Best All Around Strat Middle Pickup

[BlackhawkRise]

I'm in a bit of an overhaul stage for my guitar stable (population: 2) and looking to make my Strat from an SSS into an xSH. The neck pickup I will eliminate and the bridge pickup will be determined after I narrow down the neck pickup. It may seem crazy, but my ideal bridge pickup likely won't match the middle at all in the usual sense. The middle will be grandma tones, the bridge will be a scorcher. I will never need both on the same night so it doesn't bother me.

Anyway, I'm thinking of getting a single coil in the middle that can cover the entire breadth of the single pickup Strat sounds. I get good neck sounds by picking above the neck, and twangy sounds by picking above the bridge I love the Antiquity II Surf set that I have in here now, but I think it could possibly benefit from the 5-2 treatment as well as being made noiseless. I have no doubt the Custom Shop could whip something up for me along these lines, but I'd like to hear other options first.



I guess what I'm asking is, what is the best middle pickup you've played for classic glassy Strat tones, brands, technology, and price be damned?

 

[Mincer]

I think the first thing is to decide if you want it hum-cancelling or not. Then you can start narrowing it down. As a true single coil, I love the Five Two, but I also don't dig middle pickup sounds (alone, at least).

 

[beaubrummels]

My favorite middle is an Antiquity Texas Hot. You already have an Antiquity II and say you get sounds you want and you don't need it to mix with bridge. I would just keep that.

For noiseless but still Strat-y, so far IME I like DiMarzio's 54 Pro. Duncan Stacks also do the job, but I have less experience with those, particularly in the middle position.

 

[BlackhawkRise]

What's the difference between the antiquity Texas hot and the antiquity Surfer? As far as middle position goes.

 

[Mincer]

The Surfer will have slightly more chime. Also, the Texas Hot is out of phase with most other Duncans.

 

[marcello252]

the beauty of this world is variety, I was thinking about definitely eliminating the middle on my strat.

Anyway, I vote for the 5-2 too

 

[DonP]

I like an SSL1 between my DP103 PAF and DP100 Super D in my Murray knock off.

 

[BlackhawkRise]

The Surfer will have slightly more chime. Also, the Texas Hot is out of phase with most other Duncans.

I don't have much enthusiasm for multiple pickups at the same time, so it's no issue.

 

[Mincer]

I don't have much enthusiasm for multiple pickups at the same time, so it's no issue.

Well, it is an easy fix if you change your mind later.

 

[BlackhawkRise]

the beauty of this world is variety, I was thinking about definitely eliminating the middle on my strat.

Anyway, I vote for the 5-2 too

Between the two of us we could have a normal Strat. I'm debating just having a middle pickup alone, just to see what would happen.

5-2 Noiseless seems like it may be just what I want.

 

[Mincer]

Between the two of us we could have a normal Strat. I'm debating just having a middle pickup alone, just to see what would happen.

5-2 Noiseless seems like it may be just what I want.

I bet the Five Two Stack is an awesome pickup. I also love the Classic Stack.

 

[BlackhawkRise]

Would you say the 5-2 is dynamic? If I'm making a guitar with a single pickup, I would like that pickup to have a wide range of possible tones based off my picking location and dynamics

 

[Mincer]

Would you say the 5-2 is dynamic? If I'm making a guitar with a single pickup, I would like that pickup to have a wide range of possible tones based off my picking location and dynamics

It is very touch sensitive. Honestly, it is my ideal true single coil.

 

[BlackhawkRise]

Am I correct in saying that the 5-2 is just an SSL-1 with Alnico 2 rods underneath the treble strings?

 

[donaldr]

Check what pickups are in Joe Bonamassa's Strat. He's using the middle pickup a lot.

 

[BlackhawkRise]

Those are sold out, plus they only sell as a set.

 

[jeremy]

i dont know if the wind is different on the 5/2 vs ssl1. doubt anyone could confirm that but duncan themselves and i doubt they would give an official comment

 

[Mincer]

Yeah, I have never heard that they were or weren’t the same wind, but to my ears, the Five Twois how I want a traditional Strat pickup to sound.