Which JM pickup is better for my case?

[ShellacFTW]

I'm new to guitar in general so I'm confused.

Basically, I am planning on getting a new guitar, either a Strat or a JM, and planning on trem locking and swapping out the pickups for some very hot/bright single coils.

Anyone familiar with Shellac probably recognizes the bright single coil tone I'm talking about. More specifically, I heavily dig the sound of Travis Bean TB500 guitars and those famously have bright single coils.

If I were to get a Strat(not too sure), I'm pretty set on getting the Quarter Pound set.

However, if instead I get a JM, which one is actually hotter/brighter, the Hot or the Quarter Pound? I noticed the Hot has a higher output according to the website, but at the same time I'm guessing the Quarter Pound is probably actually brighter.

Yet again, I'm pretty new to guitars so I'm likely misinterpreting the output numbers and such, so thus I am asking.

Thanks!

[jeremy]

welcome to the forum!

the qp set is dark for single coils, not bright. usually the higher the output of the pup, the darker the tone. i would get a guitar you like and play it for a while before making any modifications.

[Mincer]

I agree here...the hotter the set, the darker they are. For a very bright set, something like the SSL-2 is ideal. If you need that bright sound but with more output, you can boost it after the guitar, with something like the Pickup Booster.