HxS DK22/SuperStrat :: Neck pickup help

[Frogman]

Commenced on a new build.

HxS 80’s Charvel spec body
Basically will be a DeMartini/Lynch love child.

Northern hard ash
Recessed Gotoh Floyd
Maple/Maple
22 frets
1 volume only; 500k or 375k (I could potentially be swayed to add a tone pot, but prefer to keep it minimally clean with 1v & 3 way toggle [and mini switch(es) for parallel]).

Bridge (Series|Parallel): Custom/JB hybrid (A8) or JB (A8)

Neck (Series|Parallel): ______?

I want single coil type attack, bite and bright snarl but BIGGER, louder, fluuuuid and LOT of sustain. Vocal/singing quality would be nice. Sizzle on top. Upper mids are my jam. Hum-cancelling is a must. Obviously the volume drop should be minimized as much as possible*.
I do not necessarily care whether it is stacked or rails (*nice plus for rails type is capability to get them much closer to the strings — as I understand; I do not know if that applies to the SD line of SC sized HBs with pole screws).


Satch Track looks like it promises about everything I have laid out thus far, and therefore is at the top of the list.

Also considering (mostly in order):
Fast Track 1
Chopper
Virtual Vintage Heavy Blues 2
Lil Screamin Demon neck
JB Jr neck
Cool Rails bridge
Cruiser


She is gonna have a bright stain and make the panties drop. Satchel will be proud. LOL

 

[Frogman]

By way of example(s), in my cherryburst HH strat, I have tried the Jazz with A4, A5, and A6 and all three variations are just wayyyy to bland and anemic for me. I might try an A8, but if that does not work, the Jazz just aint for me.

The PAF 36th Anniversary in my 1981 LPC is just pure liquid gold (albeit slightly modded: screw coil towards bridge and pole screws cut flush with baseplate). Oogey-gooey syrupy goodness with harmonics everywhere and P90 like character and mids, raunchy in all the right places. Super fat and warm, but has the right amount of bite/attack and treble to cut through.

In my PRS MH, I have the Mayhem set and I really dig the Seymourizer/SH7/SH6n. On paper you would think a 13k neck pickup would be muddy shenanigans, but no sir! All sorts of character, great blazing top end to cut through, upper mids, etc.

Had the SDS-1 in a JEL clone and even with 500k pots, I think it was just to bass heavy for me. Obviously I need hum-cancelling in this gig guitar anyway.


So yeah, I wonder what the powers that be at SD would say is the closest thing I could get to a SH-7/SH-6n in a single size, or something between that and a PAF 36th.


ps: those PAF 36th Anniversaries sound and feel much bigger and hotter than they are marketed. Bridge did not have quite enough oomph for me, but would probably be plenty for those that do not prefer screamers in the bridge, like me.

 

[Benjy_26]

Out of the pickups you listed, I really dig the Fast Track 1.

 

[Frogman]

Out of the pickups you listed, I really dig the Fast Track 1.

Thanks, what do/did you play it in?
Your pros and cons?

 

[Benjy_26]

Thanks, what do/did you play it in?
Your pros and cons?

I had a full set in a MIJ '62 RI strat.

I liked that, while they're pretty loud, they still lean towards the sound of a strat pickup as far as clarity and spank, but they can still sing with the right OD/distortion settings. I like how tight they are compared to the Cool Rails.

As far as cons...

They're not a distortion class humbucker (if that's what you want) and they're somewhat fragile. For whatever reason, all 3 of mine ended up dying. I get open readings on all 3. This is on older models. I have no idea if Dimarzio has changed the design in any way.

 

[Teleplayer]

If you want a pickup with brightness and sizzle, you would be probably better off with a Cool Rails Neck, rather than the Satch track. In some ways they are similar. The Cool Rails neck has quite a high inductance, around 6.9H, while the Satch track is 5.2H inductance which is already higher than many humbuckers. If you choose the bridge version cool rails, it will have even more inductance and more bassy tone.

The Satch Track may be suitable when combined with the high-pass filter in Satriani's signature guitars. IMO, that is a trick you hear in the Satch Track demo video. I have the feeling it is designed more for 24 fret guitar, than 22 fret. It will sound like a humbucker and it has some brightness in the upper mids, rather than top-end sizzle. Probably you have to prioritise what you are looking for. Reading your comments about the 36th anni neck pickup, I believe the Satch track can get into similar territory, possibly brighter and less compressed but I have not done a back-to-back comparison.

Fast track 1 may have the tone you want, but its probably too low output. If you raise it up to the strings it will loose a lot of brightness, so any advantage over the other options will be gone. The Chopper is a lot more muddy and compressed, so I doubt that is what you are looking for.

 

[Frogman]

It’s hard to describe certain aspects of tone, what our ears hear and then translate to words via our frontal cortex. I read all about how the Jazz was so clear and opposite of muddy in the neck, so I got one. And to me it has zero character, and is what I call anemic, sterile and boring.
I realized “bright and clear” isn’t what I was really look for.
I like the “juice”, the molasses, the character, singing. Not bright but CUTS though the mix.


After watching more demos, I’m really starting to dig the chopper the most.

But I haven’t even really watched more than a couple vids on the Duncan stack offerings. Ugh so many choices.

Might just need to buy 3 different ones and keep 1.

I also should maybe not completely rule out true singles like the Quarter pound yet. I routinely play P90’s live and don’t have a problem with the hum…

 

[Teleplayer]

From the product info, the Chopper may seem like its a brighter and thinner than a vintage humbucker, but I'd describe it as a compressed and mid-heavy tone in the neck position. I'd say the Chopper is fatter than the 36th PAF, whereas the Satch Track has more bright harmonics compared to the 36th PAF. Using only one volume pot without a tone pot could help in the case of the Chopper. Duncan STK-S7 vintage-hot stack may be another alternative as it is brighter than the Chopper when used in the bridge position, although either of them work well there IMO. Its impossible for me to say what is right for you. I just wish you good luck with the search.

 

[zionstrat]

Coolrail definitely fits your description, however it's a lot hotter than its name suggests so I would not go with a bridge. Neck is still plenty hot.

It's an unusual pickup... it has a lot of umph across the spectrum and retains plenty of high end... it really sings. It also does well when highs are rolled off. To me it's more focused and has quite a bit more punch than a jazz.

And a little known trick is to parallel to itself... you get less output but the profile is relatively close to a standard Strat neck... so it's to pickups for the price of one for me.

 

[Frogman]

Well I scored a VV Heavy Blues 2 and a Chopper yesterday for $115 shipped. So I will report back accordingly!

Thanks for your replies so far!
I will probably stay on the lookout for others, grab more for the right prices and keep whichever I like best.

My guitar tech (best in GA as far as I and many other are concerned) has the same “tone DNA” as I, like a tone blood brother haha, and he raves about the Heavy Blues 2 in his H/S guitars.

I’ll probably pick up a Quarter Pound too in the process since they’re so cheap. I do really want a cream pup in the neck tho, but if it blows me away, guess I’ll get over it lol.