Help me with HSS Project

[Slowy]

Getting to know the G&L. Its special trick is a low radius fretboard with huge frets; she just wants to cry and sing. (Remember: my reference point is a well worn, built off the original 1954 templates, 40th anniversary Fender.

So: plays different and plays great.
Sounds exactly like a strat should but it's sterile and bland (compared to the 54). Sounds like a PRS in coil split mode. Fuck! Did I say that out loud?
The pups do take to the dirty stuff though, so in that direction, they're really good

It has a swimming pool, I can get another pickguard, going HSS might be a way to trick myself into forgetting I never seem to get along with humbuggers. And this guitar would suit a big voice.

So; what could possibly go wrong?
Tonally, I'm a wannabe Knopfler .

So what would you suggest??

[jeremyb]

Mini hum in the bridge!! I think strats sound really good with them, neck pickup is where the real joy is on a strat, but a mini hum in the bridge will bring out some different flavours

[jeremyb]

I find this guitar really inspiring!

https://www.ibanez.com/usa/products/det ... 1p_01.html

[KNNZ]

I find this guitar really inspiring!

https://www.ibanez.com/usa/products/det ... 1p_01.html

Tim da boi's guitar! One of my fav bands

[Single coil]

Texas specials middle and neck, paf 36 at the bridge with a series/parallel and maybe a coil tap if you’re that way inclined. I can’t see that being an incapable or dissatisfying combination.

[Zaulkin]

It's the pickups. My old g&l legacy was exactly the same story - I swapped them out and was happier ever since. My Jap Fender Strat has g&l legacy pickups in it now and they are as you describe.

My favourite Strat pickup set for vintage tones is the Seymour Duncan SSL1 set. Absolutely flippin' fantastic Strat tones. Probably going to put some in the Jap Strat.

My new favourite mod for strats is an an active preamp. Mine comes as a switch. The volume and first time knob act as master vol/tone. The third tone knob will boost bass, cut treble, or add a slight boost depending where you set it. I recommend this mod, because those 2 and 4 positions with the bass boosted sound get you a gorgeous creamy lead tone.

Try it if you want!

[Jay]

Dimarzio Virtual Vintage?

[Molly]

Dimarzio Virtual Vintage?

Did nothing for me. Everybody will have their favorite but for me it's the CS69 set. Mind, that's not what Slowy's going for I think.

Give us a reference tone, Slowy. Just so we can argue about how it'd be achieved.

[Slowy]

Dimarzio Virtual Vintage?

Did nothing for me. Everybody will have their favorite but for me it's the CS69 set. Mind, that's not what Slowy's going for I think.

Give us a reference tone, Slowy. Just so we can argue about how it'd be achieved.

As I said, Knopfler. My 54 has virtual vintage pups. Suits that guitar which I’d describe as ‘light and airy’.

Looking for a bigger voice here but for me, that’s still on the mild side of the track. A bit of mid boost from a Klon clone, a touch of hair from Timmy and I’m good to go.

Because I pick with my fingers, I like to ride the edge of breakup line and vary my picking attack accordingly.

[griff]

I'm eventually gonna put a set on emg vintage singles in my Tele.
For a big sound but still that strat vibe, these could be worth investigating..
https://www.rockshop.co.nz/shop/emg-sv- ... right.html

[AiRdAd]

Slowy - before you go to the extent of getting another pickguard - can you beg/borrow/steal a few single coil sized pickups and see how they sound. If you're happy with one of them, go with that - and if you're not - consider getting the new pickguard and putting a full sized humbucker pickup in.

Another thought - If you're going humbucker in the bridge - you're going to want it to go well with the other two single coils in the guitar. Matching up humbuckers with single coils can sometimes be a bit of a pain. So you could decide what is more improtant - the two single coils or the bridge humbucker - and then match up from there?

[Cdog]

Texas specials middle and neck, paf 36 at the bridge with a series/parallel and maybe a coil tap if you’re that way inclined. I can’t see that being an incapable or dissatisfying combination.

I have one of the early Lonestar Strats from the 90s which is currently SSS but eventually going back to stock. The Pearly Gates Plus from the stock setup is one of my all time favourite PAFs, I really miss it in that guitar. Just sings beautifully, with gorgeous vintage harmonics. Don't think much of Texas Specials anymore, but they have 'that sound' if it's your thing. 2c

[Slowy]

Texas specials middle and neck, paf 36 at the bridge with a series/parallel and maybe a coil tap if you’re that way inclined. I can’t see that being an incapable or dissatisfying combination.

I have one of the early Lonestar Strats from the 90s which is currently SSS but eventually going back to stock. The Pearly Gates Plus from the stock setup is one of my all time favourite PAFs, I really miss it in that guitar. Just sings beautifully, with gorgeous vintage harmonics. Don't think much of Texas Specials anymore, but they have 'that sound' if it's your thing. 2c

I had Texas Specials for a couple of years. They didn't do much for me then but I'm definitely not looking for the same sound I was back then.
A Pearly Gates might be interesting, I'm fond of the odd pinched harmonic.

[Slowy]

Keep the ideas coming folks. Oleg will be back soon and then he'll tell me what I want. I'll probably disagree with him but he will patiently inform me I'm wrong.

And as usual, he'll be right.

[Slowy]

I find this guitar really inspiring!

https://www.ibanez.com/usa/products/det ... 1p_01.html

So: Do Ibanez have the best non Fender headstock?

But: Block inlays. Don't like them. They look big and clumsy and jarring on what is a very nice looking instrument.
Don't like blocks on Fenders either.