Need a pickup recommendation

[hillerheilman]

I'm building a strat, and so far I've got a jb for the bridge and a rwrp ssl 1 for the middle. I was just going to get another ssl 1 for the neck but then I thought it might be cool to have something different, like a p90 or something? Recommendations?

 

[eclecticsynergy]

Re: Need a pickup recommendation

P90 makes a great neck pickup; I have them at the neck in three Les Pauls and a Tele, and love them all. But Strat neck tone is one of my very favorite sounds. If it were my guitar I'd probably put a great Strat pickup at the neck, and maybe try a P90 in the middle position.

 

[vidalsh]

Re: Need a pickup recommendation

p90 runs so well on gibson/mahogany guitars...

for strat sounds I love single neck pickups always...

for your ssl-1 at middle could works ssl-5 or yjm fury neck too. (I love the yjm fury neck pickup...it´s the best strat neck sound for me...)

 

[Mincer]

Re: Need a pickup recommendation

I'd miss that neck SC tone too. Maybe something a little warmer, like a Five Two. You may never turn off the neck pickup, then.

 

[hillerheilman]

Re: Need a pickup recommendation

I've also been looking into a lipstick pickup. Anyone have experience with those?

 

[hillerheilman]

Re: Need a pickup recommendation

I'd miss that neck SC tone too. Maybe something a little warmer, like a Five Two. You may never turn off the neck pickup, then.

I actually looked into the five two. I don't really know what it was but it just sounded very odd to me

 

[Mincer]

Re: Need a pickup recommendation

Well, it has a softer high end on the 3 high strings. So, yeah, it is a little strange. But one of my favorite 'strat' pickups. As far as the lipstick, keep in mind that they are pretty low output, so you might have to work on balancing them out.

 

[eclecticsynergy]

Re: Need a pickup recommendation

All the lipsticks I've heard are very low output. A lipstick bridge pickup might be loud enough in middle position. If I were you I'd still reserve the neck position for a good Strat pickup. There's nothing like that sound.

 

[hillerheilman]

Re: Need a pickup recommendation

So, forgive me for being a noob, as I've only just gotten into the technical aspect of guitars. (This is out of necessity, as i can't use a full sized body, and thus must build a guitar with a smaller body, as the small ones I've found are crap) When you say low output, does that mean it would be quiet compared to a high output pickup? Is it better to try and match outputs? I figured varying them might expand the range of tones, and thus the versatility of the guitar. Is this untrue?

 

[Mincer]

Re: Need a pickup recommendation

Yes, it would be quieter. Opinions differ, but I try to match the outputs on my guitars, with maybe a slightly stronger bridge pickup. Varying is an approach used by many- there really are no rules. As you play longer, you will distill down the things you like.