S-500 humbuckification

[evilsherpa]

So I have inherited this wonderful S-500 and I'd love to play it more. It's just that the pickups aren't really suited to my style of music, and I'd rather modify it than sell it (as it's been given to me by a person dear to me).

I have this idea of getting rid of the entire electronics and replacing it with a H-S-S system with a Sustainiac single coil at the neck and a humbucker at the bridge. I have a few questions:

1. Does the S-500 have the 'bathtub' routing?
2. Is there are pickguard available that fits the S-500 and is suitable for H-S-S configuration (full humbucker, not stacked).

further, would you recommend this (considering the current pickup circuit is totally unsuitable to me) and do you have any tips/advice?

[supereiv]

Hi and welcome !
First of all, what's the construction year of your S-500 ?
Could you post some pictures ?

You can swap the pickguard for a Legacy HB pickguard, see pickguard heaven they're the official provider of the factory (yes the S-500 has the bathtub route), but my advice would be : keep the pickguard with all the electronics, you might want to give it a go in the future, and install the new pickups on the new PG.
The S-500 pickups and PTB system are what makes the S-500 what it is (otherwise it's simply a strat, a very well made one, but still a strat).
Why do you need a humbucker on the back, do you play metal oriented music ?

[evilsherpa]

Hi and welcome !
First of all, what's the construction year of your S-500 ?
Could you post some pictures ?

You can swap the pickguard for a Legacy HB pickguard, see pickguard heaven they're the official provider of the factory (yes the S-500 has the bathtub route), but my advice would be : keep the pickguard with all the electronics, you might want to give it a go in the future, and install the new pickups on the new PG.
The S-500 pickups and PTB system are what makes the S-500 what it is (otherwise it's simply a strat, a very well made one, but still a strat).
Why do you need a humbucker on the back, do you play metal oriented music ?

Hi,

thanks for the advice.

Yes,I plan to keep the current pickguard with the pickups attached in case I ever wish to put them back in.
I do play a fair bit higher gain stuff, but generally speaking I prefer the sound of humbuckers at the bridge.

[Ray Barbee Music]

If your S-500 is post 92, maybe even some 92, it's bathtub route.

What year is it? 4 bolt or 3 bolt? WD has templates from pickguards I've sent them that work for certain year ranges, they may be able to do what you need. Let me know I can follow up with them.