Looking for antiquity wind in normal affordable Strat p'up

Re: Looking for antiquity wind in normal affordable Strat p'up

I like flat poles if I have a choice, and like scalloped boards, too. I like a flatter-than-vintage radius, though. If I don't have a choice, and the pickup is exceptional (the Five Two fits this) I will certainly use it.
 
Re: Looking for antiquity wind in normal affordable Strat p'up

Adieu said:
You sure you haven't got any typos in there? Ain't much of a middle high point to flatten on a 22" radius
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I'm pretty sure he means that he has his fingerboards re-radiused to 22". That's quite a bit flatter than I like, but I see how it could work for certain playing styles.
 
Re: Looking for antiquity wind in normal affordable Strat p'up

Adieu,
dysrtust has it correct, and there were no typos. I understand how unusual my playing/fingerboard preference is. I am almost 66, and this almost flat radius is something I have been moving toward since I learned the "secret" to to having a fretboard that will not fret out, which I figured out on my own at age 25. Since then, Most of the guitars I have been playing must be lightweight as I have severe Spinal Stenosis, so I went from a '68 LP Custom 10 pound to lighter weight Teles, Fenders, now CHAMBERED Partocasters, etc. These were anywhere from 7.5" to 9.5' depending around 1975 till now. I also DISLIKE having the wood of a fretboard hit my fingertips and loosen my purchase on the string I am bending. So I have been scalloping all my fretboards since about 1980. 22' radius coupled with scalloping, I have fretboards I can go higher in gauge with and still be able to bend in perfect ease. I do not know anyone personally that likes the fairly extreme feel of my fretboards. I love them. So there is that. ...... So this started as a simple question of me, looking for a high wound single coil pickup that is loud but still has the sparkle of my 8K Twangbanger, copper plate or not. I moved some money from here and there and bought a ssl-5, and I found a "Duncan Designed" 10K single coil from an older Squire I had. Wire? I don't know a thing about. So I ask now, will I hear more volume with the ssl-5 at 13K or my "D.D." 10K single coil? Also would there be any noticeable hum difference between the two. That is all I ask. One of them will be in the neck position with my Seth Lover/RCA5 mag in the bridge. Thanks. Steve Buffington.
 
Re: Looking for antiquity wind in normal affordable Strat p'up

I think it is great when you find something that works, even if it is different than convention out there.
 
Re: Looking for antiquity wind in normal affordable Strat p'up

SJ318 said:
So I ask now, will I hear more volume with the ssl-5 at 13K or my "D.D." 10K single coil? Also would there be any noticeable hum difference between the two. That is all I ask. One of them will be in the neck position with my Seth Lover/RCA5 mag in the bridge. Thanks. Steve Buffington.
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The reason that wire gauge matters is because higher gauge wire has more resistance in a given length simply because the wire is smaller. You can somewhat compare DCR & output if everything else is equal, but that goes out the window when the pickups you're comparing are wound with different gauges.

A good example are the JB & Custom humbuckers; the JB is 16.6K while the Custom is 14.5K. Based on those numbers you'd think the JB is hotter, but they're actually quite close in terms of output because the Custom is 43 gauge while the JB is 44. If both of those Strat pickups are 43 gauge, I'd expect the SSL-5 to be a lot louder and fatter. However if the DD single coil is 42 gauge, it'll probably be similar in output to the SSL-5. I doubt you'll hear much difference in terms of hum; I certainly don't when comparing a 13K, 43-gauge SSL-6 to a 6.5K, 42-gauge SSL-2.
 
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Re: Looking for antiquity wind in normal affordable Strat p'up

'Loud' depends on a lot of things......not the least the way you naturally sound, and your amps are set. It also has a lot to do with the pickup itself and how it likes to be set under the strings.....another aspect which can change things up a bit. The 10k vs 13k thing could mean pickups producing the same output roughly if the higher K one has thinner wire. 10k is usually on the border, so it could be either.

So all in all, you will have to experiment right from the word go.
 
Re: Looking for antiquity wind in normal affordable Strat p'up

Mincer, dystrust, and AlexR-
Thanks. All my Strat type pups are set exactly the same. So 3 different wire gauges. 42,43,44. The only way I can see any difference in wire is color. The 8K TwangBanger has "dark purple" wire, and both the the ssl-5 13K and D.Designed 10K have "bright copper wire". 1...Is the dark purple wire the thicker wire? And I assume that whatever gauge the bright copper wire is the 13K would (splitting hairs) be a little fatter sounding than the 10K bright copper wire. 2....I am assuming the bright copper is the same gauge. Does that make sense? 3...Could the dark purple Twangbanger be about the same volume as the 10K bright copper wire? So with these questions answered I think I'll be up to speed pretty much and leave you fine folks alone. I appreciate the explanation about wire gauge. - Steve
 
Re: Looking for antiquity wind in normal affordable Strat p'up

SJ318 said:
Mincer, dystrust, and AlexR-
Thanks. All my Strat type pups are set exactly the same. So 3 different wire gauges. 42,43,44. The only way I can see any difference in wire is color. The 8K TwangBanger has "dark purple" wire, and both the the ssl-5 13K and D.Designed 10K have "bright copper wire". 1...Is the dark purple wire the thicker wire? And I assume that whatever gauge the bright copper wire is the 13K would (splitting hairs) be a little fatter sounding than the 10K bright copper wire. 2....I am assuming the bright copper is the same gauge. Does that make sense? 3...Could the dark purple Twangbanger be about the same volume as the 10K bright copper wire? So with these questions answered I think I'll be up to speed pretty much and leave you fine folks alone. I appreciate the explanation about wire gauge. - Steve
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Hey Steve, unfortunately the color of the wire will only tell you the insulation type, not the wire gauge. Based on the DCR I'd expect the TwangBanger to be 42 gauge. The Duncan Designed could be either 42 or 43 gauge and the SSL-5 is definitely 43 gauge.

In terms of output / volume, the SSL-5 will be significantly louder and fatter than the TwangBanger. Since we don't know the wire gauge of the DD single, I can offer a couple of guesses. If it's wound with 43 gauge, I'd expect it to be similar in output to the TwangBanger and maybe a little bit brighter. If it's wound with 42 gauge OTOH, I'd expect it to be similar in output and tone to the SSL-5. As others have said the easiest way to find out is to just install both and compare output with the same pickup height.
 
Re: Looking for antiquity wind in normal affordable Strat p'up

dystrust said:
Hey Steve, unfortunately the color of the wire will only tell you the insulation type, not the wire gauge. Based on the DCR I'd expect the TwangBanger to be 42 gauge. The Duncan Designed could be either 42 or 43 gauge and the SSL-5 is definitely 43 gauge.

In terms of output / volume, the SSL-5 will be significantly louder and fatter than the TwangBanger. Since we don't know the wire gauge of the DD single, I can offer a couple of guesses. If it's wound with 43 gauge, I'd expect it to be similar in output to the TwangBanger and maybe a little bit brighter. If it's wound with 42 gauge OTOH, I'd expect it to be similar in output and tone to the SSL-5. As others have said the easiest way to find out is to just install both and compare output with the same pickup height.
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I doubt 42 awg wound 10k pickup would sound anything like SSL-5...
 
Re: Looking for antiquity wind in normal affordable Strat p'up

dystrust,
WOW!! I installed the D.Designed s.coil 10K into the exact spot, same guitar, Strat with basswood, same distance to string, same gauge string, etc. and I must say it sounds REALLY GOOD! louder that my TwangBanger for whatever reasons, I can tell it is a touch "bigger" in the mids, but still very "Stratty, Sparkly" and it sounds so good when in phase with my S.Lover /RCA5 mag bridge humbucker. I am surprised. Man, I wish I could come to your house and show you!! I must ask, as there is a thick layer of copper wrapped around those D. Designed, and there is NO MORE buzz than with my humbucker. I could not believe it. Is this something a person can but? Just wrap around the already existing single coils? Or paint that would be as good.? The copper is soldered to the ground it looks like. I think. but it is soldered to something. Oh, I wish I had 4 of them. Dang, I am so pleased. My SSL-5 I am going to do next, I expect it will buzz more, but do you think the sound will be similar, after what I have said. I cannot speak to what Jacew said as I do not (obviously) know enough. Thanks. This DD is just fabulous. If I don't care for the SSL-5 I must assume he "hot texas antiquity" would be my best bet for the same sound? Do you agree? Thanks for taking time with me, all of you. Thank you very much. I can't stop playing it. Steve
 
Re: Looking for antiquity wind in normal affordable Strat p'up

SJ318 said:
dystrust,
WOW!! I installed the D.Designed s.coil 10K into the exact spot, same guitar, Strat with basswood, same distance to string, same gauge string, etc. and I must say it sounds REALLY GOOD! louder that my TwangBanger for whatever reasons, I can tell it is a touch "bigger" in the mids, but still very "Stratty, Sparkly" and it sounds so good when in phase with my S.Lover /RCA5 mag bridge humbucker. I am surprised. Man, I wish I could come to your house and show you!! I must ask, as there is a thick layer of copper wrapped around those D. Designed, and there is NO MORE buzz than with my humbucker. I could not believe it. Is this something a person can but? Just wrap around the already existing single coils? Or paint that would be as good.? The copper is soldered to the ground it looks like. I think. but it is soldered to something. Oh, I wish I had 4 of them. Dang, I am so pleased. My SSL-5 I am going to do next, I expect it will buzz more, but do you think the sound will be similar, after what I have said. I cannot speak to what Jacew said as I do not (obviously) know enough. Thanks. This DD is just fabulous. If I don't care for the SSL-5 I must assume he "hot texas antiquity" would be my best bet for the same sound? Do you agree? Thanks for taking time with me, all of you. Thank you very much. I can't stop playing it. Steve
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That's great! Sounds like it is hotter wind with 42awg. I'm now interested to try that pickup myself...

I wonder why SD has nothing equivalent? It's described as tonal cross between SSL-2 and SSL-6 in SD site.

I'd remove the shielding though. I don't think that's doing any good for the tone of the pickup.
 
Re: Looking for antiquity wind in normal affordable Strat p'up

Jacew said:
That's great! Sounds like it is hotter wind with 42awg. I'm now interested to try that pickup myself...

I wonder why SD has nothing equivalent? It's described as tonal cross between SSL-2 and SSL-6 in SD site.

I'd remove the shielding though. I don't think that's doing any good for the tone of the pickup.
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+1

If it's louder than the TwangBanger, that points to a hot wind with 42awg.
 
Re: Looking for antiquity wind in normal affordable Strat p'up

Jacew,
The shielding is fantastic, I hear no more 60 cycle hum than my humbucker. Seems a shame to remove it. It sounds so good to me, I will leave it alone. Yes, I wonder why Duncan does not offer this? Like a PG+ I suppose, you'd have ask for it, then you are into custom shop prices, like 150 bucks, I am guessing. Looking forward to the SSL-5 test. Any tips on shielding in general for s.coil high output, or is that not a thing people do? Thanks. Steve
 
Re: Looking for antiquity wind in normal affordable Strat p'up

SJ318 said:
Jacew,
The shielding is fantastic, I hear no more 60 cycle hum than my humbucker. Seems a shame to remove it. It sounds so good to me, I will leave it alone. Yes, I wonder why Duncan does not offer this? Like a PG+ I suppose, you'd have ask for it, then you are into custom shop prices, like 150 bucks, I am guessing. Looking forward to the SSL-5 test. Any tips on shielding in general for s.coil high output, or is that not a thing people do? Thanks. Steve
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Shielding tape throurough cavity and pickguard should do that. Never had problems with hum after doing that. I think the reason for shielding in that pickup is to remove the need for full shielding in budget end guitars. I haven't seen it in any other pickup.

Shielding around winding knocks down resonant peak of the pickup. If you want, less dull, brighter or "more stratty" tone removing it does it. But if it sounds great there's certainly no need to remove it.

Bottomplate on TwangBanger and tele pickups makes same effect.
 
Re: Looking for antiquity wind in normal affordable Strat p'up

Jacew,
Thank you, I did not know that about resonant peak. That is a term I understand. As is, the D.D. is bright enough to sound great to my ears. Interesting about the copper plate interfering with the resonant peak seeing that it is on the BOTTOM of of the pup. The SSL-5 will be even fatter so maybe the buzz is worth it to get more highs out of that pickup if it does buzz worse than my TwangB. Thank you for the info. My back s bad today, so I will probably wait till tomorrow to install it. I will update one more time wit how it goes. As always, I feel I must add my thanks, this all has been great information. Steve Buffington
 
Re: Looking for antiquity wind in normal affordable Strat p'up

To all,
Last report - Thank you for your hep, I tried the SSL-5 and it is just perfect for what I need. It is beefier, yes, but still has the single coil sparkle in the neck. Best- I can lower it so there is no magnetic pull and it is still loud and sparkly. Blends great with my S.Lover A5.
Good to have that search over.
Steve Buffington
 
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