"Noiseless" Black Strat: Custom Stack Plus and ???

b3john

b3john

New member
I'm moving on to the third phase of my Black Strat project, this time with "noiseless" pups...

(Phase one was the EMG DG-20. Phase two was an SSL-5 in the bridge and two CS '69s with the Suhr BPSSC system that didn't pan out as well as I had hoped, 60-cycle hum-wise.)

So I'll be replacing that SSL-5 currently in the bridge with a Custom Stack Plus (STK-S6) since that's supposed to be "voiced similarly" to the SSL-5 Classic.

Any thoughts about "noiseless" middle and neck pups to go with that?

The spec sheet for the STK-S6 recommends the Classic Stack Plus (STK-S4) for the middle and Vintage Hot Stack Plus (STK-S7) for the neck. Does that sound right? I'm looking to be able to get into SOYCD territory in the neck and/or middle position in addition to the lightly flanged cleans from Brain Damage->Eclipse, that sort of sound. Interested in anyone with similar experience that might have used other middle/neck pups for a similar situation. (I also have an Area '61 and two Area '58s in another guitar, but I haven't really found them to be voiced for that Gilmour vibe.)

I'm assuming that whatever middle pup I use (STK-S4? STK-S7?) won't need to be RWRP since all three pups will be noiseless.

Also interested in your thoughts about wiring the Custom Stack Plus/bridge to it's own tone control and sharing the neck and middle on another tone pot, vs. wiring one tone to the bridge, one to the neck, and leaving the middle with no tone pot.

Any help is appreciated! Thanks
 
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Re: "Noiseless" Black Strat: Custom Stack Plus and ???

I use the STK-S6 with two STK-S4s. I keep the bridge pickup relatively low (I like it that way) and the guitar is pretty well balanced.

The tone pots operate only on the bridge and neck, works great for me.


As for Gilmour tones - I might admit that I'm not really into getting his tone, but it seems that it's pretty easy to get his tone with the STK-S6... it just jumps out at you from time to time.
 
Re: "Noiseless" Black Strat: Custom Stack Plus and ???

i would get two classic stack plus. stk-s4n & stk-s4m or even two stk-s4n since it doesnt really matter if the middle is rw/rp if you are not splitting the coils
 
Re: "Noiseless" Black Strat: Custom Stack Plus and ???

I did finally get around to putting an STK-S6 bridge pup plus a pair of STK-S4 neck pups into that Strat. The STK-S6 gets right into Gilmour territory goosed even the tiniest bit into a Muff-style pedal, and into a RAT (of all things) you can get fairly close to DSotM. It overdrives into classic rock/blues tones but also backs off into that clean, shimmery Strat sound we all know and love. Very versatile!

JohnnyGuitar said:
I use the STK-S6 with two STK-S4s. I keep the bridge pickup relatively low (I like it that way) and the guitar is pretty well balanced.

The tone pots operate only on the bridge and neck, works great for me.
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jeremy said:
i would get two classic stack plus. stk-s4n & stk-s4m or even two stk-s4n since it doesnt really matter if the middle is rw/rp if you are not splitting the coils
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Mad props for the STK-S4 recommendations, they turned out to be a great match for the STK-S6! I went with two neck pups, though I may someday swap out the middle for an RW/RP and split the coils, just to see how it changes the quack. Still, it's nice to play in position 2 because I want to, not because I have to. :)

FWIW, with the BPSSC gone, I was able to put a piezo bridge and preamp in that Strat. As far as SOYCD tones, this gets pretty close but nothing quite touches that magic of the EMG active singlecoils with the SPC.
 
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