[mkaufman]

The middle single coil was wired backwards (ground is hot, hot is ground) because if you wired it the normal way, it was out of phase and you got a nasally thin phase reversal tone. Keep in mind that the Cowboy was wired this way using particular Dimarzio pickups in an H-S-H arrangement. Since you're looking to go S-S-S and using different pickups, all bets are off.

mk

[Dozin]

What Michael said.

Cowboy's pickups are
- Dimarzio Virtual PAF DP196 (neck)
- Dimarzio Virtual Vintage DP410 2.2 (middle)
- Dimarzio Virtual PAF DP197 (bridge)

I can't see how this can be achieve with single coil pickups. I could be wrong but even the DP410 is a pretty essential piece of getting that "Bell" like sound.

The Blue lightning bolt guitar
has 2 Gibson mini hums and a Tele Broadcaster pickup

[mkaufman]

I think it can be done. The trick is finding the right set of pickups. I would first contact Dimarzio and ask them which single coil would sound most like the DP196/DP197 run in single coil. There is another potential issue: positioning of pickups. A standard S-S-S Strat config won't exactly match the H-S-H positioning. I'm not sure it will make enough of a difference to matter. I actually have an S-S-S pickguard routed for my prototyping guitar and I've wanted to try an S-S-S setup. I just haven't gotten around to doing it. Someone please try!

mk