A Pickup like the Tone Zone but Different

[eclecticsynergy]

I was going to say Super Distortion, but if bright is your concern, go with a Super 2

Nah, the OP needs warm and thick. Super 2 is going the opposite way, and IME could be pretty harsh in a bright Strat.
Super D would be closer to what he wants, if he decides not to go with The Breed.

AT-1 was an excellent recommendation too: less corpulent than the TZ yet offers nice body on leads up high on the neck.
The AT-1 is a seriously really great pickup.

[eclecticsynergy]

Question for the OP: have you checked the pot values in your Strat? Might have 500k pots making it sound brighter.
If so, and since you like the TZ except for that fizziness up top, a 250K volume pot could be a cheap and simple fix.
Worth checking/trying, at least.

[Aceman]

Apologies on the "Super 2" - that was just wrong!

[Ascension]

The Tone Zone was a great fit in a really bright guitar I have. I put another one into a bright Strat recently and like it there too, but the fuzzy harmonics are kind of out of control. They make amp distortion sound more like a fuzz box, which is cool, but it isn’t something I want all the time. The bent steel saddles may be contributing to the harmonics as well. But anyway, are there any pickups with a similar EQ curve but maybe without the dual resonance thing the Tone Zone has? Maybe the Gravity Storm?

The main goal is for my Strat to sound warm and thick—I love how thick lead tones are on even the higher frets with the Tone Zone—though I could probably get by with a bit more treble than the TZ has. Let me know if anything springs to mind for you.

Gravity Storm is what I would highly recommend. Had one for a while and love them but t was so different from anything else I had eq wise I really had no were else to put it so sold it. Now wish I had not as it is a killer big open sounding pickup perfect for a guitar that is on the bright side and one of the most dynamic and touch sensitive pickups that I have ever used. Never really found a neck pickup that was a solid tonal match for it though in a humbucker. Had it in my Carvin ST 300 which was on the dark side but it still got a monster tone. Just was to different from the rest of my guitars and didn't work for what I needed that particular guitar for so went to a full SNS set.

[Ascension]

Gravity Storm is anything but thick.

Don't know where you get that as had one for a while and i was absolutely HUGE sounding! Wish I had kept it but went to a SNS set in the particular guitar i had the GS in and sold it and the PAF Joe I had in that guitar to help fund the SNS set. Have though about picking up another because of the fat smooth tones.

[Reee]

Don't know where you get that as had one for a while and i was absolutely HUGE sounding! Wish I had kept it but went to a SNS set in the particular guitar i had the GS in and sold it and the PAF Joe I had in that guitar to help fund the SNS set. Have though about picking up another because of the fat smooth tones.

i didn't say it wasn't huge or smooth, i said it's not thick, like the tonezone, tonezone is a laserbeam of mids, gravity storm is more balanced EQ-wise and seems to have that Vai DNA with a TON of treble

[dave74]

Alnico Warpig is in the same camp as the TZ, but not in price unless you find a used one.
Evo2 is another option but it has the ceramic mag of course.