HSS suggestions

[mwbjr13]

Hello fellow tweakers,
I'm wanting to replace my strat's SSS pickups with a HSS set with a full sized humbucker (completly for cosmetics) and noisless singles. So far I'm thinking about using Dimarizo Area 58s in the neck and middle with a Dimarizo Air Classic in the bridge. The strat is my Beck/Trower guitar. So It does all the crazy Beck trem tricks and bends and the whole thing is tuned down a whole step to standard D. I play classic rock/heavey blues with verrying levels of gain. I also throw some Clapton in there along with some jazz stuff every now and then.
I'm open to any and all suggestions.
Thanks in advance  :rock-on:

 

[MSP]

The Areas are good pickups if you want noiseless single-coils and they do blues-y stuff really well.  I much prefer them to the Fender Noiseless PUPs.  Also very good are Kinman PUPs, though they're a lot pricier for not much more tonal quality, IMO.  Kinman has a new line out just recently that are supposed to be better than the older versions.  I haven't tried them, though. 

 

[mwbjr13]

Interesting...I've never heard of kinman pickups. i'll have to check them out.

 

[MSP]

Chris Kinman is a bit of a character, but he knows his stuff and his pickups are pretty cool.  Don't let his archaic website and dogmatic opinions put you off the products themselves.  I am not usually a fan of noiseless PUPs, but I like the Area 58s and Kinman PUPs.  I still prefer playing regular single-coils, but when playing live gigs a guitar with either humbuckers or noiseless single-coils is a handy thing to have.

 

[mwbjr13]

I like the idea of the kinman PUs but having never played them I think I'm leaning towards the Areas. My biggest issue is I don't know what humbucker to use. I think Im going to completly re-wire the thing too. I'm thinking maybe put a three way in, Neck, Neck/Middle, Middle and then use a blender for the humbucker since I really just want it for the meat.

 

[runtfan]

I have Kinmans in my MIM Strat.  If I get some time tonight, I'll record some clean riffs of the neck and middle and post them for you.  I'll have to dig up which model I bought - it was years ago.

I like them, although the bridge pup is a little twangy for my taste.  That won't be a problem for you, of course.

 

[Rickgrxbass]

The Humbucker from Hell looks pretty interesting, it's vintage output like the Air Classic but it's supposed to be very bright (for a humbucker). Sounds like it should have a "Strat bridge on steroids" tone, which may be what you're after?

 

[mwbjr13]

The humbucker from hell was my orginal idea and it's still on the plate but i need to go ahead and decide so I'll quit thinking about it and changing my mind lol

 

[Death by Uberschall]

EMG 81/S/SA  :icon_thumright:

 

[ezas]

Full size humbuckers for classic rock/heavy blues and you want suggestions???

There are like 4,000 good suggestions. . .

Bareknuckle has a great line of Humbuckers with really high-quality sound clips of each one. Personally I like the Mule, Riff Raff and VH II (but that is for what I like to play/hear)

You might want to consider the Screamin Demon from Seymour Duncan. I think that is a really underrated PU. And could be a good match for what you described and it's output isn't so high that it will overwhelm your single coils.

 

[Strat Avenger]

Another vote for Areas.

 

[mwbjr13]

I think I've decided on the Areas in the neck and middle. As for the bridge I think I'm down to either the DiMarizo Humbucker from Hell or the Arcane Humbucker for Strat. But I apperciate the input. I'm always looking for new things to try.