PU's for Mexico Standard Strat

[JeffB]

The american special is available in a HSS config with a rosewood board...in essence, the american special is a HWY 1 with gloss poly, and tx special singles instead of the satin nitro, and A3 pups. The humbucker is the same between models,.and is quite good if you want something a little hotter. Its kinda like a JB and Norton cross. I have a clip somewhere if anyone is interested.

Same frets,necks, tuners, bridge and quality of hardware between the H1, and AS model.

The MIM standards while good values still need some better tuners, and bridge/block. In addition to new pups.

[Myaccount876]

Though I may add if you really want to have a humbucker in series with a single coil, it still has a VERY usable tone, it just depends what you are going for. For example, on my MIM telecaster I run a hot rails, stock neck pup (quite good actually), 500K pots, 4-way switch (2-parallel, 4-series), bridge coil split on volume pot, and a "blower" switch on tone pot (bypasses all controls and runs the bridge pup at 100%)

Personally, the series if PERFECT for me here for any leads and the parallel seems useless. And I don't differ in musical style too much, as I play stuff along the likes of Queen, Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, Guns N' Roses, Alice in Chains. The thing is, you can wire any combination you want to in series and if you don't like it, rewire it.

[GilmourD]

My MIM started as an HSS. I thought all the MIM bodies were HSS routing, past a certain year? Mine's an '08. I switched from HSS to SSS, pickguard wise.

All MIM STANDARD Strats are HSS. The Classic models and some other models are not. There are a few that are HSH, and... I think one of the Deluxe models might have had a swimming pool route.

Either way, safe bet that any MIM Standard is routed HSS.

[GilmourD]

The MIM standards while good values still need some better tuners, and bridge/block. In addition to new pups.

I don't understand the complaint about the tuners at all. I've got a '94 MIM Standard Strat and an '04 Standard Tele, my brother's got an '05 Standard Satin Strat, and my other brother has a neck with the tuners off a Standard Strat.

All the tuners are great. If they feel a little sloppy, tighten the screw on the tuning key until the movement feels firm but not tough. If you tighten it too much you'll kill the gears inside the tuner.

[GregJr]

I have an `06 MIM, tuners and nut are good, no complaint. I did block the trem, and put pencil lead on the nut for lube.Stays in tune 98% of the time. I had to route for HB bridge to fit on pickguard. Not much though.

[JeffB]

I don't understand the complaint about the tuners at all. I've got a '94 MIM Standard Strat and an '04 Standard Tele, my brother's got an '05 Standard Satin Strat, and my other brother has a neck with the tuners off a Standard Strat.

All the tuners are great. If they feel a little sloppy, tighten the screw on the tuning key until the movement feels firm but not tough. If you tighten it too much you'll kill the gears inside the tuner.

Im aware of how to adjust them, or any other tuner for that matter. I prefer vintage style tuners, but the ping tuners dont last too long when you frequently change strings,.IME..whether the vintage or modern style design pings.

[GilmourD]

Im aware of how to adjust them, or any other tuner for that matter. I prefer vintage style tuners, but the ping tuners dont last too long when you frequently change strings,.IME..whether the vintage or modern style design pings.

I dunno, man. Only tuners I've ever had crap out on me were the original Kluson copy Pings from my '96 Tex Mex Tele Special, but they technically still work fine as long as you only tune up. Lots of whiplash. They got replaced with Gotohs.

The Pings on my '94 MIM Strat and my '04 MIM Tele show negligible wear and work just fine after all these years.

I do prefer Kluson types, but that's not a quality issue but a design preference.

[goptaron]

I have an `06 MIM, tuners and nut are good, no complaint. I did block the trem, and put pencil lead on the nut for lube.Stays in tune 98% of the time. I had to route for HB bridge to fit on pickguard. Not much though.

OK I take back what I said about the MIM's being routed for HSS, I could've sworn...

I never put any lubrication on the nut on my stratocaster (I set myself up for that one, I realize it.), seems to stay in tune decently enough though. I think I have 3 or 4 springs in there, don't remember and I'm too tired to check right now haha. They're pretty taut, I tightened them as much as possible, the trem claw screws I mean. Sorry tangent there. I should go to bed now...

--Chris

[StratoStarter]

Alright from all I've heard I decided for two setups

1. Humbucker setup: N: Cool Rails/ B: Hot Rails
I'm not too sure about the middle though, I thought of an Classic Stack Plus maybe? That way I could wire in series when in positions 1/3/5 and parallel in 2/4 since I could split all of them. And that way I had a hum-free Strat but I could switch back to traditional single coil if I need to.
Do I get this right? Or should I maybe choose a true single coil like SSL-2 for the middle instead?

My second option would be all single coil
N: SSL-2 / M: SSL-2 / B: SSL-6
Would this be good or should I put a Classic Stack Plus in Bridge and Neck positions?

by the way what is the diffrence between Classich Stack Plus and Custom Stack Plus?

[9unslin9er]

^^Yes, you would opt for a standard single coil for the mid pickup in option 1. That all depends on how you like your strat to sound. You don't need to even go Duncan for that as Fender makes some dynamite singles in their own right. My personal favorites are the American Vintage '62.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/American-Vin...item53e80e8e84

A lot of strat players I know don't really care for the middle pickup, it's kind of just there for versatility and getting some out of phase tones from their neck and bridge pickups, so I would definitely go the single coil route for the middle for versatility.

There's a big difference between stacked single coils and single-coil sized humbuckers. They sound entirely different. Up to you really. Depends on what you want your guitar to sound like. A hot-rodded strat or a superstrat.

It's really the most versatile instrument. And a big headache ;-)

[GilmourD]

OK I take back what I said about the MIM's being routed for HSS, I could've sworn...

MIM Standards are all HSS. However, there are other MIM models, like the Classic series, which have proper vintage routing.

[StratoStarter]

^^Yes, you would opt for a standard single coil for the mid pickup in option 1. That all depends on how you like your strat to sound. You don't need to even go Duncan for that as Fender makes some dynamite singles in their own right. My personal favorites are the American Vintage '62.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/American-Vin...item53e80e8e84

A lot of strat players I know don't really care for the middle pickup, it's kind of just there for versatility and getting some out of phase tones from their neck and bridge pickups, so I would definitely go the single coil route for the middle for versatility.

There's a big difference between stacked single coils and single-coil sized humbuckers. They sound entirely different. Up to you really. Depends on what you want your guitar to sound like. A hot-rodded strat or a superstrat.

It's really the most versatile instrument. And a big headache ;-)

But why do you propose a standart single coil?
My tought was that I want a single coil in the middle and I thought that a Classic/Custom Stack would be perfect since it's hum free but has a single coil sound. And if I split it I even have a "true" single coil.
That's how I imagined it at least...

Just to get it straight a stacked single coil is something like the Classic Stack and a single coil sized humbucker is the cool rails for example right?

And yes it is a headache ;D but I really like planning such things

[9unslin9er]

Go to Guitar Center and play something with a push/pull coil tap.

Then go play an actual Strat. The sounds you get from the coil splitting don't sound like the real thing. You just don't have the same magnet and pole coverage.

I mean you can do whatever you want. I just know that if I were doing the tech work, I'd be pretty pissed at all the extra soldering and charge you tons of money

I've never heard a split stacked single coil so I can't comment.

I know if I were modding a S-S-S for Duncans, I'd just go the easy route and do Cool Rails - Vintage Rails - Hot Rails and get back to playing.

[StratoStarter]

Alright then I will probably either choose a normal single coil or Vintage Rails And yes the tech guy will want to kick my ass especially because they change pu's for free here at my local shop
Next thing I wonder was which pots I should use...If I have two humbuckers I wanna split should I pick 500k or 250k? Sure 500 would add treble which isn't bad for humbuckers but when I split them maybe they sound too bright then...

[GilmourD]

Go to Guitar Center and play something with a push/pull coil tap.

Then go play an actual Strat. The sounds you get from the coil splitting don't sound like the real thing. You just don't have the same magnet and pole coverage.

I mean you can do whatever you want. I just know that if I were doing the tech work, I'd be pretty pissed at all the extra soldering and charge you tons of money

I've never heard a split stacked single coil so I can't comment.

I know if I were modding a S-S-S for Duncans, I'd just go the easy route and do Cool Rails - Vintage Rails - Hot Rails and get back to playing.

[shrug]

When I do tech work like this I like some challenges... Within reason, of course. LOL

I don't think he's asking for anything particularly outlandish myself.

If it were me, I'd do a mix and match setup. I'd put a '59/Custom hybrid in the bridge and DiMarzio Area 61s in the middle and neck. The bridge would be on a push-pull to cut a coil, or I'd do what I did on my hardtail and attach the white/red connection to a 1 meg pot wired as a variable resistor rather than a normal volume (voltage divider).

[9unslin9er]

If I have two humbuckers I wanna split should I pick 500k or 250k? Sure 500 would add treble which isn't bad for humbuckers but when I split them maybe they sound too bright then...

Hehe...oh man, that's another can of worms.

I'm not even gonna touch that lest I feel the wrath of Dominus.

Best of luck and be sure to post clips when it comes to completion

When I do tech work like this I like some challenges... Within reason, of course. LOL

Gah!

[dominus]

Hehe...oh man, that's another can of worms.

I'm not even gonna touch that lest I feel the wrath of Dominus.

Pfft. Bridge humbucker straight to the jack. No need for switches, pots, all that crap.

[StratoStarter]

Alright guys many thanks for your comments you were really helpful!
I will post samples as soon as I have the "final" version of the guitar

greets from Germany

[Funkfingers]

This weekend, I modified a 1996 Fender Tex-Mex (HSS) Stratocaster to SSS, using an Ant 1 "Texas Hot" bridge position pickup and altering the lower tone control to operate on both the centre and bridge pickups.

Guess what? It sounds very Stratty. More so than it used to because the centre pickup is where Leo intended it to be rather the squashed up towards the neck. The Ant is ferocious.

The nearest equivalent production model to my project guitar is the Fender Jimmy Vaughan signature model.

[GilmourD]

This weekend, I modified a 1996 Fender Tex-Mex (HSS) Stratocaster to SSS, using an Ant 1 "Texas Hot" bridge position pickup and altering the lower tone control to operate on both the centre and bridge pickups.

Guess what? It sounds very Stratty. More so than it used to because the centre pickup is where Leo intended it to be rather the squashed up towards the neck. The Ant is ferocious.

The nearest equivalent production model to my project guitar is the Fender Jimmy Vaughan signature model.

Are you saying that the middle pickup on your guitar wasn't where it normally would be? I've stacked Strat pickguard before and I've never noticed any difference in the position of the,middle pickup regardless of a humbucker or single in the bridge.