Less bassy neck, more bassy bridge pickup set for Strat

[Clint 55]

Re: Less bassy neck, more bassy bridge pickup set for Strat

Vintage spec'd are definitely.

1 meg I think is overkill. Lower value pots also have smoother taper.

1 meg is overkill. 500k gets some nice ice pick going with the neck and middle. I was just making the point that getting as much glass as you want from a strat neck pickup is an ez fix.

 

[Chistopher]

Re: Less bassy neck, more bassy bridge pickup set for Strat

Still worth a try perhaps, especially from a place with a good return policy.

I haven't actually had a CS69 in my guitar yet so I can only tell based on recordings. It's hard to really know exactly what I'll want until I've gotten a chance to play it in my own guitar.

Last night I rewired the tone pot from the middle pickup to the bridge pickup and like what it's done there, so now I want to find the right neck pickup and go from there.

Another thing that's worth a try for a glassier neck and middle while keeping a tone control is to bump the neck tone up to 300k for a subtle difference or 500k for a less subtle difference. Then connect the neck tone control to the part of the switch that the middle tone control was connected to. This will put the neck and middle on the same tone control. You can also put a heavier bridge pickup, like a Strabro 90 or Quarter Pound in the bridge for a thicker tone That way you'll have a clearer neck and middle, and a beefier bridge. Plus you can use one control to control the neck and middle, which or tonally similar, as well as one for the bridge, which is relatively different them the other two.

For pickups, I always recommend the STK S7n/S4m/S6b set. Rounded, but still Stratty neck, glassy middle, and beefy bridge. Plus it's noiseless. I'd definitely look into. There's also a S4n/S4m/S7b set that is similar to the above set but brighter and more similar to a vintage Strat.

 

[gregory]

Re: Less bassy neck, more bassy bridge pickup set for Strat

Bumping volume and/or tone controls will increase the Q but they don't move the resonant peak. Boosting the peak in an attempt to get more glass can change the character of the pickup drastically. It can make it sound unbalanced and may become piercing or even shrill.

It isn't a good way to try to transform the voicing of a single coil from one model to another, IMO.

EDIT:
I'd be extremely leery of the STK-S7 in the neck position if you're concerned about bass...
https://forum.seymourduncan.com/showthread.php?203334-Vintage-Hot-Stack-Plus-STK-S7
A user I trust doesn't feel that the STK-S4B has enough glass for the neck position. The STK-S7 is even darker.

 

[Jacew]

Re: Less bassy neck, more bassy bridge pickup set for Strat

1 meg is overkill. 500k gets some nice ice pick going with the neck and middle. I was just making the point that getting as much glass as you want from a strat neck pickup is an ez fix.

Technically yes. Though getting the highs out is even easier, which is why I prefer higher value pots.

Trick is to make those highs actually sound good instead of just piercing.

 

[Clint 55]

Re: Less bassy neck, more bassy bridge pickup set for Strat

Yep, when I was playing single coils I settled on 300k volume and 250k no load tone.

Makes me wonder why single coil outputs are so set in stone when everyone just chops off half the resonant peak with a 250k volume pot.

 

[gregory]

Re: Less bassy neck, more bassy bridge pickup set for Strat

Pretty much for the same reason I don't goose one slider on a graphic EQ.

 

[Clint 55]

Re: Less bassy neck, more bassy bridge pickup set for Strat

I wasn't asking why people use 250k pots with their single coils. I was wondering why not offer increased output single coils that would be darker since people just darken their 6k single coils anyway.

 

[Jacew]

Re: Less bassy neck, more bassy bridge pickup set for Strat

I wasn't asking why people use 250k pots with their single coils. I was wondering why not offer increased output single coils that would be darker since people just darken their 6k single coils anyway.

There are plenty. But I wonder why SD doesn't have anything between ssl-1 and ssl-5.

Nothing in VZ blues / texas special range...

 

[Mincer]

Re: Less bassy neck, more bassy bridge pickup set for Strat

There are plenty. But I wonder why SD doesn't have anything between ssl-1 and ssl-5.

Nothing in VZ blues / texas special range...

Well, here is the Five Two, Twang Banger, Antiquity Texas Hot bridge & Antiquity II bridge..and probably more.

 

[gregory]

Re: Less bassy neck, more bassy bridge pickup set for Strat

Also the STK-S7 which can be split.

It could work in the bridge spot, but based on the original post, either the DiMarzio Virtual Vintage Blues or hotter Heavy Blues 2 and STK-S6 would be better choices.

EDIT:
With thinner vintage output neck and middle pickups, a high output bridge pickup isn't necessary and should be avoided if you want to maintain a traditional Strat. With this in mind I'd also look into the Area 61, VV 54 Pro or STK-S4B along with the VV Blues for the bridge spot, again, with Area 67s in the neck and middle.

The STK-S6 and slightly weaker VV HB2 are still pretty hot for a more traditional Strat. The treble of the Area 61 can be a little aggressive yet it lacks the glassy top end, so it would also diverge from the traditional formula more than the other weaker models listed for the bridge (none of which are particularly glassy, however, but they all have less bite than the Area 61).

 

[gregory]

Re: Less bassy neck, more bassy bridge pickup set for Strat

Strat pickups are extremely bright, even in the neck, when they're not loaded down by a 250k volume.

500k gets some nice ice pick going with the neck and middle.

Makes me wonder why single coil outputs are so set in stone when everyone just chops off half the resonant peak with a 250k volume pot.

I was wondering why not offer increased output single coils that would be darker since people just darken their 6k single coils anyway.

You'd probably really like the Area 61 in the neck and possibly middle spot, even with a 250k volume control.

 

[Jacew]

Re: Less bassy neck, more bassy bridge pickup set for Strat

Well, here is the Five Two, Twang Banger, Antiquity Texas Hot bridge & Antiquity II bridge..and probably more.

I'll probably try Twang Banger / APS-1 combo next time I'm getting pickups for strat. Have been interested about them quite a while.

But I meant regular, slightly overwound strat pickups with alnico 5, are missing from the range. Not alnico 2 or antiquities.

 

[jeremy]

Re: Less bassy neck, more bassy bridge pickup set for Strat

i agree. i wish they made a single coil similar to the stks7 or an overwound ssl1