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I just got back my mex Strat from my uncles house (i left it there a while back) and i noticed that my single coils are rusted. Well, since they're messed up, i wanna put humbuckers instead. I took the pickguard off and the notches in the body wont fit a humbucker in the neck or middle position, but i think it will in the bridge position. So how do i go about doing this project? One humbucker is alright, cuz i dont want to drill bigger notches in the body. Do you think i can put an EMG81 in there? or should i put in a SD humbucker? Also, i'm thinking of going for an EVH look. It shouldn't be to hard to wrap tape around the body. Any helpful comments are welcome. Thanks guys
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Re: Strat Surgery
If you just want the humbucker for the sound, you could go with a stacked humbucker like a Hot Rails. It looks like a single coil but is a humbucker. You wouldn't have to hack up the guitar.
Your other option is to route the body so a full size humbucker will fit. Not good for resale although a Mexican Strat isn't quite a collectors item. Someone qualified would do that using a template so the route looks much like a factory route. I've seen it done with everything from a router to Dremel to hammer and wood chisel. You can either buy a new pickguard or route that to fit as well.
I don't think black tape would look all that good plus it wouldn't last. The upside is that it's temporary and easy to remove. -
Re: Strat Surgery
Isn´t most strats routed for a humbucker from the factory, which means you would only have to get a new pickguard?
Or you could make a bigger hole in the original pickguard yourself to save money, but then you wold have to live with either the single coils or ugly holes, so for the evh look just get a new one.Comment
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Re: Strat Surgery
a hot rails will take care of what you want to do without cutting into the guitar. they don't look like single coil pickups though; they have 2 bobbins and blades instead of pole pieces, but the overall size is the same as a single coil. it's not an actual stacked humbucker; the coils are right next to each other. here's a pic for reference:
sullyComment
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Re: Strat Surgery
People i've talked to said to try those mini humbuckers, but for some reason i dont think they'll match up to true humbuckers. I mean if they are exactly the same, why not use the small ones instead, then u could have more than 2 or 3 humbuckers in ur guitar. How close are these to the real thing?Comment
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Re: Strat Surgery
It doesnt cost any more to cut a bigger hole yourself and get a fullsize humbucker.Comment
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Re: Strat Surgery
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People i've talked to said to try those mini humbuckers, but for some reason i dont think they'll match up to true humbuckers. How close are these to the real thing?
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i'd say they're very close, and depending on the guitar, they'll sound like they're supposed to.
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I mean if they are exactly the same, why not use the small ones instead, then u could have more than 2 or 3 humbuckers in ur guitar.
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well, the full sized humbucker happened first, and the hot rails are made as a "making lemonade from lemons" standpoint. i don't think they've ever been intended to replace full sized humbuckers.
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