HS-3

CosmicDebris · #1 07-06-2008, 06:37 PM

I was going through a box of misc stuff and found a HS-3 a friend gave me years ago and I never got around to using. I was thinkin bout putting in the bridge of my Strat Plus Deluxe for a go. I know that YJM uses one. That fact alone makes me want to toss it. Any idea how it will sound? The Plus is a Alder body with an Ash top.

Thrash · #2 07-06-2008, 07:30 PM

I have one in my strat I'm looking to swap out. The reason I don't like it is that it only sounds good at high volumes or with a pedal in front of the amp. I play mostly at low volume where the pickup sounds kind of sterile. It's not very full sounding for power chords either.

I suppose it works ok for people who can crank their amps with a overdrive but I seldom can. I'm thinking about using a hot single coil or a rail pup in it's place.

**elcid** · #3 07-06-2008, 07:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CosmicDebris

I was going through a box of misc stuff and found a HS-3 a friend gave me years ago and I never got around to using. I was thinkin bout putting in the bridge of my Strat Plus Deluxe for a go. I know that YJM uses one. That fact alone makes me want to toss it. Any idea how it will sound? The Plus is a Alder body with an Ash top.

It's not a bad pickup, but it makes everything you play sound like a harmonic minor scale and your appetite increases. It is a good picku pfor blues, shred, jazz, gypsy accordian music though. Not so much for Celtic.

CosmicDebris · #4 07-06-2008, 08:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elcid

Not so much for Celtic.

Oh well guess I am S.O.L.

Have you seen the lastest photo of YJM?

**Ayrton** · #5 07-06-2008, 11:23 PM

Camel toe?

CosmicDebris · #6 07-06-2008, 11:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ayrton

Camel toe?

More like moose knuckle.

kotornut · #7 07-06-2008, 11:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CosmicDebris

Oh well guess I am S.O.L.

Have you seen the lastest photo of YJM?

I think I just threw up a litte in my mouth. Yeah.....uhhhhh.

rvai · #8 07-07-2008, 10:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ayrton

Camel toe?

hahahahahahahahahahhahahahhaha

**jaxadam** · #9 07-07-2008, 11:32 PM

Aside from the crazy Elvis thing, I've never cared much for the HS-3 at all.

bsrg2550 · #10 07-09-2008, 06:16 AM

They sound great with high gain applications. No matter how much gain or distortion you add to your sound, the notes will come out clear. You will not be able to coverup bad technique. I agree with Thrash. It shines best when you are able to crank up your amp on clean or dirty settings. Bedroom level playing will not let this pickup shine. This pickup is perfect for high volume shredding and sounds best in the neck position. If you have it in the bridge position (IMHO) it sounds like crap.

It sounds like a fat single coil pickup, heavy on the bass and mids. You can get pretty cool blues tones out of them too ( with a good tube amp).