Guitar Pickup Configurations Explained: HH, HSS, HSH and More

If you have ever seen a guitar described as “HSS” or “HH” and wondered what it meant, this is the short version: those letters describe the pickups and the order they sit in, from neck to bridge — H for humbucker, S for single coil. The layout, and how it is wired, decides the range of sounds you can get.

The common pickup configurations

• SS — two single coils, think Telecaster: bright, clear, with real bite. SS wiring schemes.
• SSS — three single coils, the classic Stratocaster layout and its in-between “quack” tones. SSS wiring schemes.
• HH — two humbuckers: thicker, louder, quieter under gain. Coil-splitting can bring back single-coil sparkle. HH wiring schemes.
• HSS — humbucker at the bridge, two single coils: a hugely versatile SuperStrat staple. HSS wiring schemes.
• HSH — humbuckers at neck and bridge with a single coil between: maximum flexibility. HSH wiring schemes.

Why the wiring matters as much as the pickups

Two guitars with identical pickups can sound worlds apart depending on how they are wired. Switching options, coil splits, series/parallel tricks and the tone circuit itself all change what is on tap. If you like tinkering, the volume and tone circuits reference covers treble-bleed, 50s wiring and more.

Not sure which is right for you?

Choosing a configuration is one of the first things we work out on a custom build — it comes straight from the music you play. Browse the full wiring resources, or get in touch and we can talk it through.