SSS to HB S S

On a Legacy I believe they all have a large pickup cavity instead of three graves. When you convert from an SSS to an HB S S, does this require significant modification or is it closer to swapping out one set for the other? At the least I would buy an H S S pickguard and humbucker keeping the neck and middle pickups.

How about putting a single coil sized humbucker instead. No modifications to be done.

e.g.
http://www.seymourduncan.com/products/custom-shop/stratocaster/sl591_little_59/

Good idea.

When I have looked into single coil sized humbuckers in the past it has been in pursuit of noiseless pickup options. With that, I was also concerned about retaining a certain tone. When I decided to research an H S S Legacy I was specifically looking for the tone of the humbucker in the bridge position. I am considering a custom order of an H S S Legacy. I also have an existing SSS in sight and it would need a pickguard replacement anyway so I thought about converting it to H S S. It did not even occur to me to look at the single coil sized humbuckers for tone, only for noiseless operation.



Thanks!

Good idea.

When I have looked into single coil sized humbuckers in the past it has been in pursuit of noiseless pickup options. With that, I was also concerned about retaining a certain tone. When I decided to research an H S S Legacy I was specifically looking for the tone of the humbucker in the bridge position. I am considering a custom order of an H S S Legacy. I also have an existing SSS in sight and it would need a pickguard replacement anyway so I thought about converting it to H S S. It did not even occur to me to look at the single coil sized humbuckers for tone, only for noiseless operation.



Thanks!

I have a Legacy HB and was thinking of going the other way, i.e. converting to SSS

You could try one of the Gotoh blade humbuckers used in the Legacy Special. A neck or middle version would probably match up well for power output with the existing alnico Vs in the Legacy. There are lots of after market single coil sized humbuckers today, to be honest there are so many it's nearly impossible to choose between them. The problem with changing only one pickup is matching the existing pickups for output and tone.
I have a Legacy with DiMarzio Areas fitted, they're actually lower in output than stock Legacy single coils, and also thinner sounding. So one of those probably would not work for you. There are other higher output DiMarzios but I haven't had any experience of those, that's why I'm thinking a Gotoh would work, I have them in a Legacy Special.

my legacy has a DiMarzio DP184 in the bridge, works great and I love the extra punch it gives the bridge pickup. Even when selected with the middle, the combination is cool.

Good Luck,

Alf

If I recall correctly the Legacy has a bath tub route, the only mod you would need to make would be to the pickguard itself, or you can just buy a second.

If I recall correctly the Legacy has a bath tub route, the only mod you would need to make would be to the pickguard itself, or you can just buy a second.

I found a post by Craig that confirms this:

All Legacys except the Legacy Deluxe are bathtub routed, with the pickups attached to the pickguard...

Balancing the HB with the S S, thanks for the advice.

just changed the pick guard on my legacy, yes a bathtub route for sure.