SC to go with SD Hunter

[cryogenic419]

Recently scored a used ESP Kamikaze that came with the Hunter in the bridge. I've been trying to make friends with the single coil in the neck, ESP SS-120, but not having much luck. It has some qualities I like for clean sounds but for anything with any gain is just not working out. Looking at replacing with something different. Have not been able to find out much about the pickup other than they have been using that PU for ages and this "The magnet is Alnico 5, the resistance is 6kΩ and the peak at 7.2kHz.". Push pull pot as far as I know is 500k for both pickups, not sure how much of a factor that is with the sound

I like that this neck single coil can do chimey acousticy sounds, but a few gripes. Output is crazy low which I know most single coils are going to be when put up against a hb. A little more output would be nice but I still want to maintain that sc tone. It also seems very scooped, a touch more mids without mushy lows would be nice. Would like something a bit more responsive to pick attack, like if you back off pick attack it cleans up quickly. Not opposed to a stacked sc to get rid of the hum but would like to maintain the sc sound.

Been listening to the sound samples on here and so far Custom Staggered Strat, Vintage Hot Stack Plus Strat, Custom Stack Plus Strat, and the Quarter Pound stand out as being in the ballpark tonewise. Is there anything else I should be looking at? Custom shop offerings not listed on the website?

[Mincer]

Is your priority volume balance or chimey Strat sounds? I'd certainly go for noise cancelling.

[51501984]

I've got a RTM in the bridge and Cool Rails in the neck spots of a H/S style Super Strat. Works out great , the Cool Rails sounds very beefy under gain and really nice clean

[Synapsys]

Go for the Vintage Hot Stack. Will match the bridge humbucker nicely output-wise, has more output than the Classic Stack, but still feels and sounds very Stratty. Not as compressed as the Custom Stack, just a bit more than the CS, and its EQ allows for airy / sparkly clean tones, but it does really well under gain.

All of that noise-free, of course!

[cryogenic419]

My priority is leaning more towards the chime with a touch more output. I am thinking/hoping the higher output will solve my using that pickup with gain issue as well based on some other guitars I have that have single coils. Would it be awesome if I could could get the best of both worlds.

I'm still listening to various youtube videos trying to figure it out.

[Mincer]

My priority is leaning more towards the chime with a touch more output. I am thinking/hoping the higher output will solve my using that pickup with gain issue as well based on some other guitars I have that have single coils. Would it be awesome if I could could get the best of both worlds.

I'm still listening to various youtube videos trying to figure it out.

Do you want it to sound like a single coil or humbucker?

[donaldr]

I have an LTD ST-213. I replaced the SS-120 pickups (as I couldn't get a sound I liked) with STK-S4 neck and STK-S7 bridge, no middle. STK-S4 sounds incredible in the neck.
I had the STK-S7 in the neck of a Fender Strat with 250k pots and found it to dark, but sounds incredible in the bridge of the LTD ST-213. Maybe the STK-S7 with 500k pots will make it bright enough as a neck pickup.

[Chad11491]

I had a Dimarzio Injector in the neck with the Hunter in an all maple guitar with a 500k volume pot and really liked the combo. I’ve moved that combo over to a Jackson SL1 and it works great there, too.

[cryogenic419]

I want it to sound like a single coil, I've got enough humbucker sounds to draw from.

After much listening kind of narrowed down pickups. One that I initially missed was the Hot Strat, its in the ballpark more than the others. Someone I know has a YJM Fury in the neck of a tele that I need to go hear in person.

Do you guys find the stacked pickups sound better overall with 250k or 500k?

[Mincer]

I like stacked pickups with 250k, but I've used them with 500k with no issue. I like the YJMs, too, but they are a bit on the quiet side (sort of like Duckbuckers).

[donaldr]

250k volume and tone pots on my STK-S4n/STK-S7b guitar and perfect fit.

[cryogenic419]

After a whole lot of back and forth and a leap of blind faith, ended up with a Lil Screamin Demon. Odd little pickup as it seems to have a somewhat hot output but responds very well to volume knob changes and picking. Take volume down a little and while not true single coil chime it gets close enough One of the few pickups I've ever had in neck position that isn't super muddy on the low notes but that might be because theres just a vol knob. Volume difference between neck and bridge is negligible. I am loving this thing so far.

[Mincer]

Awesome that you found something that works for you! I've stumbled on combinations I would have never considered, just because a particular pickup was the one that was available to me at the time, and usually that came out great!

[cryogenic419]

Now I'm left wondering how closely how similar the regular Screamin Demon is compared to the single coil sized version. I think I am able to put my finger on why I am digging the sound of the Lil Demon. When I first started playing my father had a early 70's Gibson 335 with PAF's in it, through a few Boss pedals going into a blackface Fender Twin. There was a push, presence, and clarity to that setup that I have never come close to replicating until now.

[Mincer]

Now I'm left wondering how closely how similar the regular Screamin Demon is compared to the single coil sized version. I think I am able to put my finger on why I am digging the sound of the Lil Demon. When I first started playing my father had a early 70's Gibson 335 with PAF's in it, through a few Boss pedals going into a blackface Fender Twin. There was a push, presence, and clarity to that setup that I have never come close to replicating until now.

I am curious about that, too. Some of the Little versions sound very close to the Big versions (like the JB Jr), some not as much (like the 59s).