Looking for a bridge for 2 fender '69 singles

[stuntmedia]

Pickup gurus,

I have a set of Fender Custom Shop '69 pickups in my Strat. I'm happy as a clam with positions 2-5, but the bridge, by itself, leaves a bit to be desired. I'm looking for a single coil solution for the bridge that won't spoil the great quack that I'm getting in position 2. When clean, the '69 bridge is too 'ice picky', but not horribly so. With gain, it's a little more twangy than I like. Understanding that outboard gear has more to do with it - I would like a less twangy, more clear, soaring, Eric Johnson lead tones when the gain is cranked. When clean, a little less bite in the treble range.

I was thinking about the SSL-5, so that I could split it's output for the 2 position, to keep my good quack. I don't really have much experience with Duncan single-coils, so I don't really know their character. Anybody who has heard Fender CS '69s, and Duncan singles - please advise on a good pairing.

Thanks,
PW

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: Looking for a bridge for 2 fender '69 singles

The SSL-5T would permit automated coil tapping via the selector switch. (On a standard two-pole five-way selector switch, you would have to shift the tone control connections for this to work.)

The Texas Antiquity Hot is pretty tasty. I like the Twangbanger. With either of the pickups, you could run into a magnetic polarity and/or electrical phase issue.

The Fender Fat Fifties bridge position pickup fits the brief. Surprisingly, the YJM Fury is another candidate.

One outta left field suggestion, one of those Hendrix-inspired custom scratchplates with the bridge pickup slot cut "the wrong way" (as if for left-handed) would cure some of the brittleness of the bridge position pickup.

 

[ItsaBass]

Re: Looking for a bridge for 2 fender '69 singles

You don't need a new pickup. Just install a push/pull that switches either the neck tone control or the middle tone control to the bridge. Alternately, permanently wire one of those two tone controls to the bridge pickup instead. You can also just raise the pickup to get a meatier, louder, and less trebly tone.

 

[stuntmedia]

Re: Looking for a bridge for 2 fender '69 singles

The YJM is one I hadn't considered. One problem is that I think the to position sound so good because the bridge pickup is so brittle. It gives everything a very angelic, chiming quality. Once you go to the bridge by itself - meh. I was thinking that something tappable would be weak and brittle when tapped (good 2 position sound), and the bold and clear when the straight signal was used. The Twanbanger sounds interesting, too. I'll look around for some sound samples. Thanks.

 

[stuntmedia]

Re: Looking for a bridge for 2 fender '69 singles

Actually, that is part of why it's become a pickup dilemma. The tone control is actually wired to the bridge, already, and I have the pickup in the closest range it can get outside of magnetic warble. I've brought the pickup up and down. The best step, so far, was the removal of the treble bleed on the volume pot. That helped a lot, but it's still too twangy, even when the gain is cranked. Thanks for the tips, though.

 

[LReese]

Re: Looking for a bridge for 2 fender '69 singles

Are you using George L's, Bill Lawrence or other low-cap cable?

FWIW - I used an Antiquity Texas Hot neck pickup in the bridge PU of my Strat with 2 Suhr V54's for a while. I liked it as a bridge pickup.

Also a booster that has a mid hump. That's how I gave my new Soul Food its maiden voyage tonight. Tone on the bridge PU about 7 ish, like EJ revealed long ago.

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Looking for a bridge for 2 fender '69 singles

So you're liking the Soul Food? Hope so!

Are you using George L's, Bill Lawrence or other low-cap cable?

FWIW - I used an Antiquity Texas Hot neck pickup in the bridge PU of my Strat with 2 Suhr V54's for a while. I liked it as a bridge pickup.

Also a booster that has a mid hump. That's how I gave my new Soul Food its maiden voyage tonight. Tone on the bridge PU about 7 ish, like EJ revealed long ago.

 

[LReese]

Re: Looking for a bridge for 2 fender '69 singles

So you're liking the Soul Food? Hope so!

Its yummy! Amp would not quite go into distortion on 6.5 so stacked it with a Flat Mids Fulldrive. Actually would get quite gainy without adding too much to the noise floor.

EJ tended to go for the hotter bridge pickup - notably one was a DiMarzio HS-2 with only the upper coil connected. I'm pretty sure the stack plus range and YJM can be used the same way if you wanted.

He gives a lot of really good advice, but not all of it works for me. My pickups are really somewhat low - around 7/32"T 1/8" bass.

I'd just be concerned about getting out of whack with the CS69's - when I used a hotter bridge pickup, there was a point where #2 would get thick and rubbery sounding.

Don't forget a good mid-cap cable.

 

[stuntmedia]

Re: Looking for a bridge for 2 fender '69 singles

Funny, I actually bought the Lawrence cable kit, and the plugs were so dinky in the grip area that I had to pull it out of the jack cup of my Tele with a pair of pliers. The vintage-style cup was almost deep enough for the plug to disappear, entirely, and, since the cable is only held in by a screw, you can't pull on it. I now use the cables from Lawrence, and the plugs from George L's, and I kept my cable lengths to exactly 10 feet. Again, the neck and middle are right where I want them to sound, just that bridge…urgh. I did find a video of someone who split an SSL-5, and it sounds like it might work for me, but I'll look up that Texas Hot, as well. Thanks.

 

[LReese]

Re: Looking for a bridge for 2 fender '69 singles

Give a regular cable a shot - 12 to 20 feet. Even a coily cable.

The Bill Lawrence cable is a great cable (I have a lot of it), but it can sometimes be shrill. I found my Teles sound a lot better with a plain whirlwind I got free from a guitar purchase. Strat was more of an adjustment but once I got used to it, not going back.

The bulk of my cables are GLS plugs and bulk Mogami 2524 cable.