Strat - Changing Pickup

Ostrom

Before I do something stupid....

I have googled a few guides, but I'd rather hear from yourselves.

Right, I have the strat about two months now, and I'm in love. I just cant quite get tone I want for some 'heavier' songs - the single coils comes close but its just missing....something. I was thinking about swapping out the bridge pickup for a hotrail, and wondering if this is a straightforward job (i.e. could I, with zero experience figure it out from diagrams and online tutorials) or am I better off having it fitted?

CianRyan

I stuck 2 Duncan Hotrails and a Demarzio Chopper in the neck of mine and I'm getting loads of really heavy crushing tones.
A lot of people will tell you they can suck for bottom end stuff but they are well and truely wrong.

Here's an example of what I can get with low gain on the crunch channel of a Peavey Triplexxx (Going through a combo on the clean channel with a dodgy speaker.) Amp isn't being pushed and the mic on the camera is muck so you don't really get to see them shine.
Also, I have it coiled tapped so I can switch back to single coils when ever I feel like it.

There's some more videos on my channel with the same set up you might like to listen too also.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Igwf29QG1yo

Edit: I had them fitted by a friend so I can't help on that front but he said it was more complicated than Custom Shop Fat 50's he put in my other Strat.

eagle10

efla wrote: »

Before I do something stupid....

I have googled a few guides, but I'd rather hear from yourselves.

Right, I have the strat about two months now, and I'm in love. I just cant quite get tone I want for some 'heavier' songs - the single coils comes close but its just missing....something. I was thinking about swapping out the bridge pickup for a hotrail, and wondering if this is a straightforward job (i.e. could I, with zero experience figure it out from diagrams and online tutorials) or am I better off having it fitted?

I have put in quite a few hot rails for people.
It is straightfoward.
The diagram that comes with the pickup is very comprehensive.

The only thing that may let you down is your soldering skills if you are wiring them onto a little switch it can be quite tricky for a begginer espcially if you dont have an Iron with a suitable tip.

If your uncertain someone you know maybe be handy at soldering and could do the job following the diagram quite easily

Ostrom

I think I'll send it in. Having read some more, I think coil tapping is best, I'm afraid of losing the 'glassy' sound from the bridge/middle setting (which I love).

Can any stacked humbuckers be tapped or are they different models? (i.e. if I get a bog standard bridge hotrails, can that be set up as such?)

ciaranmac

efla wrote: »

I think I'll send it in. Having read some more, I think coil tapping is best, I'm afraid of losing the 'glassy' sound from the bridge/middle setting (which I love).

Can any stacked humbuckers be tapped or are they different models? (i.e. if I get a bog standard bridge hotrails, can that be set up as such?)

It depends on the model of pickup, best thing to do is check what the manufacturer says about it. If it has 2 wires it can't be tapped, 3 or 4 it probably can. e.g.

http://www.seymourduncan.com/images/products/electric/stratocaster/501015-100.pdf