STRAT PLAYERS:Which pup do you use and do you lower your treble and mids on amp?

[SoCalSteve]

I'm new with single coils and I took it for granted that most play in the 4th or 5th notch on a 5-way switch. But I just read an interview with Robin Trower where he said he mostly uses the neck pickup.

Which do you use most and does anyone know which pups are mainly used by Randy Bachman, Ritchie Blackmore and David Gilmour?

[Mincer]

Re: STRAT PLAYERS:Which pup do you use and do you lower your treble and mids on amp?

I generally use the neck pickup, but I shy away from 'classic' sounds- I am more likely to boost the mid and bass on an amp. Blackmore switches his pickups like every 3 seconds- check out some video of him...he never stays on 1 position for more than a few seconds.

[B2D]

Re: STRAT PLAYERS:Which pup do you use and do you lower your treble and mids on amp?

I mainly use the neck pickup for rhythm and smoother lead tones, and the bridge pickup for snarlier lead tones and sharper rhythm tones. Playing rhythm I'll stick with one position but for lead I've developed a habit of switching back and forth between the neck and bridge pickup depending on what register of the neck I'm in. I generally never use the mid pickup by itself and only use notch positions 2 and 4 for a "different" clean tone.

On an amp I'll generally keep the bass on 6 or 7, the treble on 7 or 8, and the mids very depending on how the amp is voiced but no on my boogie they're on 5 or 6. I tend to go for a "Fat Strat" tone.

Oh yeah, SCS... your avatar rocks!

[beandip]

Re: STRAT PLAYERS:Which pup do you use and do you lower your treble and mids on amp?

I use 'em all. mostly the two notch positions though. I usually "boost" my mids and treble.

[StratTom]

Re: STRAT PLAYERS:Which pup do you use and do you lower your treble and mids on amp?

I use the bridge pickup the majority of the time since its a hot rails. When I get bored I mess around with the others and play some jazz chords and such. My amp doesn't have three tone knobs, it has a shape knob (silly Crate).

[Jonny R]

Re: STRAT PLAYERS:Which pup do you use and do you lower your treble and mids on amp?

I use the neck and neck-mid for clean tones a lot, especially when playing softer music. For some of our funk stuff I switch to the bridge, but I have a JB jnr there, so it's more for classic humbucker funk sounds. I do lead mainly through the JB jnr too.

[Curly]

Re: STRAT PLAYERS:Which pup do you use and do you lower your treble and mids on amp?

I've always liked the neck and neck/ mid for those nice fat tones, but I've learned more recently to get some great tones from the other positions, especially on my strat with the SSL-3 Hot bridge - it gets some nice juicy crunch chords!

I often like the clear clean tones of the bridge and bridge/ mid for rhythms, but I sometimes forget to switch down from a lead setting ... it's a lot easier to get a fat lead tone, and just back off the volume for cleaner rhythms, especially with stock wiring

[Dom L]

Re: STRAT PLAYERS:Which pup do you use and do you lower your treble and mids on amp?

especially on my strat with the SSL-3 Hot bridge - it gets some nice juicy crunch chords!

I have a question on the SSL-3 Hot, is it susceptible to more hum than say a SSL-1
I want a single coil with a big midrange hump like the CC but its gotta be single sized
What's your take on this
Thanks
Dom L

[Curly]

Re: STRAT PLAYERS:Which pup do you use and do you lower your treble and mids on amp?

I have a question on the SSL-3 Hot, is it susceptible to more hum than say a SSL-1
I want a single coil with a big midrange hump like the CC but its gotta be single sized
What's your take on this
Thanks
Dom L

I don't think it has more hum at all!

I should say that on that guitar, I didn't use any shielding, and whether it was that or something else, I took the shielding out of my other guitar, because I'm convinced I get better tone overall - my shielded ax sounded muffled by comparison. So, I live with the single coil hum!

The SSL-3 is fat! Definitely has the mids, and sustain, as the description page says. I'd say the one issue in my guitar is the balance going from APS-2's to the SSL-3 bridge, but I live with it. A tapped Hot might be a good alternative for some. I highly recommend this pickup - especially for those who want to approach humbucker tone with a true single coil.

I'd like to try an SSL-6 Custom in the bridge eventually, but I keep coming back to the fact that the SSL-3 has more mids and sustain that help smooth out the problems with a lot of weak sounding strat bridge pickups.

see this link for clips:

SSL-3 "Hot" clips

[midnite_man]

Re: STRAT PLAYERS:Which pup do you use and do you lower your treble and mids on amp?

I'm new with single coils and I took it for granted that most play in the 4th or 5th notch on a 5-way switch. But I just read an interview with Robin Trower where he said he mostly uses the neck pickup.

Which do you use most and does anyone know which pups are mainly used by Randy Bachman, Ritchie Blackmore and David Gilmour?

I agree exactly with the way B2D uses his settings on his amp.
On either of my Strats I prefer the neck pup the most due to the richness and depth of the tones. I love playing blues, so that works best for me. I do like the #4 position for funky R&B stuff, and #2 for some screaming solo work. But I just don't use the bridge pickup a whole lot, except in my American Strat I have a blender-pot installed that allows the bridge to be mixed with the neck, so I'll be using the bridge pickup more with that axe. The middle pup usually gives a good, all around tone for rhythm.
I don't know what Blackmore and Bachman use, but Gilmore uses active EMG's in his Strat - I believe they're SA-81's if memory serves me correct, which is rare....lol.

[crazytooguy]

The best Strat sound I've found...

...is all three pups together. I have individual on/off switches for pickup selection, and all three on has a distinct, round, and crisp sound that really stands out. Not doable with a 5-way switch, of course, but adding a minitoggle switch on will allow it. It's an easy mod. As for the amp, I have the treble sorta midway, and the mids up around 7.

[Gamera]

Re: STRAT PLAYERS:Which pup do you use and do you lower your treble and mids on amp?

I also prefer the neck and neck/mid positions. They sound fatter, fuller, and sweeter to my ears. A stock Strat bridge pup has always sounded a little too "twangy and jangly" for me. It's a vintage sound good for surf rock and classic 50's - 60's tones. I don't have much use for those sounds though that's why I ordered my Strat "fat" with a full-sized bucker.

Since I don't really use a bridge single coil (although I can split the bridge bucker for a classic Strat single coil tone) I don't have an issue with mids or trebles. I just adjust the tone control to about halfway and I'm set. The single coils I have are the new Fender SCN pups though that have a great, smooth tone and aren't too trebly.

[Rich_T]

Re: STRAT PLAYERS:Which pup do you use and do you lower your treble and mids on amp?

ive got the SSL-3 in the bridge of my strat too. i think its an absolutely awesome pickup. but i have a pretty bass and mid heavy tone as it is.

[Gearjoneser]

Re: STRAT PLAYERS:Which pup do you use and do you lower your treble and mids on amp?

I use Fralin Vintage Hots on my sunburst strat, and C-5 trem/2 Fender Fat 50 singles on my blue strat. Now, I'm getting into the G&L ASAT Z-3 pickups, which are like hot strat pickups with more twang and growl. I like the 1, 4, and 5 postitions. Neck or bridge for soloing, 4th notch pos. for clean rhythm, and occasionally the 2 & 3 position.

[jeremy]

Re: STRAT PLAYERS:Which pup do you use and do you lower your treble and mids on amp?

i use all kinds of strat pups and i tend to use all positions for various things. i like a full neck tone, bright clean mid and hotter bridge.
on my blues jr i run all the eq full up. on my marshall i run t/m/b, 5/10/7. on my twin i run 6/7/6