Converting a Strat to HSS

Majorscale

I'm considering modding a SSS strat to become an HSS and want to go down the full size humbucker route. Assume I know nothing, what is involved? Obviously wood will need to be removed, but how easy is it to correctly position the implanted humbucker and will any of the pots/switches need switching out too?

A5D5E5

Have a quick look under your scratchplate.  It may already be routed for a humbucker (many are to reduce manufacturing costs).  If not, getting an HSS scratchplate will tell you the alignment you want.

To remove the wood, you really want a router.  But the first time i did it was with a drill bit and chisels.  I made a total mess of it.  But you might not be as impatient or as clumsy as I am.

No need to change pots or switches unless you want to put a tone pot on the humbucker or use fancy wiring options.

paulnb57

Pots and switches stay in the same place, you could buy a HSS scratchplate and that will then decide the position for the new pickup, what guitar do you intend to modify? Some Strats have individual single coil sizes routs for eack pickup while some have large (Swimming ppol) rout for just about any combination of pickups, remove the scratchplate and have a look, you might be pleasantly surprised....

Majorscale

Thanks chaps, the body is routed for three singles so some digging is required!

octatonic

If you are good and patient you can do nearly as well with a chisel as you can with a router.
Most people aren't and won't though.

Kebabkid

 Does it have to be a full-sized humbucker? A stacked single-coil sized HB could save on routing/digging out. Yes, they do sound different as I've found between my Seymour Duncan Little'59 and a full-sized one but it may save on repair costs and trouble giving you a happy compromise.

ICBM

Given that it's possible to buy almost any number of Strats that are already HSS or at least routed to be, does it make sense to rout out the one you have?

Bear in mind that if you think so because it's a particular favourite guitar, routing it may well change the sound of it, in an unpredictable way… and is often not reversible, sometimes not even if you patch the hole.

If you love the neck on that one, consider buying another body.

CasperCaster

As always @ICBM makes a very sound point, and I certainly wouldn't consider making changes to a vintage, rare or especially valuable instrument. But if you do fancy a project there are plenty of instruments that are suitable candidates.

So, if you are set upon fitting a full size humbucker I would start by getting a pickguard. In the past I have had a pickguard where the bridge pickup hole was far to close to the bridge mounting screws (it was from StewMac, quite a few years ago), so take a little care to avoid one like that.

A suitable pickguard will show you where to rout and the depth will likely be the same as the existing routing. Just make sure you purchase a humbucker with short legs - routing for a humbucker with long legs is a nightmare given the proximity of the trem spring rout on the back of the guitar. As for pickup polepiece spacing, that depends on your bridge, though typically you will want a trembucker/ F-spaced pickup (regular spaced pickups do work OK with narrow spaced bridges such as Mexican std Strats though).

The routing is pretty straightforward with a template and a bearing guided bit. I mark out where the template will go and cut through the lacquer with a sharp knife prior to routing. I also use masking tape just behind the cut edge. These two tasks help to stop lacquer chipping at the edge of the rout, and if it does chip the tape holds the piece so a little super glue can be run under the chip to re-secure it. And of course, use a sharp bit, work slowly in shallow passes, move the bit in the correct direction to its rotation etc etc.

CasperCaster

A brief comment on wiring - your existing pots and switch will probably be fine. Some humbuckers work better with 250k pots than others (the SD JB is often said to work well with 250k pots), so read up on the web or ask on this forum for advice. And with a standard 5-way switch you can do an auto coil-tap if you are prepared to amend how your tone controls are assigned.