SSL-1 / SSL-1RWRP / SSL-5 - a second view & review

[freeed]

Hi folks,

Some time ago I got myself the pickup-set named in the header (ssl1/ssl1/ssl5) for one of my strats.
Somehow I hesitated in putting it in one of my guitars and so it landed one day in my mex standard strat. I played it some time but did find that the ssl 5 was too bassy in the bridge and that the ssl1’s were a lil’ too thin. But I believed that there must be more so I finally decided to put them in my main strat, a 2008 American Standard. And wow, man: none of the described things occurred anymore. The blend perfectly into each other, the bridge is stratty but more rockin’ and a lil’ more punchy, hotter but not too hot in comparison to the ssl1’s - and still funky, especially when backing off the volume by 1-3 numbers. Mid and neck are much sweeter when combined and a full sounding dream as well on their own. The instrument is now fundamentally improved!

What’s your experience with this pickup-combo?


freeed

 

[hamerfan]

Re: SSL-1 / SSL-1RWRP / SSL-5 - a second view & review

Hi folks,

Some time ago I got myself the pickup-set named in the header (ssl1/ssl1/ssl5) for one of my strats.
Somehow I hesitated in putting it in one of my guitars and so it landed one day in my mex standard strat. I played it some time but did find that the ssl 5 was too bassy in the bridge and that the ssl1’s were a lil’ too thin. But I believed that there must be more so I finally decided to put them in my main strat, a 2008 American Standard. And wow, man: none of the described things occurred anymore. The blend perfectly into each other, the bridge is stratty but more rockin’ and a lil’ more punchy, hotter but not too hot in comparison to the ssl1’s - and still funky, especially when backing off the volume by 1-3 numbers. Mid and neck are much sweeter when combined and a full sounding dream as well on their own. The instrument is now fundamentally improved!

What’s your experience with this pickup-combo?


freeed

I have roughly the same combo, no rwrp and the bridge is the flat poled SSL-6. I changed the volume pot to 500k and added a 500k resistor in the wiring, so the ssl-1s see 250k. This makes the bridge a bit livelier and hotter, so i put the bridge pup a little lower. This is quite a balanced set now.

 

[Artie]

Re: SSL-1 / SSL-1RWRP / SSL-5 - a second view & review

Great set. I have close to the same thing, except I went with 2's, because I prefer the flat poles, and then the SSL-6, like hamerfan. Just a great, classic Strat sound.

 

[hamerfan]

Re: SSL-1 / SSL-1RWRP / SSL-5 - a second view & review

Hey Artie, it was the ssl-6T i bought from you!:wave:

 

[Artie]

Re: SSL-1 / SSL-1RWRP / SSL-5 - a second view & review

I was wondering what I did with that?

 

[PFDarkside]

Re: SSL-1 / SSL-1RWRP / SSL-5 - a second view & review

Great pickup set. Classic Strat.

 

[GuitarStv]

Re: SSL-1 / SSL-1RWRP / SSL-5 - a second view & review

Were both strats that you had the set in wired the same?

 

[raistlin]

Re: SSL-1 / SSL-1RWRP / SSL-5 - a second view & review

Were both strats that you had the set in wired the same?

I can't comment on the SSL5, I have a SSL1 set in an Edwards 62 replica.

They sound a bit fuller and hotter to me (relative to a Rumpel's Experience set), but it's still classically stratty. Love it.

 

[freeed]

Re: SSL-1 / SSL-1RWRP / SSL-5 - a second view & review

Were both strats that you had the set in wired the same?

Yes, apart from the tone for the bridge/neck pickup which is a no load on the American standard and a standard one on the Mexican Standard. Why do you ask? Any tips on wiring for better tone?

 

[GuitarStv]

Re: SSL-1 / SSL-1RWRP / SSL-5 - a second view & review

Yes, apart from the tone for the bridge/neck pickup which is a no load on the American standard and a standard one on the Mexican Standard. Why do you ask? Any tips on wiring for better tone?

I was just wondering if the reason you felt that the pickups were so bad in one guitar and so good in the other was maybe due to different values in the circuit. Obviously there is some variation from guitar to guitar, but going from one strat to another I would expect the same pickups to behave in a pretty similar manner with the same wiring.

 

[freeed]

Re: SSL-1 / SSL-1RWRP / SSL-5 - a second view & review

I was just wondering if the reason you felt that the pickups were so bad in one guitar and so good in the other was maybe due to different values in the circuit. Obviously there is some variation from guitar to guitar, but going from one strat to another I would expect the same pickups to behave in a pretty similar manner with the same wiring.

Hi!
The pots were all 250k (maybe with some slight variation, but I haven’ Measured them). I believe, that every guitar is different, and my main am std obviously has a more fuller sound, so I expected that it’s wood and other parts may give the pickups a different base to shine - and so it did.

I think I remember someone say to put good pickups also in a good guitar to have the best possible result. Obviously the Am Std May be of better quality than my Mex Std, but I don’t wanna open that discussion box here

Peace, freeed

 

[Mincer]

Re: SSL-1 / SSL-1RWRP / SSL-5 - a second view & review

I've always done the -2/-2/-6 set, as I like flat poles. But tone-wise, they are the same. I am happy you found a good home for them. The hotter, thicker bridge pickup solves the problems I have with most Strat bridge pickups.