Vintage windings

[Guitar Toad]

I read and hear that the SSL-1 are vintage wound and the SSL-5's are "overwound" for fatter sound. How many windings does a SSL-1 and SSL-5 have? Are the Winding wires identical? Is the number of winding the only difference between the two? Is the SSL5 bright without being chimie or bell-like with more midi range? But some have said that the low end is beefier in the SSL-1. How is that?

From the descriptions I've seen, it appears that the SSL-5 could be the SD version of the Texas Specials. But when Texas Specials get mentioned then Aniquity Texas Hots become suggested as the SD equivalent. Why isn't the SSL-5 suggested as the TS equivalent yet superior SD replacement? Which of the SSL-5 or the Texas Hots could more likely be called the Austin, Texas pickup?

[Curly]

Re: Vintage windings

well, the SSL-1 is wound to 6K - I don't know how many winds that is. The SSL-5 is around 13K, so it's substantially hotter, and probably uses 43 ga wire as opposed to 42 ga on the SSL-1.

Although I have a Texas Special strat, I don't know what the specs on the pickups are, but they're likely much closer to SSL-1s.

as far as winding info, there's some in the FAQ on the main site, but you'll have to poke around a little to find it.

[Luke Duke]

Re: Vintage windings

I'm with Curly on this one. The TS pups are just slightly overwound whereas the Custom and Hot are very overwound. I remember reading a Fender write up saying that the pups in #1 were actually vintage pups and another SRV guitar had underwound pups. I know my Alnico 2 Pros are supposed to be vintage-esque but a different take. They were 6.2, 6.2, and 6.1 DC resistance-wise. According to Fender the TS are 6.2, 6.5, and 6.5-7.1.

http://www.fender.com/products/search.php?partno=0992111000

Luke

[Guitar Toad]

Re: Vintage windings

Thanks for the responses.
I am just trying to get a handle on what what vintage and custom wound means. Vintage sound vs modern tones as described in the tone chart. I am going to have go check again. But I thought that the Texas Specials were a custom overwound and not intended to be vintage meaning that it wouldn't be comparable to the SSL-1.

So the key is that a magnet is wound to a specified DC resistance value, right? Are all alnico V magnets created equal? Do the SSL1 and 5 have the same size magnets?

I wish I could just walk into a shop and try them all! The tone wizard has some value. The SSL-1 sound too thin, but alot of guys like 'em and rave about 'em. I don't want to write them off. But at the same time...as i ask more questions prior to calling Lew with my order...its sounding like I would like the SSL-5 or the APS-1. I want chimey brightness, but not too glassy bright. Which sound better with a Tube Screamer gets a added and cranked to optimum fuzz.

I'm pretty sure Lew et al have me talked to the TwangBanger for the Bridge but SGSTRAT also has me talked into the SSL52-B FIVE-TWO CUSTOM BRIDGE. I want to like what other's say they like...and everybody has different preferences. Some like Bud or Coke others like Pepsi or New Castle Brown Ale...I like 'em all. I will likely enjoy whatever I end-up with.

A set of Antiquities is out of the question unless I win the monthly giveaway this month:=)

[Curly]

Re: Vintage windings

I'm sorry, I should've said the SSL-1 is wound to about 6.4K, so it's at the high end of vintage specs.

[Curly]

Re: Vintage windings

jeremy gave a very good summary the other day ... if you have a guitar that tends to be brighter, then the APSs are a good choice. If you're guitar tends to be warmer, then the SSLs are a good choice. Although rules are made to be broken, those are pretty good guidelines.

[Guitar Toad]

Re: Vintage windings

jeremy gave a very good summary the other day ... if you have a guitar that tends to be brighter, then the APSs are a good choice. If you're guitar tends to be warmer, then the SSLs are a good choice. Although rules are made to be broken, those are pretty good guidelines.

Now, then starting from an alder strat with Fender Tex Mex's,

The SSL-1's will make it brighter, without question, right? But that's what the tone control is for right? If too bright roll back the tone knob.

Will the APS-1's make it sound brighter, the same or darker?
SSL-5's? Brighter? good bottom without being muddy? Hotter sound, better with distortion?

I want a little brighter than the Tex Mex gives me.

[Curly]

Re: Vintage windings

SSLs are bright and glassy; APSs are warm and fat.

I haven't used Tex Mex or the SSL-5, so I can't make any comparisons. I would want to use the SSL-5 in the bridge with SSL-1s in the other two slots .. I just couldn't tell you what a set of SSL-5's would be like.

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: Vintage windings

Guitar Toad are you replacing the pups in your JV Strat? If so, what do you want and what do you not like about the Tex-Mex?

[ArtieToo]

Re: Vintage windings

I hate to keep beating this drum, but if you go for the SSL-5 "tapped",
you can have your cake and eat it too - at the flip of a switch.
Best of both worlds.

[Curly]

Re: Vintage windings

I agree with Artie ... I have a tapped Hot that's going in with my SSL-1s

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: Vintage windings

I agree with Artie ... I have a tapped Hot that's going in with my SSL-1s

is every body doing the Tapped tele lead coil in a Strat?

[Guitar Toad]

Re: Vintage windings

Guitar Toad are you replacing the pups in your JV Strat? If so, what do you want and what do you not like about the Tex-Mex?

Well, theguywhoinventedfire, yes it's the JV. I really love this guitar. I like its sound. But I want to brighten it up a bit...I want more low end if I can add brightness and low end at the same time.

From the tone wizard the SSL-1's just sound too thin. The APS-1's sound great, but they could be a bit brighter. Maybe the APS-2's, the flats, are the answer.

What if I left the Tex-Mex neck and middle and put either a FIVE-TWO CUSTOM BRIDGE or Twangbanger at the bridge?

[Luke Duke]

Re: Vintage windings

I say go 5/2 neck and middle and a ssl5 bridge tapped. You get the bouncy A5 bass and the smooth A2 treble. In the bridge slot you'll have a bright pup with balls.

Luke

[Guitar Toad]

Re: Vintage windings

I say go 5/2 neck and middle and a ssl5 bridge tapped. You get the bouncy A5 bass and the smooth A2 treble. In the bridge slot you'll have a bright pup with balls.

Luke

That sounds like a great combo. I hadn't quite thought of that one. That may be the ticket. That could produce some great tones, I'm sure!

One of you pickup experts ought to put together a Seymour Duncan Like tone chart for the many non-SD pickups so that all the specs can be examined and compared in one source. Then, a player, knowing that when a pup X is exchanged for a pup Z, then the sonic difference could be readiily predictable.