Good HH combination for a strat?

pcarrilho

pcarrilho

New member
Hi!
What is the best combination for a HH strat?
I play clean jazz/blues with the neck pickup (not the muddy jazz tone... but defined tone! ;)). The bridge pickup i use for blues (overdrive) and some rock... NOT METAL!
I like "paffy" tone on the neck position...

1) SH1-N + PEARL GATES B
2) PEARL GATES N + C5 B
3) DMZ AIR CLASSIC N + DMZ AIR ZONE B
4) DMZ PAF PRO N + DMZ TONEZONE B

Can some one help me?
 
Re: Good HH combination for a strat?

i beg to differ from ur choices

Pearly gates set
59' set
Jazz neck,JB bridge

just my 2 cents
 
Re: Good HH combination for a strat?

One of my absolute all-time favourite neck position humbuckers on a Stratocaster was the DiMarzio Bluesbucker. (Main coil nearer to the fingerboard.)
 
Re: Good HH combination for a strat?

I'd go PAF style all the way....not a JB, they're like super-driven and not transparent in the least.

PG - are a bit raspy, probably a good choice in the neck
59 - can be boomy in the neck and thin in the bridge. In a strat the boomy neck syndrome will probably be reduced. Thin bridge is a no-no in a strat.

Seth lover - a really nice choice. A2 mags make it warm. Might be a little low powered but the honk and tone is there.

Antiquities - Really nice. Its like having a Seth taken back in time to the 50's and put in storage for you to grab now. Slightly deeper tone than the Seth and is perfect for Jazz and Blues
 
Re: Good HH combination for a strat?

Funkfingers said:
One of my absolute all-time favourite neck position humbuckers on a Stratocaster was the DiMarzio Bluesbucker. (Main coil nearer to the fingerboard.)
Click to expand...


That pickup sounds like a P90...?
It sounds warm?

I don't like the Duncan Jazz.
The PG is "raspy"... what does it means? It is not Warm?
I like Seth lover in my es335... but i don't know if it sounds good in a strat...
 
Re: Good HH combination for a strat?

pcarrilho said:
That pickup sounds like a P90...?
It sounds warm?
Click to expand...

The designer's intention was for a P90-like sound with (partial) hum-cancellation.

In the neck position of my swamp ash/maple/Wilkinson/Sperzel Partsocaster, the Bluesbucker seemed capable of juicy humbucker tones one moment and clear Stratty tones the next. I was a fool to sell that pickup.

The last time that this guitar of mine was mentioned on this forum, it sported a Seymour Duncan Brobucker in the bridge/treble position. (Since relocated into my Epi Lucille.)

"Blues, some Rock, NOT METAL"? IMO, you just described the Brobucker.
 
Re: Good HH combination for a strat?

The ultra classic JB-Jazz sounds exactly like what you need.
 
Re: Good HH combination for a strat?

PATB-3 "Blues Saraceno" and PATB-1n "Parallel Axis Original neck".

The PATB-3 is a lot like a beefier '59 that managed not to lose the high end. Roll back the volume to 85% and it's nearly indistinguishable from the '59, except it makes a thin guitar sound more like a beefy Les Paul.

PATB-1n gets a lot of raves for both clean and distorted playing.

The Parallel Axis design is amazing, reduced string pull, increased sustain, hotter without being more compressed. Improves string balance, articulation, harmonics and dynamics.

I have a PATB-1b (Original bridge model), it's ridiculous how interactive it's feel is. Dig in with the pick and it barks, lighten up and it smooths out and starts singing. I've never played another pickup that goes so readily from AC/DC-style bright crunchy chords to smooth singing leads without adjusting tone controls.

If you don't use the bridge for cleans as much, you might like the PATB-1b better, it performs well with a wide range of gain levels. The PATB-3 is easier for cleans and a bit better for low gain. Much more of a PAF feel, where the PATB-1b has more of a hot (but uncompressed) pickup feel that's still good for low gain.


Air Zone or Tone Zone are probably hotter than you want for rock that excludes metal gain levels. A lot of the other suggestions could work fine, though I'd avoid the JB, most players like it better for metal than blues.
 
Re: Good HH combination for a strat?

pcarrilho said:
That pickup sounds like a P90...?
It sounds warm?

I don't like the Duncan Jazz.
The PG is "raspy"... what does it means? It is not Warm?
I like Seth lover in my es335... but i don't know if it sounds good in a strat...
Click to expand...

The PG has a mid spike. Listen to ZZ top and you'll get the idea. Its quite good in the neck position as it makes the tone cut through more, but its an acquired taste in the bridge and not really for strats.

I'd say also +1 for the PATB 3b/1n set. I've got this in a HSH strat and its really nice. Its a slightly more 'modern' tone, in that the frequency response of each pup is remarkably even. Most recordings of jazz/blues/rock you hear have been made with pickups that have a hump in perhaps the mids or lows. When you listen to the PATB you hear a really clear and chiming tone.
 
Re: Good HH combination for a strat?

i have the air classic set in my strat. i have had the 36th anniversary set in the same guitar, and like the air classic set better. a few years back i had another mexi-strat that had a 59 set, and remember liking that at the time. the 59 has always been my go-to, but i really like the dimarzio paf's as well. next time i am going all out and getting Duncan Antiquities.
 
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