Pickup modification tips for an original Squier Super-Sonic

Spaceman Dave · Post by **Spaceman Dave** » Wed Mar 25, 2015 5:56 am

I own a late 90's Squier Supersonic (not the newer, re-released pawnshop version) that I purchased when they were being sold brand new and were made in Japan. I've heard the quality on these is Amazing and are basically Fender guitars with Squier decals on the headstocks. Anyway, everything on it is original and it has been my go-to guitar for the entire time I've had it. I've tried other guitars, but nothing else feels quite so comfortable to play as my Super-Sonic, though the sound I get out of it could use some improvement.

In recent years, I've really come to love the bluesy sound I can get from a Strat (even though they aren't as comfortable in my hands) and have wondered... could I make some simple modifications to my Super-Sonic to add the bluesy, Hendrixy sound I'm looking for?

My initial thought was to add push/pull knobs to split the pickups, but I have some questions for those who are more experienced in guitar modification:

1. Can I get a Hendrixy, single-coil blues sound out of the stock pickups if I split them? I've heard the quality on the stock pickups is not good.

2. If I were to replace the pickups with different humbuckers and split them, what are my best options to get the sound I'm looking for? I would prefer to have the flexibility of both humbuckers and single coils.

3. Is there anything I'm overlooking here? I'm open to suggestions.

Thanks, everyone!

Fakir Mustache · Post by **Fakir Mustache** » Wed Mar 25, 2015 6:59 am

Supposedly the Duncan Stag Mag provides the closest sound.

You can also fit one of those single coil adapters, but you'll have to drill a few holes in the pickguard.

Dillon · Post by **Dillon** » Wed Mar 25, 2015 8:19 pm

IMO split humbuckers will never sound quite like a real Strat pickup, especially the neck...if the stock pickups weren't meant for splitting (don't know, depends on their output and how they're wired), they probably won't sound great. But some can get pretty close. I haven't tried the StagMag, but I'd look into the DiMarzio Bluesbucker. It says it's a "P90" type sound, but to me it sounds more like a hot Strat pickup.

http://www.dimarzio.com/pickups/humbuckers/bluesbucker

theshadowofseattle · Post by **theshadowofseattle** » Wed Mar 25, 2015 8:41 pm

I have a Bluesbucker and a Humbucker From Hell in the SGuar, and they sound like singles.

theshadowofseattle · Post by **theshadowofseattle** » Wed Mar 25, 2015 8:42 pm

The HFHell sounds exactly like a piezo when split too, which is kind of rad.

wadeaminute · Post by **wadeaminute** » Fri Mar 27, 2015 7:02 pm

I just made one of mine into a strat:

Spaceman Dave · Post by **Spaceman Dave** » Sat Mar 28, 2015 4:52 am

theshadowofseattle wrote:I have a Bluesbucker and a Humbucker From Hell in the SGuar, and they sound like singles.

I've been looking into the Bluesbucker... it has my interest piqued.

Spaceman Dave · Post by **Spaceman Dave** » Sat Mar 28, 2015 4:55 am

Very nice! And how does it sound?

wadeaminute wrote:I just made one of mine into a strat:

Nick · Post by **Nick** » Sat Mar 28, 2015 5:51 am

Spaceman Dave wrote:
3. Is there anything I'm overlooking here? I'm open to suggestions.

Scott Grove mod. Simply unscrew the pole pieces from the half of the humbucker that has screw head poles. Completely reversible, looks kind of shitty, but gives you single coil clarity and highs while maintaining the hum cancelling aspect of the bucker.

lengthy demo I found on youtube, start at 9:50 for just the mod sounds

[youtube][/youtube]

speedfish · Post by **speedfish** » Sat Mar 28, 2015 9:53 am

Make certain that you change the pots (250K) and cap (0.22uF) to match a strats.

wadeaminute · Post by **wadeaminute** » Sat Mar 28, 2015 8:40 pm

Spaceman Dave wrote:Very nice! And how does it sound?

wadeaminute wrote:I just made one of mine into a strat:

It sounds like a short-scale guitar with Strat pickups. Stratish, but not a Strat. And the headstock is backward, as is the angle on the bridge pickup.
It has Fender Custom Shop Fat 50s in it, with both a five way switch for pickup selection, and a three way switch for tone controls (straight through, volume and tone, or volume and cocked wah). With master volume and tone knobs. And a phase reversal push-pull for combination settings.

Post by **Doog** » Thu Apr 02, 2015 9:43 am

Nick wrote:
Spaceman Dave wrote:
3. Is there anything I'm overlooking here? I'm open to suggestions.
Scott Grove mod. Simply unscrew the pole pieces from the half of the humbucker that has screw head poles. Completely reversible, looks kind of shitty, but gives you single coil clarity and highs while maintaining the hum cancelling aspect of the bucker.

lengthy demo I found on youtube, start at 9:50 for just the mod sounds

[youtube][/youtube]

I've done that to my Jetking; it's a really nice middle ground between a humbucker and a single, hard to describe. The beauty is that it takes a few minutes to do and is ridiculously easy AND it makes a pretty major difference. I spun the pickups around too so that the non-affected coil is on the outside for a little more high-end.

Again, it doesn't compare to a real singlecoil, but definitely gets you a little closer and sounds infinitely better than the usual anaemic coil-split humbucker sound. The Jetking can do this too, I should do an demo, really.

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