PFDarkside
of the Forum
My intention of posting the Roger Mayer quote is to say, anything in that ballpark should work. You don’t need to be hyper-accurate to the exact pickups. I think the CS69/Psychedelic/Hendrix pickups should all work great.
Most 'time period accurate' Hendrix Strat pick ups.
- Thread starter SirJackdeFuzz II
- Start date
hamerfan
Well-known member
if you really, really want to be period accurate, then you are on the high side with 6.5k. But this goes into the large discussion about SRV and the Texas Specials, which go from 6.0 to 6.5k.
ErikH
Well-known member
Yeah, SRV's pickups in No. 1 were definitely low output. He never used the Texas Specials. Those hit the market after he died as part of the SRV Strat so that players could get close to the tone with thinner strings. I had a set of Texas Specials some years back and they are great pickups. No doubt that getting that SRV tone was possible with 9-42 gauge strings.
The SSL-1's are hard to beat without going in to higher priced options.
The reality is, there are so many options in that output range that will do the job. Hell, the stock Fender Designed Alnico 5 single-coils in my Squier Classic Vibe 60's Strat do the job. They are for sure low output like the old 60's single-coils. No bar magnet on the bottom like some cheap singles either. I've grown quite fond of them the more I play the guitar. A tad bright but nothing that rolling the tone control back or changing the tone cap out can't fix.
The SSL-1's are hard to beat without going in to higher priced options.
The reality is, there are so many options in that output range that will do the job. Hell, the stock Fender Designed Alnico 5 single-coils in my Squier Classic Vibe 60's Strat do the job. They are for sure low output like the old 60's single-coils. No bar magnet on the bottom like some cheap singles either. I've grown quite fond of them the more I play the guitar. A tad bright but nothing that rolling the tone control back or changing the tone cap out can't fix.
SirJackdeFuzz II
New member
Thanks Jeremy.
SirJackdeFuzz II
New member
EC Strat
New member
I’ve chased Hendrix’s tone myself and found that the CS 69’s + wampler Plexidrive + Tumnus or Sunface fuzz come the closest, amp notwithstanding. I bought a Marshall origin 50w head and a 2x12 cab and that got even closer with the above combo.
for pickups - CS 69s, 57/62’s, PV 65’s, and the SSL 1s will all pretty much nail those tones. My personal favorite pickups are rhe SSL 1/ SSL 1 / SSL 5 combo - so versatile
for pickups - CS 69s, 57/62’s, PV 65’s, and the SSL 1s will all pretty much nail those tones. My personal favorite pickups are rhe SSL 1/ SSL 1 / SSL 5 combo - so versatile
SirJackdeFuzz II
New member
dotsdad
New member
The Fender Custom Shop 69 neck pickup is THE tone. Trouble is, the bridge pickup is a flat out icepick. They also do not cancel hum in any position. Worst of all, FENDER PICKUPS ARE NOT RETURNABLE.
I would go for a NEW set of Duncans so you can use the 21 day exchange if you don’t like em.
My personal favorite single coil is the STKS4 Classic Stack Plus. You can crank the fuzz face to your heart’s content without all the buzz and hum. I love em!
I would go for a NEW set of Duncans so you can use the 21 day exchange if you don’t like em.
My personal favorite single coil is the STKS4 Classic Stack Plus. You can crank the fuzz face to your heart’s content without all the buzz and hum. I love em!
^ The vintage strength bridge issue is certainly an issue if you just install the pickups with no mods thats for sure.
I love vintage strat sets, but you do often have to look to the bridge pickup and tweak the guitar a little bit. Of course most people do set aside a tone knob for the bridge alone. But I like also to separate out that control more by not only putting in 2 caps for the individual knobs (which should also help with loading a bit), but often putting in the bridge one higher than the nominal .047, but also dropping back the n+m ones back to .022.
Almost all sets get a steel baseplate for the bridge too.
Having owned both Duncan and Fender singlecoils, its the Fender's that have not been sold on for me. They really do seem to have a better handle on what a strat should sound like to my ear.
I love vintage strat sets, but you do often have to look to the bridge pickup and tweak the guitar a little bit. Of course most people do set aside a tone knob for the bridge alone. But I like also to separate out that control more by not only putting in 2 caps for the individual knobs (which should also help with loading a bit), but often putting in the bridge one higher than the nominal .047, but also dropping back the n+m ones back to .022.
Almost all sets get a steel baseplate for the bridge too.
Having owned both Duncan and Fender singlecoils, its the Fender's that have not been sold on for me. They really do seem to have a better handle on what a strat should sound like to my ear.
EC Strat
New member
Sweetwater sells fender CS 69’s with a RWRP middle.
im with you on the SD classic stacks. They’re great pickups.
Agreed there. They are more powerful than traditional 60s pickups by a hair, but they don't hum. They sound great with fuzz pedals as there is no hum to amplify as well. Many think the hum is part of the sound (listen to any live Jimi) but it drives me crazy.
