Help with choosing pup for strat

snootles

New member
I have a Highway One Strat SSS config (maple neck) and plan on replacing the stock pickups with SSL-1's in the neck and middle that I have knocking about.

Not sure what to get for the bridge though. I want to get that classic Knopfler in between sound. The heaviest I get is a classic blues overdriven sound.

What do you suggest? Another SSL-1 maybe?
 
Re: Help with choosing pup for strat

Knopfler? Yeah I bet you'd do well enough with an SSl-1.
So the fender M.K. stratocaster comes with texas specials. I'm gonna bet they don't sound much like what he actually used back in the day. The site says the body is a '57 style and the neck is a '62 style, and fender does make a set of their "57/62" pickups. i used to own a set and they sound like slightly thinner SSl-1's to me. SSL-1's are gonna be close enough to anything stock fender from that time period. Both the ssl-1s and the alnico II pro singles give you a great jangly notch position.
I use an APS-1 in the bridge (with 2 fender MIM "classic series" single coils) in my maple-necked basswood strat and since I got it I've had no complaints about the bridge/middle notch position.
 
Re: Help with choosing pup for strat

or antiquity II surfers if youre feeling saucy. to really nail those tones you want three alnico 5 vintage style single coils.
 
Re: Help with choosing pup for strat

SSL-1 - measure all 3 and put the hottest one in the bridge
 
Re: Help with choosing pup for strat

As you're in the UK have a look at Bare Knuckles. Ring Tim if you want to know anything about their pups. Very nice.
 
Re: Help with choosing pup for strat

I have just realised that I have a bridge lil'59 doing nothing.

How would this sound in the bridge?

Would it be better to split it or do series/parallel?
 
Re: Help with choosing pup for strat

i prefer split rather than parallel. a buddy of mine uses the lil 59's in the bridge of at least three of his strats and loves them. usually auto split when combined with the middle pup
 
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