HSS Electric Guitars

The HSS pickup layout rose to prominence in the '80s, when the infamous "Superstrat" phase was in full swing. Guitar players from that experimental era were always seeking ways to attain thicker tones from their typically thin-sounding, single-coil-loaded Strats. And fitting a bridge position humbucker became the obvious solution!

Able to handle higher levels of gain, many players will use their HSS electric guitar's humbucker in conjunction with distorted amp settings. The two middle and neck single-coils are more suited for clean tones as they have less output and a more articulate sound. An electric guitar with an HSS pickup configuration is therefore one of the most versatile that you can buy, and can be used for a multitude of different genres.