i'm thinking of getting a new fender highway 1 hss, but i've heard the pickups are pretty shitty, any suggestions? i usually use a neck position humbucker but want to try some of the combinations that strats seem to be know for. this strat has a humbucker in the bridge position.

I don't know about the Strats, but the Tele highway 1 pickups sound great.

Have you tried playing one?

If the guitar plays nicely, will intonate properly, and if you like the guitar, go for it. Be skeptical regarding what people say about pickups. Tone is subjective, and some folks don't know to use their tone knobs. The stock pickups might be fine. If you don't like the pickups, change them out.

I truly believe that Fender stock pickups have been getting worse over the last 10 years. On a Highway One instrument, you are most likely going to get the same pickups that they put into the Mexican standards, which sound like crap. In my opinion, the Seymour Duncan Antiquity series contains some of the best sounding replacement pickups I have ever heard. The guitar player in my band has a set of them in his tele and strat, and the difference is amazing. They are a bit on the expensive side, but totaly worth it.

While you're at it, take a look at Lollar pickups. I like them.

I constantly hear of people basically pissing themselves over Lollar's P90s.

Vintage Vibe and Harmonic Design are good makers, too.

Antero wrote:I constantly hear of people basically pissing themselves over Lollar's P90s.

Vintage Vibe and Harmonic Design are good makers, too.

Yeah, I was seriously considering the Harmonic Design Vintage Plus, but went with the Lollars. It was a tossup, really. I'm sure the HD's would have been great; it seemed like a win/win situation either way. What's really nice about these smaller independent builders is that they will gladly work with you on a one one one basis. I also had great communication with both these guys during my research phase.

Try EMG pick-ups. The SA's are great. I have a Stratocaster installed with them, also added a booster and expander. David Gilmor of Pink Floyed used EMG's in most his 57' Re-issued Strats.

EMG's are, like, soooooo Metallica...