What's the best Hendrix / SRV sounding neck pickup ?

[maug2122]

I have a defective neck pick up.
Does any one know a good Hendrix / SRV sounding pickup ?

Which Seymour Duncan or any brand take my guitar there ?

[Mincer]

Well, there is the Hendrix set, and the Antiquity Texas Hots.

[zionstrat]

Most people will probably not agree with me, but you've picked two guitarist that are best emulated with the basic old vintage Strat pickup.

In my opinion, a whole lot of srvs tone came from heavy strings.. throw some 11s or 12s on your Strat and you will be amazed.

And Hendrix was much more about effects and amp.. again any 66 style Strat pickup will do the job.

If you look at my posts, I normally see a lot of potential upgrading pickups...but in this case, I think it's a lot more about fingers and how the guitars were used..

[beaubrummels]

I have a '66 Strat and the Antiquity Texas Hot set actually matched the original pickups in there, despite being a different recipe. SRV's neck was a '59 with a copper foil wrap I believe, which rolled off the treble a bit, and Hendrix' neck pickups varied a bit because he played a number of different guitars, from '65 models to '69 models. But I think any mid-60's grey flatwork replica around 5-6k should get there, however. From an SSL-1 to an Antiquity to Fender Texas Specials to WL Van Zandts.

[freefrog]

I agree with zionstrat.

Let's keep in mind the tuning lowered of a semi-tone, too.


That said, choices might depend on the context and that's why I understand the two ideas evoked by Mincer.

If I was someone wanting a SRV tone from a normal Strat with normal strings and through standard gear, I'd potentially pick some "Texas Hot" model: more turns = more inductance = more power and high mids but less sparkle = a step towards what SRV actually obtained from thick strings + long (and extremely capacitive) Radio Shack cables. It would also give an acceptable approximation or these middy JH sounds partly due to long coily cables.

If I had a Strat tuned a semi-tone lower than usual, a vintage correct rig with long and/or curly cables and the kind of effects/amps used by JH / SRV, I've come back to the idea of normal Strat pickups because that's what the mentioned artists used.

In this last case, I'd just favor something wound with plain enamel, not higher than 6k or a tad under this DCR.

Good luck in your choice, maug2122.

[freefrog]

SRV's neck was a '59 with a copper foil wrap I believe, which rolled off the treble a bit, and Hendrix' neck pickups varied a bit because he played a number of different guitars, from '65 models to '69 models. But I think any mid-60's grey flatwork replica around 5-6k should get there, however. From an SSL-1 to an Antiquity to Fender Texas Specials to WL Van Zandts.

Yep, I've seen the same thing about the copper foil. Talk me about eddy currents... :-) .... and there was supposedly a noise cancelling choke + corrective caps in number one , which is another potential way to soften the sound.

+1 about grey flatwork replicas, that said. That's what I've tried to express in different words above.

[PFDarkside]

I built two Strats, one had SSL-1s and the other had CS69s. The idea was a quasi SRV Strat and a Hendrix Strat. (They have different pickups now) They have their own personalities but I could do SRV with the black one and Hendrix with the blue one. I think it’s mostly about finding the set that works with your other gear and your playing style. (In the examples above, the CS69 had more sparkle and the SSL1 had more midrange punch)

[jeremy]

im a strat guy at heart and i hear the hendrix tone and srv tone as quite different. as mentioned hendrix relied on fx to get many of his tones. srv did to some extent as well. you wont nail both tones with one setup. light strings and late 60s pups vs heavy strings and late 50's pups. if you want a great vintage strat tone, get a set of antiquity ii surfers. if you want to be vintage correct, get three "neck" models.

[eclecticsynergy]

I'd say Antiquity Texas for SRV and Antiquity Surfers (or any low output 60s-voiced set) for Hendrix.
I prefer a little extra at the bridge in a Strat, and the Surfer Custom Bridge is juicy yet not over the top.

The iconic SSL-1 is absolutely a great all-purpose choice too.
Definitively Stratty sounding, and can do it all, including SRV and Jimi.

I do concur with others though, that their signature tones were largely rooted in tuning/setup and FX/amps.
And their hands & hearts, of course.
Anyway, pickups are far from the top of the list when it comes to matching those sounds.

[freefrog]

Anyway, pickups are far from the top of the list when it comes to matching those sounds.

I was not far to write in my first answer that what got me the closest to my idea of SRV tones was... an EVM12L in an open cab. and I must admit that personally, I use any of my Strats to play JH or SRV, relying more on FX, amps and cabs or... stray capacitance than on pickups.

Without denying the difference between Strat PU's, I also find the landscape a bit blury regarding Number One: Seymour did mention an average DCR of 5.95k for 1959 Strat SC's. Don Mare did evoke an actual DCR of 5.7k for each pickup in the main SRV Strat. That's not far from the average 5.8k to 5.88k of CBS Strats as Seymour did measure them. And the difference from formvar to PE is not going to make a big difference with PU's of comparable DCR/inductance IHMO. YMMV.


In the last years, SRV was apparently obsessed by the idea to sound like Jimi, anyway.

FWIW - worthless rambling of an old fart. Sorry for the repeated answers. :-P

[AlexR]

Hendrix and SRV both relied on neck and middle. The latter due to the #4 position. My best guitar for both tones has Fender 65 pickups in. A nice beefy neck tone and some quack from #4 but still full enough to get some response with overdrive.

[maug2122]

I agree with zionstrat.

Let's keep in mind the tuning lowered of a semi-tone, too.


That said, choices might depend on the context and that's why I understand the two ideas evoked by Mincer.

If I was someone wanting a SRV tone from a normal Strat with normal strings and through standard gear, I'd potentially pick some "Texas Hot" model: more turns = more inductance = more power and high mids but less sparkle = a step towards what SRV actually obtained from thick strings + long (and extremely capacitive) Radio Shack cables. It would also give an acceptable approximation or these middy JH sounds partly due to long coily cables.

If I had a Strat tuned a semi-tone lower than usual, a vintage correct rig with long and/or curly cables and the kind of effects/amps used by JH / SRV, I've come back to the idea of normal Strat pickups because that's what the mentioned artists used.

In this last case, I'd just favor something wound with plain enamel, not higher than 6k or a tad under this DCR.

Good luck in your choice, maug2122.

Thanks .

I tried to upload a picture of my old original 1969 Univox Univibe and this site did not let it load

[Mincer]

Thanks .

I tried to upload a picture of my old original 1969 Univox Univibe and this site did not let it load

Pics have been having trouble lately. It works better to upload as an attachment, or better still, use an image hosting service.

[maug2122]

Yeah, something about Strats and Single Coils, makes me switch gears.

I was in a traveling Metal band, the night after the gig, the guys couldn't find me.
They found me playing with the lounge band playing Hendrix's Cross Town Traffic , Dolly Dagger and SRV's Couldn't Stand The Weather .... it was a blast, playing something different .