looking for pickups to replace mim stratocaster stock

[Mantra]

Re: looking for pickups to replace mim stratocaster stock

I can't say that the mim strats are less bright than the mia ones, it really comes down to the individual guitar and year they were made. You have decide what issue you need to 'correct' with your new pickups- in other words, what don't you like about the stock ones. My choice of the SSL-2 & SSL-6 has to do with flat poles, and a more modern radius with (I am assuming here) a plain G string being used. Flat poles tend to balance better in more modern instruments. I use them when I can.

hi
have you mim and mia?
the mim has ceramic pickups ,they are muddy and less bright and definite in the sound
i played a lot in the guitar store , almost 17
thanks

 

[donaldr]

Re: looking for pickups to replace mim stratocaster stock

Or, if you are good with soldering, make your own Low-cut tone, it will de-mud your guitar and make your attack very defined:

View attachment 96857

Not the cleanest job I seen...

 

[Gstring]

Re: looking for pickups to replace mim stratocaster stock

I have a MIM with a set of Rose pick ups .Mariposa with a Buff middle. I also have the Gilmore mod, (a push pull on the lower tone to add the neck pup).Better and more cost effective IMHO than messing around with a super switch. Definitely worth giving the Rose site a look. Custom pups at excellent prices.A set costs about the same as one SD Humbucker. Also big bonus is that owner Ken is very helpfull and happy to communucate by email before you buy with advice.

 

[Mantra]

Re: looking for pickups to replace mim stratocaster stock

I have a MIM with a set of Rose pick ups .Mariposa with a Buff middle. I also have the Gilmore mod, (a push pull on the lower tone to add the neck pup).Better and more cost effective IMHO than messing around with a super switch. Definitely worth giving the Rose site a look. Custom pups at excellent prices.A set costs about the same as one SD Humbucker. Also big bonus is that owner Ken is very helpfull and happy to communucate by email before you buy with advice.

hi
how does it sound ? your mim?
can not find mariosa and buff pickup in the rose homepage
thanks

 

[Downrazor11]

Re: looking for pickups to replace mim stratocaster stock

Not the cleanest job I seen...

Agreed, what I added wasn't super precise, but that is also a cor-tek pot pulled from an Ibanez and many of the globs were from the factory.. It has been kept and re-purposed for me as a visual reference for that type of tone wiring because I can be absent-minded..

But no excuses, I should do better..

 

[Mincer]

Re: looking for pickups to replace mim stratocaster stock

hi
have you mim and mia?
the mim has ceramic pickups ,they are muddy and less bright and definite in the sound
i played a lot in the guitar store , almost 17
thanks

I've played many mim and mia. I don't think you can form blanket statements- different years sound different, and different guitars sound different. If yours sounds too thin, then you need pickups that have the EQ to fix that. I'd say don't worry about the differences between the country in which they are made- worry about the sound you want vs the sound you have.

 

[TNTales]

Re: looking for pickups to replace mim stratocaster stock

The California set can be heard in Frusciante's tone in the Californication era. Fender's aftermarket pups are good too. Their Pure Vintage and 57/62 sets are good. I also had their Vintage Noisless for a while and those were nice as well.

 

[Gstring]

Re: looking for pickups to replace mim stratocaster stock

hi
how does it sound ? your mim?
can not find mariosa and buff pickup in the rose homepage
thanks

I am happy with it. It has had a good set up which I did myself although I paid for fret levelling and crowning.It was not new when I bought it . I also sheilded it with slug tape.


I play through a VOX VT 50 which can "colour" the sound quite a bit.I hope to get a valve amp soon

Check this page which lists the stock Strat sets

https://www.rosepickups.com/new-products/robusta-classic-set-of-3

Do not be afraid to email them with questions and for guidance

 

[Ascension]

Re: looking for pickups to replace mim stratocaster stock

hi
i like 3 single coil pickups , no active pickups they need battery , i guess there is not room
i don't want to buy ceramics or active pickups
thanks

Have a 99 mex and right now have a SSL5/ Alnico II flat set up in it. I'm going to an Antiquities Texas Hot bridge with the Alnicos in the neck and middle this week.
However sounds like you are looking for a little different tone than I am, a little spankier and brighter. I would just go with the SSL-2 neck and middle SSL-6 bridge set up Gilmore uses and be done with it.

 

[freefrog]

Re: looking for pickups to replace mim stratocaster stock

A long time ago, I've fitted a MIM Strat with SSL1's then APS / RWRP SSL1 and SSL5. The guitar sounded pretty good with these two sets.

But I had to change its bridge: the stock tremolo was made of very dull sounding materials (and was wrongly located, making the intonation out of tune even with the saddles fully recessed... but that's another story).

If versatility is required from the bridge pickup: Hot Rails and Cool Rails bring the main benefits of humbuckers when wired in series and give a decent single coil tone once wired in parallel - that's what I have in one of my main Fender style stage axes and it works well for me. YMMV.

 

[Mantra]

Re: looking for pickups to replace mim stratocaster stock

A long time ago, I've fitted a MIM Strat with SSL1's then APS / RWRP SSL1 and SSL5. The guitar sounded pretty good with these two sets.

But I had to change its bridge: the stock tremolo was made of very dull sounding materials (and was wrongly located, making the intonation out of tune even with the saddles fully recessed... but that's another story).

If versatility is required from the bridge pickup: Hot Rails and Cool Rails bring the main benefits of humbuckers when wired in series and give a decent single coil tone once wired in parallel - that's what I have in one of my main Fender style stage axes and it works well for me. YMMV.

hi
i use 5 springs strong , and the bridge is docked fixed , i don't use the whammy bar on fender
and there are not good tremolo for mim with 6 screews , i mean i haven't found a good one
thanks

 

[freefrog]

Re: looking for pickups to replace mim stratocaster stock

hi
i use 5 springs strong , and the bridge is docked fixed , i don't use the whammy bar on fender
and there are not good tremolo for mim with 6 screews , i mean i haven't found a good one
thanks

Yep... I had to fill in the existing holes and to drill new ones in order to put a different and new trem unit. After that the guitar was in tune, the trem worked fine (and... the strings were more neatly aligned above the pole pieces of the Duncan's) but I'd have prefered to avoid such a mod, of course...

Anyway: 2 SSL1's and a Rails bridge PU with series/parallel switch would still be my choice among Duncan models. But I'm not you so, good luck in your quest!

 

[Mantra]

Re: looking for pickups to replace mim stratocaster stock

Yep... I had to fill in the existing holes and to drill new ones in order to put a different and new trem unit. After that the guitar was in tune, the trem worked fine (and... the strings were more neatly aligned above the pole pieces of the Duncan's) but I'd have prefered to avoid such a mod, of course...

Anyway: 2 SSL1's and a Rails bridge PU with series/parallel switch would still be my choice among Duncan models. But I'm not you so, good luck in your quest!

hi , what bridge have you bought if i may ask?

SSL1's and a Rails bridge PU with series/parallel switch would still be my choice among Duncan models

hi what do you mean with series/parallel switch?
and if i may , can i ask you what bands do you play ? indie rock , metal , distortion ...
thanks

 

[freefrog]

Re: looking for pickups to replace mim stratocaster stock

hi , what bridge have you bought if i may ask?

Hi again,
In this case, I had tried a Mighty Mite tremolo unit that I had on the shelf... then a Schaller with rolling saddles. Both were trems with 2 pivots. BUT please, keep in mind that the intonation was initially wrong with the MIM Strat that I mention: on a properly assembled guitar, I'd just change the trem block if any (and only if the original one is a thin zamac block as it was the case for me decades ago).

hi what do you mean with series/parallel switch?
and if i may , can i ask you what bands do you play ? indie rock , metal , distortion ...
thanks

I play the genres that you evoke among others. But the pickups in my guitars are not dedicated to defined genres: I prefer to have alternative wirings in most of my guitars.

About series/parallel, you might find these vids interesting:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q1yO4gzQ6UQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-JmT4HUfnDk

 

[donaldr]

Re: looking for pickups to replace mim stratocaster stock

hi
i use 5 springs strong , and the bridge is docked fixed , i don't use the whammy bar on fender
and there are not good tremolo for mim with 6 screews , i mean i haven't found a good one
thanks

I think Callaham makes a good one so is Super Vee Bladerunner.

 

[GuitarDoc]

Re: looking for pickups to replace mim stratocaster stock

Agreed, what I added wasn't super precise, but that is also a cor-tek pot pulled from an Ibanez and many of the globs were from the factory.. It has been kept and re-purposed for me as a visual reference for that type of tone wiring because I can be absent-minded..

But no excuses, I should do better..

Considering that it has had multiple soldering jobs done to it, it really isn't so bad. I can see that you got the solder to flow very well (at least on the bottom ground wire). No big blobs of "cold" solder.

 

[Benjy_26]

Re: looking for pickups to replace mim stratocaster stock

If you don't want humbuckers, I'd just use a pair of SSL-2' in the neck and mid and a SSL-5 in the bridge. Use the 2nd tone control for the bridge pickup and you're set.

 

[GuitarStv]

Re: looking for pickups to replace mim stratocaster stock

If you don't want humbuckers, I'd just use a pair of SSL-2' in the neck and mid and a SSL-5 in the bridge. Use the 2nd tone control for the bridge pickup and you're set.

I'd leave the tone control off the bridge. Maybe do traditional strat neck/mid tone controls. The SSL-5/6 sound great without it.