Need a good, hot, bridge pup ... suggestions?

lank81

New member
So I definitely dig low output, vintage voiced single coils in the neck and middle positions of my strat but I've yet to find one that pleases me in the bridge position. I always feel like they are thin and just lack something. I had a set of Custom Shop 69s which weren't bad but not nearly as good as the David Allen CS JM 60s Rock and Blues I have right now. These are great pups but I'm just looking for something more in the bridge. I was thinking maybe something like a SD Hot Rails or DiMarzio Chopper may be the ticket but I'm not quite sure. I'll be playing Alt Rock/Grunge/Heavy Blues. Any suggestions?
 
Re: Need a good, hot, bridge pup ... suggestions?

what about a full size HB?
I had the same problem, I tried the quarter pound and some single coil sized hb but they always lacked something, I finally decided to install a normal humbucker on the bridge, that was the ticket, although the search for the right one was a little difficult.
The full size humbucker let you 'tune' the sound with the magnet swap option also (largely described here in the forum).

What kind of wood do you have in the body, neck and fingerboard anyway?
 
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Re: Need a good, hot, bridge pup ... suggestions?

Dimarzio Virtual Solo, output is P-90ish and it has full mids. I had in an Yngwie Strat and it never sounded thin or to bright.
 
Re: Need a good, hot, bridge pup ... suggestions?

For HBs if you want PAFish tones you got:
59, Screamin' Demon, Custom (this one is on the hot side), and PATB-3 Blues Saraceno.
There's Brobucker if you wanna go Custom Shop route. :D

If you want hotter,usually these guys here will suggest:
JB (usually magnet swap to A2,A3,A4,and A8), Distortion (JB with oversized ceramic magnet)

Just my 2 cents here,and welcome to the forum! :)
 
Re: Need a good, hot, bridge pup ... suggestions?

So I definitely dig low output, vintage voiced single coils in the neck and middle positions of my strat but I've yet to find one that pleases me in the bridge position. I always feel like they are thin and just lack something. I had a set of Custom Shop 69s which weren't bad but not nearly as good as the David Allen CS JM 60s Rock and Blues I have right now. These are great pups but I'm just looking for something more in the bridge. I was thinking maybe something like a SD Hot Rails or DiMarzio Chopper may be the ticket but I'm not quite sure. I'll be playing Alt Rock/Grunge/Heavy Blues. Any suggestions?

I have had just about every single-coil sized humbucker in my Strat.

You don't want the Hot Rails.

The best pickup I ever used was the JB Jr. - it was the fullest, meanest, and cleaned up the nicest. Close second was the Little '59, but I can't give a full report, because I had a neck model in the bridge position.
 
Re: Need a good, hot, bridge pup ... suggestions?

Alder Body
Maple Neck
Rosewood Fingerboard

Based on my little experience it might be a pretty balanced instrument, so a '59b (maybe with an UOA5 magnet) or a PGb could be ok and they would be higher in level than the single coils but still balanced. if you'd want something hotter a Custom (a little scooped) or a CC.
For single coil size hb I'd choose the lil '59.
 
Re: Need a good, hot, bridge pup ... suggestions?

BTW, if you choose a Custom or a CC I can assure you the split coil (more or less 7Kohm) works great, in mine I installed a push-pull tone pot so I have a full humbucker or a more than decent single coil sound whenever I want.
 
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