need help find some single replacements(big strat blues tone!)

stevie ray

stevie ray

New member
it's been a while but ive finally returned to the SD forums!

anyways, i just recently purchased a cleaner amp (nice fender tube, i love it), which really revealed much of the subtleties in strat's tone that i hadn't picked up on, a real breath of fresh air from the amount of tone coloration i got with my last amp.

It's a MIM Fender strat with stock pickups (ive been lazy), all n' all a guitar that has served me well for the past few years. However, I find that the neck is a bit too bassy, even muddy at times if the tone is set below 6 or 7, not so great for chords and such. Leads are not so bad, can be nice and warm at times. I dont have too much problem with the bridge p/u, it's a bit boring tho.

i love that big blues tone!!!i was thinkin maybe an SSL-1 for the neck and something that would nicely compliment it in the bridge, maybe something with a little more output ?(antiquities, perhaps?)


im open to any suggestions!


for reference, my guitar has an alder body, maple neck w/rosewood fretboard, and i use .10-.52 gauge strings


:thanks:
 
Re: need help find some single replacements(big strat blues tone!)

A set of Surfers with the Surfer Custom bridge would serve you well, or, if money's a bit tight, a pair of SSL-1's in the neck and mid and a Custom staggered would get you in the ballpark.
 
Re: need help find some single replacements(big strat blues tone!)

Benjy_26 said:
A set of Surfers with the Surfer Custom bridge would serve you well, or, if money's a bit tight, a pair of SSL-1's in the neck and mid and a Custom staggered would get you in the ballpark.
Click to expand...

kewl. any other suggestions?
 
Re: need help find some single replacements(big strat blues tone!)

stevie ray said:
kewl. any other suggestions?
Click to expand...

No. (laugh!) Go for the Surfers. If you want to hear what they sound like check out my clip in the Tips and Clips.
 
Re: need help find some single replacements(big strat blues tone!)

Lewguitar said:
No. (laugh!) Go for the Surfers. If you want to hear what they sound like check out my clip in the Tips and Clips.
Click to expand...

those were teh surfers? NICE. you're clip was GREAT by the way Lew!!! love your tone and playing!
 
Re: need help find some single replacements(big strat blues tone!)

stevie ray said:
so a surfer in the neck and bridge?
Click to expand...

Middle too.

Actually though, in my Strats I use the Surfers for the neck and middle and the Antiquity Texas Hot for the bridge. The Texas Hot has more mids and the treble is smoother. I think SRV would've loved a full set of the Surfers though!

Lew
 
Re: need help find some single replacements(big strat blues tone!)

Lewguitar said:
Middle too.

Actually though, in my Strats I use the Surfers for the neck and middle and the Antiquity Texas Hot for the bridge. The Texas Hot has more mids and the treble is smoother. I think SRV would've loved a full set of the Surfers though!

Lew
Click to expand...

sounds great, ill check em out! thanks lew! ill take a look at em on your site
 
Re: need help find some single replacements(big strat blues tone!)

stevie ray said:
anyways, i just recently purchased a cleaner amp (nice fender tube, i love it).

It's a MIM Fender strat with stock pickups (ive been lazy), all n' all a guitar that has served me well for the past few years. However, I find that the neck is a bit too bassy, even muddy at times if the tone is set below 6 or 7, not so great for chords and such. Leads are not so bad, can be nice and warm at times. I dont have too much problem with the bridge p/u, it's a bit boring tho.

i love that big blues tone!!!i was thinkin maybe an SSL-1 for the neck and something that would nicely compliment it in the bridge, maybe something with a little more output ?(antiquities, perhaps?)

im open to any suggestions!

for reference, my guitar has an alder body, maple neck w/rosewood fretboard, and i use .10-.52 gauge strings

:thanks:
Click to expand...

I get good blues / jazz on my lite ash stratocaster (3 x Alnico II Pro Staggered, swamp ash body, maple neck and fretboard), for what it's worth. On a Fender Twin they have excellent soul and body to them, almost without enough brights to be considered a strat sound (because they're so round sounding). Of course, this is with my EQ at all 5's and tone knobs at max (no cut). Just tellin' ya what I get with mine. Happy hunting!
 
Re: need help find some single replacements(big strat blues tone!)

I'm pretty darned happy with the Bill Lawrence Keystones. They're stupid cheap, and sound fantastic.
 
Re: need help find some single replacements(big strat blues tone!)

Lewguitar said:
Middle too.

Actually though, in my Strats I use the Surfers for the neck and middle and the Antiquity Texas Hot for the bridge. The Texas Hot has more mids and the treble is smoother. I think SRV would've loved a full set of the Surfers though!

Lew
Click to expand...

hey Lew quick question-- how does the SSL-1 compare to the Surfer in the neck position?
 
Re: need help find some single replacements(big strat blues tone!)

stevie ray said:
hey Lew quick question-- how does the SSL-1 compare to the Surfer in the neck position?
Click to expand...

I'm not Lew, but I'll take a swing at your question. :)

Imagine that the SSL-1 is a Honda Accord. It's a nice, solid product that doesn't cost a whole lot, works well, is solid, has a great reputation, and will probably make you happy for years to come.

In comparison, the Surfer is like an Acura TL. it's got all of the qualities of it's less expensive sibling, but coddles you and performs in ways that somewhat overshadow the less expensive offering. Both are good pickups, but the Antiquities just have that extra "something" that most of us around here just call mojo. :alcoholic
 
Re: need help find some single replacements(big strat blues tone!)

Benjy_26 said:
I'm not Lew, but I'll take a swing at your question. :)

Imagine that the SSL-1 is a Honda Accord. It's a nice, solid product that doesn't cost a whole lot, works well, is solid, has a great reputation, and will probably make you happy for years to come.

In comparison, the Surfer is like an Acura TL. it's got all of the qualities of it's less expensive sibling, but coddles you and performs in ways that somewhat overshadow the less expensive offering. Both are good pickups, but the Antiquities just have that extra "something" that most of us around here just call mojo. :alcoholic
Click to expand...

thanks benjy. love your analogy:)
 
Re: need help find some single replacements(big strat blues tone!)

+1 for the surfers, I have them in the neck and middle with a custom custom in the bridge (right now), and they have 'that' strat sound. Fantastic.
 
Re: need help find some single replacements(big strat blues tone!)

JB_From_Hell said:
I'm pretty darned happy with the Bill Lawrence Keystones. They're stupid cheap, and sound fantastic.
Click to expand...

I spent a few hours with them yesterday, my modded DS-1 set wide open (tone knob is now a low end control) into a Marshall setting on my modeler set very clean, and the Keystones are now THE most versatile pickups I've ever used. If I wanted a hard rock tone, I used a pick and the bridge pickup. For bluesy stuff, knock back the volume knob a bit, and use fingers.

These pickups really are fantastic.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top