Strat Build Poll- Ultimate Pickup Selection

[Diminished Triad]

Looking for a vintage strat sound/tone with 5 SD pickups in the running. Please select your preference!

1. Lipstick Tube

2. Psychedelic Strat

3. Antiquity Surfer

4. APS II

5. Vintage for Strat

[Edgecrusher]

Re: Strat Build Poll- Ultimate Pickup Selection

Didnt you have 3 sets of zephyrs coming?

[Diminished Triad]

Re: Strat Build Poll- Ultimate Pickup Selection

Didnt you have 3 sets of zephyrs coming?

1 arrived........ 2 more to show up soon I hope! Received all 3 Warmoth kits.........just waiting for rest of pickups and the small parts (pots/capacitors etc) and then will begin the builds.
The Zeph humbuckers arrived and so waiting on the tele and single coil Zephs to arrive.

So far it all looks very nice...
For my vintage strat I'm thinking of going with black korina body and maple neck. Selecting the pickups now and then will make the final decision regarding wood choice. Thanks!

[Chickenwings]

Re: Strat Build Poll- Ultimate Pickup Selection

dood! dont forget the humble but awesome ssl-1 set!

[Diminished Triad]

Re: Strat Build Poll- Ultimate Pickup Selection

dood! dont forget the humble but awesome ssl-1 set!

Yes....that's the Vintage for Strat above (SSL-1).....it's there for sure!

[vinta9e]

Re: Strat Build Poll- Ultimate Pickup Selection

For my vintage strat I'm thinking of going with black korina body and maple neck. Selecting the pickups now and then will make the final decision regarding wood choice. Thanks!

Damn, I think that's a nice wood choice. I'd keep it just like that, maybe get a set of alnico IIs for a more compact, midrangy alternative to the hi-fi zephyrs. I won't be very surprised if you actually like both.

[Falloffthebonetone]

Re: Strat Build Poll- Ultimate Pickup Selection

If it was me, I'd mix.

Psychedelic in the neck,
Vintage in the middle
Antiquity Custom in the bridge

Should give great balance in tone, output and versatility.

Neck pickup would be Hendrix style tones,
neck/middle would be SRV,
middle would be Clapton,
bridge/middle would be Knopfler,
and bridge would be Blackmore.
Decades of stratty awesome in one guitar. (And yeah I know they all used more than one position, just the ones I usually associate them with.)

But if you HAVE to stick with a set, I say the Psychedelic late 60's strat pickups. My personal favorite.

[LReese]

Re: Strat Build Poll- Ultimate Pickup Selection

Aww poo... No 5-2.

[jimijames]

Re: Strat Build Poll- Ultimate Pickup Selection

I've had the antiquity surfers as well as the strabro 90s in my guitar - FWIW the surfers nail the vintage strat sound, but the strabro 90s (I think you can only get them through the custom shop) still have that same flutey "hollow" strat sound and are a little tighter on the bottom end and do a fantastic P-90 sound.

I don't know what woods you're using for your guitars but I think your preference is going to be guided by the fretboard wood. IMO rosewood sounds better with a5/ceramic magnets and Maple does better with a2. YMMV though.

[Diminished Triad]

Re: Strat Build Poll- Ultimate Pickup Selection

I've had the antiquity surfers as well as the strabro 90s in my guitar - FWIW the surfers nail the vintage strat sound, but the strabro 90s (I think you can only get them through the custom shop) still have that same flutey "hollow" strat sound and are a little tighter on the bottom end and do a fantastic P-90 sound.

I don't know what woods you're using for your guitars but I think your preference is going to be guided by the fretboard wood. IMO rosewood sounds better with a5/ceramic magnets and Maple does better with a2. YMMV though.

Good stuff...unless using a 5-2, right? :-) I will remember your recommendation, thanks again!
By the way, do any of the pickups above lend themselves better to Mahogany, Alder, or Ash? Other?

[Falloffthebonetone]

Re: Strat Build Poll- Ultimate Pickup Selection

Good stuff...unless using a 5-2, right? :-) I will remember your recommendation, thanks again!
By the way, do any of the pickups above lend themselves better to Mahogany, Alder, or Ash? Other?

Traditionally strat pickups were designed for lighter more balanced woods like ash, alder, poplar, etc. Ash being the first. But I've tried mahogany strats and stuff, sounds fantastic with them. Black korina like you said would be REALLY cool and interesting. And no matter what wood you choose these pickups will still maintain their character and fundamentals. It's still going to sound like a strat, some more than others though. If you decide against the Korina, Swamp Ash is a very eyecatching and traditional choice for a strat. I actually think a good swamp ash grain on it's own looks better than most if not all flame or quilted tops. But that's just me.

[Diminished Triad]

Re: Strat Build Poll- Ultimate Pickup Selection

After ordering a few kits I have still not finalized a black korina model, although I do hope to do so one day soon. And I'll probably go with the forum choice here for pickups. Maybe one day with more affordable kits I'll be able to build a few with all of these and even the Fender '69s.......until then.....one set at a time and as I said, hope to have the Korina build designed and ordered very soon! Thanks so much!

[Diminished Triad]

Re: Strat Build Poll- Ultimate Pickup Selection

Antiquity Surfer......anyone have strong feelings for or for an alternative?
I thought Vintage for Strat would prevail......maybe not.
Thanks for any info!

[Jocelyn]

Re: Strat Build Poll- Ultimate Pickup Selection

dood! dont forget the humble but awesome ssl-1 set!

This is what I would use. A freind has this on his strat copy.

[Lucy Diamond]

Re: Strat Build Poll- Ultimate Pickup Selection

I can't speak highly enough about my SD Lipstick set.

I absolutely love the feel of these pickups. Oddly enough, even through a really high gain amp, they aren't THAT noisy.

For cleans though I think they are amazingly useful.