How to Change Single Coils to Humbuckers | Fender

The Fender Stratocaster is one of the most modded electric guitars. One of the easiest things to do to upgrade or mod your tone is to switch out your pickups. In this video we’ll go from three single coil pickups to two Fender humbucking Twin Head pickups and, in the process, we’ll show you how to install new pots and a new 3-way switch.
Watch to learn how to take an American Standard Strat and go from vintage tone to modern tone in a few easy steps, resulting in an American Standard HH Strat.
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How to Change Single Coils to Humbuckers | Fender
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[@fender]

Want to see more from Fender? SUBSCRIBE and hit the BELL ICON to stay up to date on new videos from us!

[@nonamaphionex4659]

Hello how much a price the pick up for one set of single coil deluxe scn or other pick up ?it already install with pick guard,selector and 3 knobs I been buying it from my friend it original ..us fender pick up set..so long year ego..but now i cant contact him.. if i want to buy direct from fender how it i can...pls.. Ardy from penang,malaysia

[@kurtross1402]

Would an American Professional Series fit humbuckers? Thanks

[@LIBREpensador999]

JOHN DREYER, LO MEJOR DE FENDER EXCELENTE, NO NECESITAS NI DE TATUAJES, NI DE USAR LAS UÑAS DE PERRA, NI DE VESTIR DE FORMA INMORAL, NI DE FUMAR COCAINA COMO JIMMY HENDRIX, PARA SER EL MEJOR DEALER FENDER Y EL MEJOR GUITARRISTA SIGUE ASI PROYECTANDO UNA IMAGEN PULCRA EN LOS GUITARRISTAS DEL FUTURO

[@vs5617]

Love the fact that Fender would even be open to the concept of even releasing a video that shows you how to mod their own products. Very cool.

[@TiledProd]

I agree

[@cycy1206]

I just notice that from the start his voice sounds like single coil then at 7:36 it sounded like humbucker

[@Selzor]

xXx_ _xXx ha

[@raviolimaster]

dude i totally fast forward and i totally thought they just had someone commentating the video rather than the host talking in the video haha wtf

[@filbert541]

You just taught me a lesson thx

[@HankusSpankus]

Using a Fender Super switch with 5 Pickup selector combination , it`s possible to get the inner coil on the bridge Humbucker in parallel with the outer coil of the neck Humbucker pickup (Position 2 ) and Bridge Humbucker out of phase and in Series with Neck Humbucker ( Position 4 ). This in my opinion would give some choice extra tones.

[@frs2112]

Excellent tutorial, simple and clear. Well done, it´s an amazing job.

[@matthewbolduc2714]

I like the patient point by point strategy of showing how to solder the wiring diagram together, one piece at a time. Each solder joint is clearly seen and you show the viewer how to 'set up' each solder joint by hooking the wires around existing wires in order to stabilize the joints to be soldered, thereby keeping the target wires to be soldered from moving around while you use both of your hands to hold the soldering iron and also hold the solder wire. Keeping the target wires to be soldered from moving or waving around is important while you are trying to solder them together. The wires should be supported or secured using the bending technique to brace the wire in the solder joint prior to adding the solder. Stabilizing the joint 'before' applying solder is a key element of effective soldering. Excellent calm and organized approach. You converted this into a very different and really very nice hh strat. I like the black pickguard. This looks a lot like my fender black top strat. You produced a very beautiful guitar indeed.

[@BearistaBear]

Great video, a tip of the hat to Fender for making really practical videos!

[@jerryx2000]

This is a dream. Fender build quality is amazing. I own PRS SE & Fender Tele FMT!

[@MrPaolo101]

Disappointed that you didnt play it!...

[@IamtheActionman]

Agreed

[@AlbumReviewChannel]

+MrPaolo101 It didn't work.

[@TomGoldsmithguitar]

yep

[@Brandon-oi4fq]

Agree

[@pujanjoshi9533]

Isn’t it supposed to just changed

[@deskoooo]

Very clear and concise, great video! Thanks!

[@r666y]

That helped me a lot, and it was a really beautiful guitar.

[@metalandstarwars8310]

Is it just me or does this guy look like Phil Anselmo

[@rosannatorres9933]

I was thinking David Draimin

[@nitrobw1]

I was thinking if Jack Black got cancer...

[@metalandstarwars8310]

Nitro HAHAHA OH MY GOD

[@metalandstarwars8310]

Rockin Wieners Ooo I kinda see that too

[@tonnimoore]

First thing i was going to say but you beat me to it xD

[@ThrasherDge]

I love when Phil Anselmo shows us stuff on these Fender videos

[@rama409]

Looks more like the football player "pelado" silva, jajajaa

[@worldeconomicforum7210]

Instead of showing us vocal scales lol

[@FredRaymondNa70]

Let's make a tutorial video on a dark color guitar with black pickguard (because we, Fender, don't own lots of guitars), using black table and background. Uh oh, let's assign a black shirted host too. Voila!!!

[@mysticmoose]

lol

[@southsilicondan1776]

What tutorial video...? do you mean the floating head on the screen... ? incredible...!

[@FredRaymondNa70]

LOL your profile pic adds insult to the wound, mate!

[@kokujincodename-elias6430]

Fred Raymond Gibsons, in my opinion, are way cooler. One of my friends got a Strat recently and probably wants to play Rock. So I'm just looking at this.

[@florislok]

Ha ha, I was thinking the same!

[@LevonsWound]

very informative, very useful info as I am currently working on my first guitar project ... thanks

[@Bob48]

Excellent demo! Thx.

[@daviddiehl8523]

A most excellent video sir! Thank you!!🤘

[@ArtLogins]

My telecaster was routed for a humbucker, good job Leo Fender

[@gingertaylor1955]

good video except for that small segment of music , that made me almost have a heart attack

[@robert-sebastianbexa9509]

Same bro

[@blimey48]

seriously!!!

[@blazer6248]

This is exactly what I plan on doing this weekend. I'm glad I found this!

[@suloporto27]

Very good video. Very helpful!

[@PhuckHue2]

I bought a Strat copy at garage sale for $10. replaced pickups with Fenders. it sounds killer. winning

[@faizwez9554]

10$ really?!

[@shkwave99]

+PhuckHue2 that's fucking pro! make sum vids?

[@joesalazar7657]

PhuckHue2 w

[@danzimawan8231]

Wtf $10 , you kidding me , i have cheap accoustic for $35 and you get electric guitar for $10 wow

[@PC160]

Nice complete video! It helps to not have to route an old style body, if you do this mod. (!)

[@nicknicksiren]

I wanted to hear the finished product!

[@amazertechnologies1434]

i am grateful sir. More wisdom

[@james_Apple27]

Thanks

[@TheForce_Productions]

Dark guitar with dark pickguard, over a dark table aheah of a dark background with a dark shirted host; now we know how Prague's Black Theatre was invented.

[@krisitantobias]

I was waiting for you to play it..

[@ShortFingeredShreder]

That's granted that the Strat already has humbucker cavities in it. If I'm not mistaken, most Strats don't have an HSH routing. I think HSS is the most common with new Strats.

[@budgetguitaristcom]

+ShortFingeredShreder You are correct, sir. HSS is the most common Strat body. There are HSH and HHH bodies - HHH is called a "swimming pool." For an HSS body you'd need to rout out the extra wood with a router, or what most Strat players would use, a hammer and chisel.

[@jorgenwu]

True true. The guitar in the video starts as an SSS, so i'm kinda surprised that it has the appropriate routing...

[@ShortFingeredShreder]

Jorgen Wu I think it depends on the model. I've possessed a handful of different Strats (Mexico standard, Highway, American Standard, and Bullet), and they all had HSS routes.

[@jorgenwu]

ShortFingeredShreder Huh, that's odd. Lol. I installed a Hot Rails in my strat about a year ago, and the routes were so undersized that I could barely get the wires into the cavity. I recently found my dremel, but I'm too lazy to go widen the routes haha

[@TheMostwanted5]

Certain Affinity strats (the one's you can either buy alone or in the starter packs) have hsh routing. Got one for christmas and I wanted to swap out the pickups, to my surprise it had that routing.

[@theplayingseaman]

Such a very creative video. But can you please also make a video on how to split coil those two? So it will still have a sound of a single coil. And you will have a humbucker and 2 single coil sound on one pick up.

[@melvinescalante340]

Tak's nice explications

[@mywaveinwoodswoodperfumes]

i just decided to switch my strat (that you see in my profile photo), from sss into HH, and i'm really thankful i found this great video, its really helpful, thanks alot :)

[@quenepita67]

What's. The outcome .? How did u find the difference btw singles and humbuckers ?

[@InsurgeGaming]

+mywave inwoods Is it a late strat? I'm thinking of doing that with my 2012 model.

[@mywaveinwoodswoodperfumes]

no, its a 2 years old parts caster alder body, allparts fat neck the body got SSS cavity.

[@InsurgeGaming]

So it didn't work?

[@mywaveinwoodswoodperfumes]

i think that ill keep these for this body,and get the HH for ny other squier affnity, which i am scalloping at the moment, ill let you know?

[@elnyoutube123]

This dudes voice completely changed a quarter way through the video

[@pedrovicnt_]

Its a pun,because of the humbucker tone compared to the single coil

[@thetube4607]

Great video. Is it possible to list all the parts and can i keep the middle puckup as well as the 2 humbuckers?

[@royaljamescameron]

Do all strats have routing like this under the pickguard? For instance would older or mexi strats still have the HSH configuration in the actual body???

[@theaxedude1]

Most mexi strats are HSS routed

[@TomGoldsmithguitar]

beautiful

[@sujithedwin]

Fantastic..

[@precinct1baltimorecountyre588]

His head is floating.

[@ZoidBorgir]

precinct 1 baltimore county residents what?

[@nlrproductions8106]

There should be a video on how to do a wiring job like Eddie Van Halen’s frankenstrat.

[@bennycheca9426]

It's literally just wire everything but the lead wire to ground then the lead wire to the volume pot then the volume pot to the jack

[@voodoochild1975az]

Personally I think the MIM Standards were the best mod platforms in the entire universe. Great guitars with 'meh' electronics begging you to do what you want with the guitar, make it yours. I don't mean to insult the model, they were really good off the rack. But a good playing Mexi could always be made into a BEAST with an electronics upgrade. I call it 'The Secret Custom Shop'. The secret Fender Custom Shop probably opened in 1950. It's been operating on kitchen tables and in garages of Fender owners non stop ever since. And the favorite guitars for this secret custom shop have been the MIM Standards, at least for the last few decades. That's not a knock on Fender. There are a LOT of modified and sincerely loved Mexi's out there, tweaked and bent into exactly what the player wanted. The MIM Standards should have included a soldering iron ;) I swear I mean to compliment and praise Fender over this. I know I called the pickups 'meh'... but very few people loved those old ceramic pickups. My single coil tastes are stupid simple personally... I love Texas Specials. And they sound great in a Mexican Standard. The ease of modding is a perk. The fact that the MIM Standards are so well made you can be justified upgrading and putting expensive pickups in... is a compliment. You find a good playing Fender, you mod it, hot rod it, and make it your own. It's an old and respected tradition.

[@pilkjaer]

Great video! Could you provide parts list? I'm checking my local online Fender shop and I don't find some of the items.

[@rayharrington1663]

to test if it has a good connection, turn on amp, plug in amp, and touch hot hot part of the jack to the pickups, if a static in amplified, you did it right

[@attilathehun0]

When is fender going place the volume knob further away from the bridge pick up?

[@tyler_bt3326]

attilathehun0 they just need to move it down a little bit, so the knobs are all in a straight line and it would be good

[@attilathehun0]

exactly!

[@chrisjarkovsky1655]

attilathehun0 I always keep hitting when I play and the volume cuts out a little, that is my biggest pet peeve about the guitar

[@tyler_bt3326]

Chris Jarkovsky I started playing around with my strat the other day (cheap squier so not particularly valuable if something goes wrong) and I put new pickups in. I got rid of the second tone dial and shifted the volume and first tone down one, now it works like a treat and it's easier to use. I'm probably gunna put a cutoff switch or some sort of add on in place of the old volume position

[@attilathehun0]

Hell yeah what I did to keep the volume from dropping is use locking tele knobs, but it's still a distraction every time I hit the knob. I've gone through some pickguard drillings moving the volume knob away from the bridge pickup.

[@ciri151]

How to test pickups without strings: 1. Plug guitar in amp 2. Take screwdriver 3. Beat the living shit out off the pickup

[@stephen3164]

Looks like the recipe for a bunch of cold solder joints on the ground wires. (I've been taught to heat the metal with the iron, not the flux.) Also seems like the wires may or may not be making direct contact with the tabs and pots. You need metal to metal contact - don't rely on the solder to carry your guitar's signal. Since this video is mostly watching you solder wires, you should mention the type of solder used, the specs (wattage, variable?) of the iron, and do basics of pre-tinning and surface prep. (no need to sand new pots). This video can't decide on its purpose: sonic changes from SSS to HH (not shown), how to assemble a pickguard (its just a few screws), how to solder a pickguard (poor example). Also not addressed: the body might not be routed for humbuckers in some models, or electronics cavity could be too shallow for the new pots (especially if you start adding push/pull coil taps). You should inspect your guitar first to even see if it can take full sized humbuckers, and test fit the loaded pickguard before wiring it up.

[@garbagefilter]

Stephen E agreed

[@NotUrBiz]

+Stephen E And he burned a spot mostly through the insulation on one of the white wires. He should have replaced it.

[@EvilSean62]

+Stephen E indeed ... i have built 4 instruments now and soldering is key as is the capacitance of the connecting wire ... this is poor high cap wire totally sucks all the high end out and no amount of eq after fixes it .. bad or dry joints will be a nightmare later and hes relying on the humbuckers to remove the noise he didnt insulate against again .. poor ..needlessly so

[@markcheetah4960]

I have a question: I tried to install ONE N3 noiseless pickup (bridge position) in my Classic 70s series Strat, and now it sounds like an angry beehive. What did I do wrong? Do I need new pots and a new switch? Thanks for any info.

[@EvilSean62]

+Mark Cheetah check the phase of the wiring against the phase of the middle pup ... it should be opposite ... by that i mean if the red wire is to ground on the middle then it should be the black to ground on yours and vice versa ... you wont need pots or switches unless you damaged anything ... more likely is you disturbed an earth to body of switch joint or the iron loosened an earth elsewhere or you twisted an earth lead and broke it when moving the pups around ... take a circuit tester all over it with the jack empty and get back to me .. also plug it in and wiggle all the connections ... any noise is bad... i`ll help more if i can , happy tinkering ! edit ... check you hae a good earth 1st

[@lemonpi3386]

+fender Pleeeeease keep making good videos like this amazing one! But also.... adjust the dam volume on the video to match the intro and outtro... turn it up to hear the video instructions, then get blasted in the ears when random guitar comes in....

[@scp5055]

Question: Do you need to change the pots or can you keep the ones you already have?

[@aaron6841]

Humbuckers you'll need 500k pots single coils come with 250k

[@nicholasmao2321]

But why do they need 500k pots?

[@pandaru9915]

@@nicholasmao2321 pretty sure it'll blow them, because the voltage of the humbuckers are way higher than single coils

[@MAGNUSERNST]

@@pandaru9915 That's not true, so don't worry. The different values describe different resistance values. Lower resistances dampen more frequencies and sound a bit darker, therefore they are usually used for single coils, higher values are brighter so they work better for the already darker humbuckers. Theoretically you can use any pot though, the difference is only tonal.

[@EstelonAgarwaen]

my player strat will soon become an hss strat. just have to wait for the new pickguard.

[@theraven6264]

Would it work if i upgrade my SSS mexico strat’s bridge with a dimarzio super distortion and not change the current pots ?

[@PauloSilva-gr5tz]

Great!!! Can you make a Tutorial with a Neck Humbucker for a Telecaster with Single coil in the Bridge? I need this for my Tele but I don´t know how to do :-( Thank you.

[@bobhunt5820]

Kinda leaves you wondering what the double humbuckers sound like in comparison to the singles. It'd be nice to hear it strung up.

[@ouncy]

Poor solder joins. They didn't heat them enough.

[@TheForce_Productions]

Fender teaching how to solder like "cheap chinese copies"?

[@xXxGnuVirusxXx]

I know, i hate people that "tin", it makes for very week joints. Always heat ur metal up until solder melts to it, dont melt ur solder onto your metal.

[@lukephillips7505]

I thought the same, shit job

[@randomparkourrelatedvideos3023]

Quick question would this be the same as doing this with only a master volume and master tone but instead the capacitor would not have to go through two tone pots correct?

[@heyimjoshnicetomeetya]

Can you do one for changing to hss? cause I'm making a Billie Joe Armstrong-esque Stratocaster, only difference is that i'm changing to an SH5 instead of SH4.

[@asmallfarmhomestead3657]

Would a dimarzio fast track fit in the bridge position for a stock squier affinity or would I need to get a new pickgaurd too?

[@CarlosCampos-ce3gp]

One thing I would like to know is how I distinguish in CTS, which are the volume and tone pots; Is there a letter or number on the back of the pot that tells me how to know this?

[@haydendavis156]

Is it possible to maybe replace the middle single coil with a humbucker, leaving the bridge/neck singles?

[@CJ_YT.]

Whys everyone so butt hurt that people wanna change their single coil to a humbucker? Can't people be free to do what they like?

[@guillaumeethier7508]

Can you do only a humbucker on the bridge ? like H configuration ?

[@omgdisfunny4852]

Is it easier to go from a standard to hss style or hss to standard or is it the same

[@barry0517]

Sounds like a good idea. Who at fender provides advice

[@dhbomber666]

CTS pots don't need the "scuffing" at all! It actually makes for a messy solder, it doesn't pool as nicely as a smooth, not-scuffed pot. The pot itself, I belive, it has some flux coating on it to ease the solder 'pooling' and flow.

[@musicman8942]

Jorge Luis Hernandez flux won't help if the back of the pot is plated which most are. You have to scrape some of the plating off to get solder to adhere. You don't necessarily want solder to pool or ball up; you want a nice, even flow.

[@PhuVet]

What about going to a HSS? Do you swap the pot for the lower to a 500k?

[@Little3888]

If I swap my SSS 70s Fender Strat to HH (2 x mini humbuckers), I would have to enlarge the cavities. Would it be a problem switching back to SSS later on? Ideally would like 2 tone knobs and 1 master volume knob for the 2 minihumbucker set up.

[@NDWoj]

What length of the screws for the pickup mounting?

[@headknocker8999]

He said washer & meant nut while installing the three pots.. Also those quick connections that are like EMG connectors will be in all guitars eventually, It just makes making the connections easy without soldering.. There needs to be quick connectors on the pots & output jack as well making it a no solder quick install..

[@headknocker8999]

Also nice looking American Standard Stratocaster, I'd prefer my Jackson DK2M but hell you all bought them out too, I'd bet that EMG has been absorbed by Fender too just from seeing those quick connectors.

[@vaibhavkaza]

does this wiring allow cool splitting? if yes, how so? would appreciate any and all help, as i intend to convert my strat from HSS to HH too. this video did not help as much as i would’ve liked it to

[@precinct1baltimorecountyre588]

Can I have the tossed loaded pick guard?. I'd just install a dimarzio twin rail

[@leomessi7058]

Phil Anselmo is the guy that mixed the string winder with the clippers. Check the "How to change your electric guitar strings" by Fender so you know what I'm talking about. 😂

[@Terrysoddy]

Do fender guitars come from the factory equipped for two humbuckers if you want to change them. Or do you haft to route them yourself

[@hartleyray8431]

I LIKE FENDER GUITAR...

[@anttik5764]

Just asking, is it possible to do this with my SSS strat: Hot single coil at bridge, Medium output single coil at middle & low output single coil sized humbucker at neck? I have seen teles with a single coil in the bridge and a humbucker in the neck, but what about with a strat? Thankyou :)

[@cubistone]

Black workbench makes it hard to find runaway hardware, and is especially bad for video taping.

[@mulljacob]

Do 2005 Mexican Telecaster's have cavities large enough for humbuckers? I wanna go the Lukas Nelson way and just have a P-90 humbucker at the saddle. Leaving the neck single coil there is fine too.

[@liamweiss7831]

where do you get the schematic on the website?

[@radelarosa97]

I have a question. I have A stratocaster 1997 (crafted in japan) I'm trying to see if everything. I see the number on the neck but is there serial number on the pick ups?

[@garysala5441]

Alot of people cringe & put down people for swapping to 'buckets on strats but I love mine even more since I swapped(made mine a HH) Its a free world people!...different strokes for different folks! I still like SSS strats but I love HSS & HH too. I just love strats regardless of kind of pickups

[@garysala5441]

I mean 'buckers... haha

[@jayzbond007]

I'm just curious, do all SSS strats have a cavity big enough to fit a humbucker? Or was that guitar that he modded was originally an HSH strat? I'm planning to build my own strat and thinking that maybe getting an HSH body is the way to go. That way if in the future, I can change it to a HSS, HSH, etc. I wasnt sure if the cavity size in the body affected the harmonics or feedback of the pickups. Great video btw!

[@bbnatedogg]

+Googlegenius They aren't all routed that way. The American Standards are routed for HSH. Mexican Standards are routed for HSS. You can find Mexican ones with a HSH rout though. I'd suggest assembling one from parts from Warmoth, USACG, or Musikcraft. You can customize it how you want. You can get what is called a swimming pool rout that accommodates any pickup combination. It does not cause any issues with feedback or harmonics.

[@justinpurba]

i normally see one ground wire at the tremolo spring cavity (the claw). but i notice you wired all grounds to the back of the volume pot.... how is this different? Is it safe for me to straight away modify my wiring to mimic this wiring?

[@bigsaint1251]

Hi can you do this mod on the Fender American Special Strat OW 2015 ? Thanks

[@Tonymorales660]

Is the fender player series Stratocaster body ready to put humbuckers in without having to do anything extra to it?

[@CarlosCampos-ce3gp]

The Fender blacktop Stratocaster, allows you to place 3 simple coils, without having to make a new hole in the middle?

[@881blur]

Very helpful video! btw you look a lot like Phil Anselmo lol

[@Thelavendel]

so do all American professional strat's have the same body, with room for humbuckers?? If that's the case, that's awesome!

[@realdavidii]

perfect to make Kurt's vandalism strat

[@joeneibacher6767]

How difficult is it to change out a humbucker to a single noiseless pickup w S1 switch? Thank you

[@pearsecobb6168]

Huh, well, if you got the time tell me how Vinnie is doing along with the rest of Pantera

[@robertcowden1940]

Would've been nice to hear it after the mods.

[@maladjusted8349]

nice.....

[@jasonwoods8338]

Can I still use this wiring if I just have 1 tone instead of 2? I don’t understand any diagrams online

I want to put humbuckers (the single stacked sized ones) into my Road Worn Strat. Does anyone know if the pickup cavity is deep enough in the vintage spec bodies to accommodate the longer ‘legs’ of the humbuckers?

[@millerplayz3808]

so would the pickup switch be neck single/hum/bothhum/bridge hum/bridge single then ??

[@waterhead001]

Can the pickups on a Telecaster be changed to Humbucker pickups,?

[@Keepitreal260]

Are all fenders and squires a HSH configuration underneath the pick guard? 23:27

[@coffeecoffee3387]

hello,,what solder you use about fender?i want to know.

[@canadianbassist-garrettont7368]

dumb question does this work with the left handed 2022 American Ultra Strats?

[@duosantiagolima730]

muito bom mais um inscrito Gostei meu link sucesso para você

[@mohdrizanijan9982]

muzic produck amerika n europe no 1 for me.

[@noname.___]

How do you do it the other way around humbucker Gibson and i want to put lipstick or single coils into it

[@JM-xm1wg]

Any address where I can get the kit?Fender can provide it?