Middle pickup for SSL-1/SSL-5

[numb3r23]

Hi there,

I have a great MIM Strat (maple neck) and gave it a set of SSL-1/SSL-1/SSL-5 with the middle RWRP in the hope for classic strat tones. I'm in love with the neck and the bridge can sing and even scream (with proper setup). But my issue is with the middle pup and even its combinations: I dont like them. The middle alone is "boring", "bland" and settings 2+4 are dumb and hollow (but the ugly kind), simply not great. I play something between blues-rock and hard-rock/modern-rock. Is it simply that I only need the neck and bridge (love those sounds, really!) or maybe there could be something interesting out there for me? Or is it just a matter of finding the right height for it? I am open to creative suggestions...

Cheers

 

[PFDarkside]

Re: Middle pickup for SSL-1/SSL-5

Listen to this video from Greg Koch. He goes through all 5 positions clean and with drive. Do you like the way they all sound? If so, tweaking heights, etc. on your pickups should get you in a similar tonal range. If not... Then maybe something like a stacked pickup or rails would give you a slightly different flavor. If that fails, then maybe a three way switch with only the neck and bridge connected (leaving the middle as a dummy) is the answer.

Fwiw, I used to feel similarly. I've grown to like the 2/4 positions, but I've also started EQing my rig to be tonally neutral on the middle so that the neck is a bit darker and the bridge is a bit brighter.

 

[Harhash]

Re: Middle pickup for SSL-1/SSL-5

What about a Five-Two?

http://www.seymourduncan.com/products/electric/stratocaster/vintage-output/fivetwo_for_str/

 

[Thomas_Desch]

Re: Middle pickup for SSL-1/SSL-5

I personally don't care much for the middle pickup on its own. Too bland - that said, I put a Little 59 in there once, and that sounded very cool. Great for slide, overdrive, etc. But you lose the Strat thing. Anyway, pickup height is crucial. I keep it pretty low. To me the in-between positions sound the best when the output from the middle pickup is weaker than the pickups it's combined with. I use an APS-2 which I'm happy with. But I rarely use it on its own though.

Oh, I used to use an SSL-6 (flat version of SSL-5) in the bridge. Sounded great with the APS-2.

 

[numb3r23]

Re: Middle pickup for SSL-1/SSL-5

Thanks for all the input. The video does sound quite a bit different from what I get - at least on the 2-3-4 positions. I'll see if changing the height has an effect (which I hope), otherwise I'll checkout the suggestions. A lil'59 or a rails was something I did actually think about... But then there's that mean 5-2 ... that's a killer sounding beast. simply too many choices

 

[DreX]

Re: Middle pickup for SSL-1/SSL-5

Hi there,

I have a great MIM Strat (maple neck) and gave it a set of SSL-1/SSL-1/SSL-5 with the middle RWRP in the hope for classic strat tones. I'm in love with the neck and the bridge can sing and even scream (with proper setup). But my issue is with the middle pup and even its combinations: I dont like them. The middle alone is "boring", "bland" and settings 2+4 are dumb and hollow (but the ugly kind), simply not great. I play something between blues-rock and hard-rock/modern-rock. Is it simply that I only need the neck and bridge (love those sounds, really!) or maybe there could be something interesting out there for me? Or is it just a matter of finding the right height for it? I am open to creative suggestions...

Cheers

Maybe try an SSL-5 in the middle also. I prefer the middle pickup being darker and more powerful like the bridge.

 

[billweidner]

Re: Middle pickup for SSL-1/SSL-5

I changed my Strat to a 3-way switch, with bridge and neck wired in parallel on the midddle switch position (like a Tele) and then wired one of the tone knobs as a volume for the middle pickup only. That way I can blend the middle pickup with either the bridge or neck, or have all 3 pickups going at the same time. The only thing I lose is the middle pickup by itself, which I’ve never cared much for. I really like it a lot.

 

[hamerfan]

Re: Middle pickup for SSL-1/SSL-5

I use a ssl-1 in the middle to save the Knopfler sound. I use a 500k volume with a 500k resistor in parallel for middle and neck. The 500k pot makes the ssl-5 useable for clean sound IMO.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Middle pickup for SSL-1/SSL-5

What about a Five-Two?

http://www.seymourduncan.com/products/electric/stratocaster/vintage-output/fivetwo_for_str/

This would have been my recommendation. But, you just might not like the way a middle pickup sounds, or the way it sounds in combination with the others. I don't really like a middle pickup on its own, but I like the 2&4 positions. It is hrd to get away from that hollow sound as there is phase cancellation when wired in parallel. You could possibly try series wiring, too.

 

[fenderiarhs]

Re: Middle pickup for SSL-1/SSL-5

If you want the classic strat quack in the 2 and 4 pos then you “ll need a low output pickup in the middle pos . Something like a ssl1 or a fender cs69


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[Jacew]

Re: Middle pickup for SSL-1/SSL-5

Maybe try an SSL-5 in the middle also. I prefer the middle pickup being darker and more powerful like the bridge.

I was going to suggest same. SSL-5 sounds great in the middle!

Never liked SSL-1 there.