Bright Strat Brige Pickup Challenge

[picatainhas]

Hello all,
i got a strat (alder) with maple scale, with a seymour duncan set (Everything Axe) pickups (N) Little59, (M) Duckbucker, B(JB)... all of them "humbuckers" in the size of a single coil!!!!, well i love the sounds i get from these except for the bridge, it's really to much bright (guitar is also a litle bright).

I am looking for a bridge humbucker that deals well with "heavy styles" but also that has a nice clean (warm/fat)!!!

What would you people recommend!!! I am tired of spending money on pickups (love guitar playability)!!!!

Thanks in advanced

PS: I don't have a particular style of music, it goes from hendrix, zeppelin etc... to (not often) heavy stuff/rifage (also some u2 delay incursions, but the neck and middle pickup can handle with it)

PS2: While a humbucker in single coil format (i am considering an hot rails) it would be easier, i will change for humbucker (SD Distortion?) if it's a requirement for a fat sound

PS3: I tried to increased the "fatness" using SD Booster pedal, but... it misses something in the bridge... i haven't tried changing the 2nd tone control so it acts on the bridge

 

[Detroitblues]

Re: Bright Strat Brige Pickup Challenge

Is it wide open or tied to a tone control? Some Strats have the bridge pickup wide open, making them sound really bright and harsh. Tying the bridge into the 2nd tone pot may help.

Also, did you change pots when you swapped the pickups? 250K pots may not be right for that set, you may have to switch to 500k

 

[picatainhas]

Re: Bright Strat Brige Pickup Challenge

Is it wide open or tied to a tone control? Some Strats have the bridge pickup wide open, making them sound really bright and harsh. Tying the bridge into the 2nd tone pot may help.

Also, did you change pots when you swapped the pickups? 250K pots may not be right for that set, you may have to switch to 500k

Hi, thanks for the reply, honestly i don't remember which are the pots, but the SD wiring specs were followed for the Everything Axe, and no the 2nd tone isn't connected to bridge!!

The luthier that maintains my guitar also mentioned that all little JBs are a bit arsh on alder strats (at least, all the "sets" that he have listened). This is the main reason that is making giving up on current JB and look for alternative!!!

 

[jeremy]

Re: Bright Strat Brige Pickup Challenge

move the tone control to the bridge, it makes a difference just attaching it but being able to dial out high end is very useful

 

[Harhash]

Re: Bright Strat Brige Pickup Challenge

Check Screamin' Demon, Custom and Perpetual Burn humbuckers

 

[picatainhas]

Re: Bright Strat Brige Pickup Challenge

would you consider hot rails inappropriated?

 

[Dahla]

Re: Bright Strat Brige Pickup Challenge

Perhaps switch out the JB jr. to a lil'59 bridge would help?

Or do you mean a full sized humbucker?

 

[PFDarkside]

Re: Bright Strat Brige Pickup Challenge

Hot Rails is pretty dark and thick. If you are looking for a powerful SC sized HB that is darker than a JBjr I'd definitely give it a shot. Works well for metal and punk Palm Muting.

 

[Falloffthebonetone]

Re: Bright Strat Brige Pickup Challenge

You need to stick with Duncan for any reason? You can try the Dimarzio Tone Zone S.

 

[DreX]

Re: Bright Strat Brige Pickup Challenge

i got a strat (alder) with maple scale, with a seymour duncan set (Everything Axe) pickups (N) Little59, (M) Duckbucker, B(JB)... all of them "humbuckers" in the size of a single coil!!!!, well i love the sounds i get from these except for the bridge, it's really to much bright (guitar is also a litle bright).

So long story short the JB Jr is too bright? That's a common complaint about the JB Jr., but I wouldn't really suggest putting anything hotter and darker in there because I don't think the single coil format compliments it, the hotter rails I've tried like the DiMarzio BC1 and BC2 are just too dark for cleans, even if they do sound impressively large despite their small size, so the suggestion to move the middle pickup tone control to the bridge would probably be both the cheapest option, as well as the "most likely to succeed" option.

It's actually a strange thing, most Tele players seem to think of the tone knob as a MUST when using the bridge pickup, but for some reason most Strat players are content with stock wiring, and the Strat bridge is actually brighter than the Tele since it lacks that "power plate" on the bottom which broadens the magnetic field and increases the mids. It just goes to show that guitarists don't make much sense, and neither does a Strat's stock wiring.

 

[picatainhas]

Re: Bright Strat Brige Pickup Challenge

Wise words!!! The problem now is also dealing with GAS for a bridge humbucker, its a quest for a fat clean sound that doesn't get muddy in overdrive/distortion!!!

 

[Lake Placid Blues]

Re: Bright Strat Brige Pickup Challenge

Does your strat have the routing under the pick guard to put a full sized humbucker in the bridge?

 

[picatainhas]

Re: Bright Strat Brige Pickup Challenge

Nope but I got a good Luthier that can handle with it!!
Right now I have doubt's between an hot rails or a tone zone!!

 

[picatainhas]

Re: Bright Strat Brige Pickup Challenge

Single coil tone zone... Forgot to mention!!