Need advice with 'Bucker for Strat

[Rick1114]

I have a California Fat Strat (The Candy Apple red one , purchased around '97 ). Years ago, my luthier replaced the noisy Tex-Mex Single coils with Virtual VIntage which I am very satisfied with. They made me realize how weak the stock humbucker was sounding since I found myself never using it. I asked him to recommend a Humbucker replacement, and he suggested the Duncan Distortion. He had a Strat with the same pickup config and it was working for him. We both agreed that we like modern distortion sounds from a bucker (even though we play strats )

Anyway the Duncan Distortion didn't really do it for me in this guitar. Just too brittle & brite sounding. The other pickups seem to "match" the guitar much better. I will say it does pump out some heavily distorted sounds, but not much else. I've had buckers in other guitars that were more versatile. Can anyone recommend a Humbucker that might be a better fit? Looking for that "just right" pickup, something that will do modern distortion but also clean sounds, without getting too brite - up to now this guitar does not feel "complete" since I'm in the 4-5 position 99% of the time and always avoiding the 'bucker!

BTW - it doesn't have to be a Duncan pup, I will consider anything!
Thanks,

Rick

 

[Tux789]

Re: Need advice with 'Bucker for Strat

pearly gates

 

[ErikH]

Re: Need advice with 'Bucker for Strat

Welcome if you haven't been welcomed yet.

Custom Custom. In a Strat it is at home. Really.

 

[theodie]

Re: Need advice with 'Bucker for Strat

pearly gates

Tux....you on crack???? He is looking for a pickup to produce a sound he wants. Not a pickup that you happen to really like at the moment. He said the DD was "Just too brittle & brite sounding". I consider the PG to be even more so. Thats was in a 24.75 all mahogany guitar with a rosewood board. Surely the strat is going to be ear peircing with it! Now, I am done kicking you square in the nuts!!! :laugh2: :laugh2: :beerchug:

The Custom or the Custom Custom will be warmer and still do distortion well. I say the Custom Custom will be the best choice IMO.

As far as Dimarzio, go for the Breed. That should do it also.

 

[Rick1114]

Re: Need advice with 'Bucker for Strat

Thanks for the replies so far guys. So far I'll be looking into the Custom Custom & The Breed.

Keep'em Coming!

 

[Rick1114]

Re: Need advice with 'Bucker for Strat

Fist Impression is the CC & The Breed are similar but The Breed has a slightly darker tone. It might be the better choice to take the edge off the bridge position in this strat, but it's so hard to tell with this type of thing. Anyone tried both?:33:

Rick

 

[Dave Z]

Re: Need advice with 'Bucker for Strat

How about the original parallel axis? It was designed to warm up a trem-equipped guitar.

 

[dasfonzie]

Re: Need advice with 'Bucker for Strat

I recently put a set oh Alnico Pro 2s in my Strat. I was afrad they would be bright or maybe not enough kick that I wanted, but I was definitely wrong abot that. From the bridge I get the best distorted sound I've ever heard. Smooth and crunchy at the same. Notes are well defined, and I get make it scream with harmonics all over the place.

 

[Rick1114]

Re: Need advice with 'Bucker for Strat

After doing a little more research (spoke with the Dimarzio Tech and checked the Fenderforum), it seems the Air Zone may be the best overall choice for the bridge in my strat. It will blend in with the single coils better than Breed or the Custom Custom, yet still do modern distortion sounds. Still, the breeds darker tone appeals to me, but I know my Strat will have that "split personality" thing going on (with the humbucker being much louder), and I think I'd rather have the 'bucker more integrated with the single coils.

Any thoughts?

 

[Benjy_26]

Re: Need advice with 'Bucker for Strat

Which VV's do you have in your axe?

 

[octavedoctor]

Re: Need advice with 'Bucker for Strat

I had a Dimarzio Tone Zone in a demo strat for a while. I sold it to one of my regulars and it sounded fantastic; warm without being muddy and with so much sustain it was like playing a Fernandes Sustainer! It never sounded that good in my Cal Strat...

For some reason the Tone Zone doesn't have much of a following, and to be fair i think there was a bit of magic chemistry going on between guitar and P/up, but I liked it and so did my customer...

 

[Rick1114]

Re: Need advice with 'Bucker for Strat

Which VV's do you have in your axe?

Not sure which ones he put in, maybe the 2.1. I'll ask tomorrow, probably the most basic ones - this luthier doesn't seem to get too fancy, just sticks with what works.

Octavedoctor - the Tone Zone is very similar to Air Zone, just little lower output (Tone Zone but more vintage as Dimarzio describes it). I would love to have a high output pup, but I don't think any will work in this guitar without getting that split personality feeling.

Thanks

RY

 

[Benjy_26]

Re: Need advice with 'Bucker for Strat

The 2.1's are alnico V and moderate in output. Maybe the VV Hot PAF will work for you?

I had a Solo at the bridge for a while paired with a 54 in the mid and a Blues in the neck of my 62 RI and it worked very well. It was kind of in between a PAF and a strat single.

 

[Rick1114]

Re: Need advice with 'Bucker for Strat

The 2.1's are alnico V and moderate in output. Maybe the VV Hot PAF will work for you?

I had a Solo at the bridge for a while paired with a 54 in the mid and a Blues in the neck of my 62 RI and it worked very well. It was kind of in between a PAF and a strat single.

I don't think the VV Hot PAF will give me the "modern distortion" tones I would like to have available (if I need them) from a humbucker. I'm really looking to make this strat versatile since I don't plan on buying any more guitars for while. I'll probably go with the Air Zone or the Breed. After my experience with the Duncan Distortion (which I still hold in high regard, just not in this guitar), I don't like the idea of mixing & matching brands.

Of course now that I know Duncan is coming out with new strat single coils, that opens up a world of possibilities :smack: (muuust keep gear lust in check).

 

[Dave Z]

Re: Need advice with 'Bucker for Strat

I don't quite get you here...you want "modern distortion" tones and ALSO blend with your single coils? Eh?! YOu must have some muscular SCs picked out (FS1?) And the Tone Zone is a HUGE pickup...sonically, very sensitive to attack, pretty bloody high output - everything the dimarzio site says about it is spot on. (I'm getting all excited here, I may have to get one of those again...and head-to-head it vs the JB)

Tone zone - 375 mv
Air zone 323 mv

so I also dont understand why someone said air zone was higher output...backwards there.

I will say this for the TOne zone - it splits wonderfully. Does not have that 'thin" sound most buckers do when split. Still sounds huge - more thickness than your average Strat vintage singlecoil. So if you want to blend, fine, split that sucker. If you want to crush heads, go humbucker, it'll do it!

 

[PoorMan]

Re: Need advice with 'Bucker for Strat

C5.

 

[Rick1114]

Re: Need advice with 'Bucker for Strat

I don't quite get you here...you want "modern distortion" tones and ALSO blend with your single coils? Eh?! YOu must have some muscular SCs picked out (FS1?) And the Tone Zone is a HUGE pickup...sonically, very sensitive to attack, pretty bloody high output - everything the dimarzio site says about it is spot on. (I'm getting all excited here, I may have to get one of those again...and head-to-head it vs the JB)

Tone zone - 375 mv
Air zone 323 mv

so I also dont understand why someone said air zone was higher output...backwards there.

I will say this for the TOne zone - it splits wonderfully. Does not have that 'thin" sound most buckers do when split. Still sounds huge - more thickness than your average Strat vintage singlecoil. So if you want to blend, fine, split that sucker. If you want to crush heads, go humbucker, it'll do it!

You misunderstood my post. The Air Zone has the lower output (as you stated), that is why it is the better choice for my middle output VV's. The Tone zone or the Breed (both high output) will probably over power the single coils but the air zone closer to "just right". Going by reviews on fenderforum & harmony central a few strat owners have confirmed this and also said if you have enough overdrive at your disposal the AZ will also do metal. That's the ultimate in versatility I am looking for - I'm just going for my own thing here.

The difference in the EQ curves & output in the VV & duncan distortion lead me to believe it's better to stick with one brand (or at least similar output pickups). If my VV's sound good the distortion sounds harsh or the Distortion will sound good and the VV's weak. Looking to keep the pickup config cohesive, yet want the widest range of tones available. Just trying to push the envelope here. If the Tone Zone splits wonderfully, the Air Zone (almost the same pickup with lower output) might even be better. Of course I won;t know until I try it .

Thanks
Rick

 

[Dave Z]

Re: Need advice with 'Bucker for Strat

OK, you are on the right track then If you go the airzone route can you post some clips? I'm interested to hear the AZ, having had (& liked) the TZ..my main beef with the TZ was that its attack was really responsive and at the time *my* attack wasn't so under control...now I like a more responsive PU though the TZ might be a bit much.

 

[strangegrey]

Re: Need advice with 'Bucker for Strat

I have a California Fat Strat (The Candy Apple red one , purchased around '97 ). Years ago, my luthier replaced the noisy Tex-Mex Single coils with Virtual VIntage which I am very satisfied with....

Rick, forgive the slight highjack/tangent....

But did your luthier find a way to wire in the Virtual Vintages, so that you still get a hum-free #2 position?

When I had VV's in my guitar, I desperately tried pickup config after pickup config, to get the humbucker (when split) to have a quiet notch position with the middle pup. It just never worked, no matter how many different ways I could wire it...

-Frank

 

[Rick1114]

Re: Need advice with 'Bucker for Strat

Rick, forgive the slight highjack/tangent....

But did your luthier find a way to wire in the Virtual Vintages, so that you still get a hum-free #2 position?

When I had VV's in my guitar, I desperately tried pickup config after pickup config, to get the humbucker (when split) to have a quiet notch position with the middle pup. It just never worked, no matter how many different ways I could wire it...

-Frank

If you replaced the single coils with VV's, then I don't see why it would hum, since the 'Buckers don't hum and neither do the VV's. Unless the act of splitting the humbucker causes it. I don't think he split the bucker in my #2 position but I'm not sure - mine's dead silent in all positions. Whatever it is he can do it, he runs his own store in a prominent NYC area and everytime I go there hes is wrapped in guitar guts. I probably won't get to see him for a few days (snow storm this morning so I couldnt do it today). I DO think the Air Zone may have some potential in the "splitting" area so I'll go over it with him. I also want him to assign a tone pot to the bucker. Right now they only work with the neck & middle SC's (is that called the eric johnson mod?). I'll report back when I know more.

Thanks

Rick