Eric Clapton Signature Strat PUP Replacements

[junkroom studios]

Hello folks. Let's see if I got the rules straight....

I am looking for some direction on replacing my noisless pups on my Clapton sig strat. My trem is blocked and I am using slinky 10's for strings.

We write our own songs. The style is a bit of blues/jazz but we do some rocky cover tunes such as copperhead road, loosing my religion, cinnamon girl, jet airliner, perfectly good guitar and may others. I use a line 6 POD XT Live for my effects. 90% of the time, I am straight into the board but I am getting a blues Jr and maybe a Marshall DSL 401 or something like that.

My style when I rock out is kind of a percussive rhythm guitar style but I also have to do the leads for most of the songs. I am the only electric along with two acoustics. When giging most of the songs are played with the switch set to position #4 (neck/middle). I am not sure what the middle pup is for as I am a Les Paul fella but the strat has way more tonal possibilities. When I am not giging, I tend to want to play classic rock. AC/DC, Led Zep, CCR, Boston, Eagles, Pink Floyd. All over the friggin map.

So, what don't I like about the current noisless? The neck/middle combination is not too bad but not fat enough. THe active boost does "cream" things up nicely but I am missing some harmonics and sustain. THe bridge is pretty lifeless. I added a JB to my Les Paul and I get lots of harmonics and sustain. I am not wanting my strat to sound like a LP 'case physics won't allow that but I do want some more smoothness and a fatter sound from my neck and lots more harmonics and sustain from my bridge. The boost is a really nice addition so with the right pup, I expect some wild lead/rhythm/crunch sound. The strat has an Alder body and a Maple neck.

Any suggestions are welcome.

Thanks
Mark

 

[skyydogg01]

Re: Eric Clapton Signature Strat PUP Replacements

if you want to continue with noiseless pickups, definitely get a set of Classic Stack Pluses. these pups are amazing.

 

[Benjy_26]

Re: Eric Clapton Signature Strat PUP Replacements

Welcome to the forum.

The Classic Strat +'s are great pickups for an early 60's strat tone, but you mentioned you needed more thickness than the Fender Noiseless you already have.

From Duncan, I'd suggest a Cool Rails in the neck, a Vintage Rails in the mid (or a Classic Stack +), and a Cool Rails bridge. This should give you good notch tones while thickening up the neck slot and giving you more grunt from the bridge. This, along with the boost in your guitar, should cover a lot of bases.

 

[stevie_bees]

Re: Eric Clapton Signature Strat PUP Replacements

Welcome to the forum! Maybe the Everything for Strat set of mini humbuckers might be useful?

 

[jeremy]

Re: Eric Clapton Signature Strat PUP Replacements

you gotta be a little careful with the clapton boost.

its a 25db boost so they say, more accurately its a 12db preamp boost thats on all the time and a 12-15db adjustable mid boost. in my experience (i have one) lower output brighter pups work better.
i wouldnt go any hotter than a cool rails. a hot rails would be so hot with the preamp boost it would be hard to get any kinda clean tone.

i use a mix of an old classic stack and the new classic stack plus

 

[junkroom studios]

Re: Eric Clapton Signature Strat PUP Replacements

Thank you.

I was listening to the sound clips last night and quite liked the Lil' screaming Demon sound in the bridge. I did not listen to the stack or rails versions though. I will tonight to at least get a sense of the difference.

 

[Bludave]

Re: Eric Clapton Signature Strat PUP Replacements

I own 2 Clapton Strats, but both of mine have the Lace sensors in them. One is my main plaing guitar the other is a good bakup. I know what you mean when you say the pickups are kind of lifeless. The Fender noiseless pickups are uninspiring in every guitar I have played them in. I would consider looking around and see if you can find a Lace sensor Clapton Strat and see if you like it. Then just swap them out. The original EC Strats are equipped with the Gold lace sensors. I love the sound I get with them.

 

[jeremy]

Re: Eric Clapton Signature Strat PUP Replacements

the old lace pups arent the same as the newer ones