Alex Lifeson and Lerxst have just released the ultimate aftermarket accessory for Rush fans who own an S-style electric guitar with an HSS configuration. It is the Limelight Pre-Wired Pickguard, it’s got a blade-style humbucker at the bridge position, two high-output single-coils, and it is modelled on the same electric guitar pickup configuration as Lifeson’s iconic Hentor Sportscaster.
Now you might be thinking, Rush fans with an HSS Strat. That’s a heckuva niche demographic? Perhaps. But then again maybe not. After all, what is more versatile than an HSS Strat? And what field of musical expertise requires more versatility than prog rock? It’s a match made in heaven.
Best of all, and the “pre-wired” bit is a clue, you won’t need to touch the soldering iron to fit this mod. Everything is done for you. The Limelight pickguard will fit pretty much any Stratocaster or Strat-style electric that has been routed for a humbucker at the bridge and has a standard vibrato. The pickguard is Sportscaster-inspired, so we’re talking satin black, single-ply, but it joins the body like any other ‘guard, with holes for 11 screws.
The bridge pickup has an Alnico V magnet, and is designed for high-gain scenarios, rock, metal, distortion, but the single-coils will give you the clarity and chime you’d want from an S-style. Lifeson says it was the range of tones and ride of the original Sportscaster that give him room to try new things.
“The original Hentor brought together a mix of tone and playability that empowered me to explore sounds and styles of playing that I had never attempted before,” he says. “Ultimately these things became signature parts of my style.”
The blade-style humbucker is a replica of Lifeson’s original. It might be punchy and hot but so too are the single-coils, which have been wound to be balanced with the bridge humbucker.
The pickguard has a three-way pickup selector, allowing you to select the bridge ‘bucker alone, middle and neck positions, and the neck single coil. Lerxst, which is a partnership between Lifeson and Mojotone, has wired this up to vintage taper 500k CTS pots, a Mojotone Dijon .022uf tone cap, and the 1/4” output jack comes courtesy of Switchcraft. All top-quality components.
The Lerxst Limelight Pre-Wired Pickguard is available now, priced $489.Of course there is an alternative. Maybe you don’t want to augment your existing HSS Strat. Maybe you like it just fine as it is.
Well, in that case you have another option. You could grab a replica of Lifeson’s Hentor Sportscaster, which was announced during the fever of NAMM2024. Designed by Lerxst working in partnership with Godin the Lerxst Limelight is a high-end electric, yours for $3,999. Not cheap but it is a dream instrument for Rush fans – and you have the choice of a Vega trem or a Floyd Rose.
For more details on the Lerxt Limelight guitar, head to Godin. To give your HSS S-style a new lease of Lifeson, head on over to Lersxt.
