New HSS Strat with underwound SSL-1

[nienturi]

Hello. This is my new axe. It’s actually Kozmos brand but i modded a lot. It’s a custom fat strat that has an alder body, a Q-sawn one-piece roasted Canadian maple neck with a modern D profile, lighter roasted maple fretboard, Gotoh 510T style stainless steel 2 point tremolo, 25.5” scale, stainless steel Jumbo frets. The guitar has a custom modded V7 in the bridge (this time partially charged alnico 4), SSL-2 in the middle and of course underwound SSL-1 in the neck. Its primary (unplugged) tone is fairly neutral to warm. More details of underwound SSL-1 is right on my blog;

https://www.tonejourney.com/post/seymour-duncan-ssl-1-review


IMG_20250916_222608 by Baris Sahin, on Flickr
IMG_20250905_183855 by Baris Sahin, on Flickr

IMG_20250905_183906 by Baris Sahin, on Flickr
IMG_20250905_183911 by Baris Sahin, on Flickr
IMG_20250905_224051 by Baris Sahin, on Flickr

 

[playas]

Nice!
Happy NGD

If I can ask...why the mix of ssl-1 and ssl-2 in the same guitar?

 

[nienturi]

Nice!
Happy NGD

If I can ask...why the mix of ssl-1 and ssl-2 in the same guitar?

Nothing special. I have bought SSL-1 many years ago, it was on another guitar. And then that guitar happened so i needed another single for the middle. I could find that SSL-2 RW/RP pickup for dirt cheap

 

[playas]

Ah, ok. I thought you must have decided to use one of each for a special reason and wondered what it could be.

 

[Mincer]

Wow! I like that copper one next to it!

 

[GuitarStv]

In general, I've found that I much prefer flat poles to staggered. The regular SSL-2 has ended up being my favourite neck pickup . . . but I pull it pretty far down into the pickguard when setting things up. This keeps the bass under control and gives plentiful but never really harsh highs. I could see slightly underwinding it to be nice too, especially if you prefer the pickup higher towards the strings.

 

[Chistopher]

Um care to explain where the ADMs went in the copper one?

 

[Mincer]

In general, I've found that I much prefer flat poles to staggered. The regular SSL-2 has ended up being my favourite neck pickup . . . but I pull it pretty far down into the pickguard when setting things up. This keeps the bass under control and gives plentiful but never really harsh highs. I could see slightly underwinding it to be nice too, especially if you prefer the pickup higher towards the strings.

I am team 'flat pole', too.

 

[nienturi]

Ah, ok. I thought you must have decided to use one of each for a special reason and wondered what it could be.

I could the very same because of tonal balance. Staggered singles, i think because of the core is further from the strings, tend to sound a little bit clearer while you can get closer to the strings with those flat pole pieces so that you can get a little bit fatter or louder with them. So staggered for the neck in order to achieve cleaerer tone and flat for middle is so logical. Moreover there is no raised pole pieces under your pick route wth those flat top singles. But here my situation is completely luck

Wow! I like that copper one next to it!

That's my number one. Named "Goldie", that has a Turkish alder body, a Q-sawn one-piece maple neck in a chunky Endur-Neck profile, Gotoh 510T-FE1 tremolo, 25.5” scale, steel frets, Bourns 500K volume and Alpha 500K tone pots, and 009-046 D'Addario NYXL0946 strings in E-standard tuning. It has a Lollar Imperial High Wind bridge, custom wound middle (true single with coil tapping 5.5K/6.5K windings, now on 6.5K side is on) and Dimarzio Bluesbucker neck pickups. Its primary (unplugged) tone ranges from balanced to medium-bright.

In general, I've found that I much prefer flat poles to staggered. The regular SSL-2 has ended up being my favourite neck pickup . . . but I pull it pretty far down into the pickguard when setting things up. This keeps the bass under control and gives plentiful but never really harsh highs. I could see slightly underwinding it to be nice too, especially if you prefer the pickup higher towards the strings.

I am team 'flat pole', too.

​

Normally i do prefer flat ones too.

Um care to explain where the ADMs went in the copper one?

Of course. I keep them. Actually, i like the Bluesbucker so much, more than DP201 for that guitar particularly. DP202 is absolute "must stay". The problem is bluesbucker is black, DP202 is cream. So i need to find a double cream bluesbucker which is too difficult to find here in Turkiye.



​

 

[Chistopher]

Of course. I keep them. Actually, i like the Bluesbucker so much, more than DP201 for that guitar particularly. DP202 is absolute "must stay". The problem is bluesbucker is black, DP202 is cream. So i need to find a double cream bluesbucker which is too difficult to find here in Turkiye.

Very interesting, I've considered the exact same thing myself. Only problem is I don't currently have a guitar to put that set in

 

[Mincer]

It sounds like I would dig 'Goldie', too.

 

[nienturi]

Very interesting, I've considered the exact same thing myself. Only problem is I don't currently have a guitar to put that set in

That's best reason to buy another guitar
Luckily there are lots of low cost decent guitars around. Like Soloking, Eart etc.

 

[nienturi]

It sounds like I would dig 'Goldie', too.

I forgot to mention one thing about it: the bridge pickup. Recently i took the Lollar out and put PATB-3 in the game. Wooa, how i missed it. No wonder why PATB-3 is truely one of my favourites. It literally sings

 

[nienturi]

That's what i'm talking about