Need a pickup recommendation to pair with a 78 set

EC Strat

EC Strat

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So I’m going to help out a band mates daughter and install some electronics for them. It’s routed HSH and the guitar has an EVH vibe to it

I’m going to recommend the 78 HB set but was wondering what single coil would pair nicely with it in the middle position?
 
Do you want a traditional single coil, or do you want it to be noiseless? Also, is the middle position on the 5 way the middle itself, or both humbuckers...and are you planning to split the humbuckers in the 2 & 4 positions?
 
Is volume balance with the humbuckers important or is it OK if the middle position is vintage single coil volume?
 
With the A2 med output 78's I would go with either a RW/RP Texas hot or a standard wind Alnico II Pro in the middle. If you set up the 5 way to auto split the humbuckers in pos 2 and 4 with that set up you will have full humbcker tones at each end and passable strat tones in the middle 3. Also when you run pos 2 and 4 it will hum cancel, so the only position that will not be hum canceling will be 3 in the middle.
This way all the pickups will be A2, so the feel will be constant and also the output in the middle 3 positions will be consistent with just a little output bump on the ends. Have had several guitars set up this way and they work very well.
 
if you want a single coil, using 500k pots, and want a decent volume balance with the 78 set, id go ssl6 for the middle in this setup.

i love the texas hot and the alnico 2 pro, but with 500k pots they are really bright.
 
jeremy said:
if you want a single coil, using 500k pots, and want a decent volume balance with the 78 set, id go ssl6 for the middle in this setup.

i love the texas hot and the alnico 2 pro, but with 500k pots they are really bright.
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With a SSL6 you're not going to get close to any real Strat tones in the middle 3. Have run these set-ups with both SSL 5's and 6's. Depends on what you're looking for tone wise. Yes, they are brighter with a 500K, but I have always found the Alnico II pros to be a little on the dark side for singles. The SSL 6 will overwhelm a split 78 in output badly. The SSL 6 is closer to a P90 tone that a real Strat single coil. Depends on if you are going to split the buckers in 2 and 4 if the output will balance and also what you want from the guitar. I was always shooting for a fat bucker tone in 1 and 5 with as close to authentic strat tones as possible in the middle.
 
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Yeah, there is going to be an output imbalance if you want to use something like a vintage voiced single coil like an SSL-1 or -2. Perhaps something like an Antiquity Texas Hot in the middle will be hotter, but still bright. I still think there will be a volume balance issue
 
the ssl6 sounds nothing like a p90 to me, its a fat sounding higher output strat pup. not vintage at all, but with 500k pots and paired with humbuckers, it has worked very well for me. i have never thought the aps sounded dark in any guitar, and i ran them in my main strat for years. the treble on them is softer than it would be with an a5 magnet, but they are still vintage output strat pups.
 
the bass are softer too with A2 , they could sound 'odd' for someone used to normal A5 singles, they don't have that piano like attack they normally have
 
the texas specials can have a harsh/gritty upper mid thing in some guitars, i wouldnt want to hear that with 500k pots
 
jeremy said:
the texas specials can have a harsh/gritty upper mid thing in some guitars, i wouldnt want to hear that with 500k pots
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Agreed. Especially those screamy guitars. Nevertheless if the wood is fine with them, they serve well with humbuckers.
 
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