars. Make sure you're wanting it to play, and not simply because it's different. A guitar that sits too much is a terrible waste.

I hear you. I definetly prefer single coils. I think I'll probably end up with a Tele. I like the HH idea, but it would probably be the "extra" guitar. I don't want it to sit around.

[ValveFan]

Originally Posted by jebbo

I hear you. I definetly prefer single coils. I think I'll probably end up with a Tele. I like the HH idea, but it would probably be the "extra" guitar. I don't want it to sit around.

"I definetly prefer single coils." Hmmm... Well, Strat bodies are very comfortable being contoured the way they are. If you are looking at an HH make sure the pups are 4 wire so you can split them...

[Nick JD]

I'd suggest an HSH strat.

Why? Because you can have both the humbuckers and the Strat's 2 and 4 positions (what makes a strat a strat IMO) in one guitar.

Couple of things - the buckers need to have roughly twice the resistance of the middle single coil, and they MUST be 4 wire so you can split the coils.

On your 5-way switch it goes:

1. Bridge HB
2. Bridge HB first coil and middle single coil
3. Bridge and neck HB
4. Middle single coil and neck HB last coil
5. Neck HB

[Nub]

Originally Posted by dog fart

Hey Nub, how do you like those Dimarzio PAFs? Sorry for the derail, we'll be back on track shortly.

I love 'em. They have great clarity & snap in the Strat, sound great clean (and with my ODs!). I like the tones I'm getting from it enough that I'm not missing the 2 & 4 positions at all... for me, the setup is a keeper. Btw, I dig the DiMarzios so much that I just picked up another set for my LP.

[DoodlySquat]

I'm a huge Strat fan and I IMO an HH strat doesn't look right, or any humbuckers in a strat for that matter. I mean when's the last time you saw a SSS Les Paul or SG? Yeah. But I won't tell people that they shouldn't have HH strats I'm just never going to own one.

[D.Allen]

I currently own two all black HH strats. I know it's blasphemy and I really live SSS love the single coils. But the HH strats sound great and feel better then and SG to me. They don't sound like a LP which is good. I have my CrazyCats in one and P51's in the other because I like a little more power in a Strat and an SG bucker the LP's I can go either way with which style humbucker.
I am working on a humbucker with two dual blade set up.