Hot singles in your area ;)

BeKindRewind

BeKindRewind

New member
So I wanted to start a thread to discuss high output single coils, I've been really into the idea of them lately. Got a Quarter pound and Really like it- and got some great suggestions for that guitar, and I think I'm happy with it now. Seems like there are 2 more that Duncan make that I'm interested in. SSL5, but especially moreso the SSL3 . How would you guys compare either of those pickups with the Quarter Pound? I feel like part of the reason I like the quarter pound so much is the large rods giving it the smooth blade-like feel.

However I'm looking to equip a second Stratocaster with a big nasty single coil in the bridge and weighing options. I should mention by the way I'm playing a thrash metal kind of thing with the QP and loving the tone I'm getting there. Do the SSL3 and SSL5 also do heavy riffs as well as the QP? Any other suggestions for high powered (true) Strat single coils? Maybe there's some big fat P90 I should be trying? And also just wondering if there's anyone else out there who's loving the QP or some other high powered single for playing heavier stuff.
 
qp is great, both tele and strat versions, but they are a little different. the ssl5 is more than vintage but might not be enough compared to the qp. the ssl3 is more middy than the qp but the output is similar and i love the lead tone of the ssl3
 
I only can talk about the ssl-5 with a 500k pot. Still straty with more muscles and grit. Maybe a tad too vintage for you - think of David Gilmore (Pink Floyd).
I enjoyed this vid about alternatives to stock single coils in a strat (he always has a fuzz tune for every pup)
https://youtu.be/8eAyov1eKsw
 
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I really like the SSL2, SSL-2, SSL-6 (flat pole versions of SSL1 and SSL5) combo . . . classic stratty sounds in neck and middle with a extra meat in the bridge where you want it. Works great with 250k volume pot, but I like running it with a 500k or no load tone pot to squeeze extra brightness out. The SSL-6 is a lot more stratty sounding that the quarter pounder.

The SSL-4 seems a lot more like a humbucker than a single coil to me. Because of the wider magnets, you never seem to get that little bit of volume drop when bending strings. Sounds best to me with 500k pots, and I like it with a treble bleed so that it gets brighter as you roll back the volume. This gives you a wide range of sounds from vintagey quiet/bright all the way up to thick and humbuckerish with a good mid kick.
 
The custom shop makes a strat sized p90 that may interest you called the Strat-Bro 90. I recently had a set installed in my strat and are really enjoying them. They are very hot and fat you would definitely want 500k pots. They handle gain very well with both pedals and amp. I find the neck pickup a bit on the dark side, but absolutely love the middle and bridge. The clean tones are very satisfying and can be very touch sensitive. Unfortunately I don't have any experience with the others that you mentioned, and they are a bit spending being a custom shop order.
 
i have a set of strabro90s that i really like. mine are tapped so i can get a bright, thin tone or a fat, higher output tone from each pup. a5 rod magnets on the wound strings, screws and small ceramic bars (ala sds1) on the plain strings, but ive seen others install them the other way, not that i would. so not a straight p90 but, its the custom shop so if you wanted to go that route, they could do almost anything you want.
 
There are a lot of hot singles in my area, all age groups, but you have to sign up on their website to contact them.
 
BeKindRewind said:
So I wanted to start a thread to discuss high output single coils, I've been really into the idea of them lately. Got a Quarter pound and Really like it- and got some great suggestions for that guitar, and I think I'm happy with it now. Seems like there are 2 more that Duncan make that I'm interested in. SSL5, but especially moreso the SSL3 . How would you guys compare either of those pickups with the Quarter Pound? I feel like part of the reason I like the quarter pound so much is the large rods giving it the smooth blade-like feel.

However I'm looking to equip a second Stratocaster with a big nasty single coil in the bridge and weighing options. I should mention by the way I'm playing a thrash metal kind of thing with the QP and loving the tone I'm getting there. Do the SSL3 and SSL5 also do heavy riffs as well as the QP? Any other suggestions for high powered (true) Strat single coils? Maybe there's some big fat P90 I should be trying? And also just wondering if there's anyone else out there who's loving the QP or some other high powered single for playing heavier stuff.
Click to expand...

I am in the same boat but not by choice.

I bought a loaded Warmoth body with an OFR, and unfortunately it is an SSS route. Currently has Lindy Fralin Woodstock 69 pickups that it came with. They sound good for a classic strat, but I'd really like to have something more metal in this guitar.

For heat I have one axe I built with TexMex pickups. I really like those with gain.

I was thinking of going noiseless, but I'm curious to find out if you find something to make you happy.
 
DonP said:
I am in the same boat but not by choice.

I bought a loaded Warmoth body with an OFR, and unfortunately it is an SSS route. Currently has Lindy Fralin Woodstock 69 pickups that it came with. They sound good for a classic strat, but I'd really like to have something more metal in this guitar.

For heat I have one axe I built with TexMex pickups. I really like those with gain.

I was thinking of going noiseless, but I'm curious to find out if you find something to make you happy.
Click to expand...

Almost sounds like Hot Rails would work for you.
 
Mincer said:
Almost sounds like Hot Rails would work for you.
Click to expand...

Yes, I have one sitting there looking at me. Or a JB Jr. Or all of many choices out there.

I've been looking at the old black MIJ Maiden Strat (JB Jr and two hotrails) or the current Murray (HR, JB Jr, HR).

Tough decision. I really don't want to route a Warmoth Flamed Maple / Korina body for a bridge humbucker, but I'd love to do an HS setup.
 
DonP said:
Yes, I have one sitting there looking at me. Or a JB Jr. Or all of many choices out there.

I've been looking at the old black MIJ Maiden Strat (JB Jr and two hotrails) or the current Murray (HR, JB Jr, HR).

Tough decision. I really don't want to route a Warmoth Flamed Maple / Korina body for a bridge humbucker, but I'd love to do an HS setup.
Click to expand...

Yeah, a JB Jr is another good choice. The EQ is different than Hot Rails (more upper mids and highs than the Hot Rail's mids), but if you have either sitting around, certainly try them.
 
CK71 said:
The custom shop makes a strat sized p90 that may interest you called the Strat-Bro 90. I recently had a set installed in my strat and are really enjoying them. They are very hot and fat you would definitely want 500k pots. They handle gain very well with both pedals and amp. I find the neck pickup a bit on the dark side, but absolutely love the middle and bridge. The clean tones are very satisfying and can be very touch sensitive. Unfortunately I don't have any experience with the others that you mentioned, and they are a bit spending being a custom shop order.
Click to expand...
Several other makers offer Strat-sized P90 types. I have an SP90 set from Vintage Vibe that really rocks.
I prefer them to any of the Strat-sized hums that I've owned (which isn't many).
Currently I have a ToneZone for Tele and a Lil 59 which are not bad at all.

Still, there's something about true singlecoils - even hot ones - that hums haven't ever quite been able to give me.
 
quarter pound is quite a heavy sound and i like how it‘s not just more mids like so many hot single coils.
another single coil that has a real heavy sound is the BKP cobra. that one can definitely cover metal territory
 
yep. the red devil is a cool pup for sure but sounds very much like a bucker. the bridge red devil is especially tasty
 
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