Noiseless single coils.

Re: Noiseless single coils.

There is no best in art, but in my mind you can't do better than the Classic Stack Plus set if your descriptor of "Vintage Style" is true. The Classic Stack is calibrated, so the bridge is a little hotter than the neck & middle. The Vintage Hot Stack Plus is a little overwound still, if you need that for the bridge.
 
Re: Noiseless single coils.

I am thinking for my USACG 50s style strat I would like to get a set of authentic vintage styled noiseless pickups.
 
Re: Noiseless single coils.

Maybe this will help. The sound I am getting from this set of pickups is just not cutting it. For lack of a better way to describe it the sound it is what I would call "hashy" I think there is a midrange freguency(not high mid, not real low mid) that is dominating the sound and it has a harshness to it. I would say the high end is kind of dull. I had a set of Curtis Novaks in it that I liked at first but then I thought were a bit too bright,( The Novak singles are in my MIA strat now and they are staying put, they fit it very well). I put in this other set in my 50s styled strat and they were very noticeably warmer but no real sparkle.
The pickups are also non RWRP and they are the nosiest buggers I have ever encountered.
The noise is starting to drive me nuts.:eyecrazy: The Guitar has Top notch woods. It's just the pickups that have bee in it have not been right for it.
I think I am ready to try a top notch noiseless set. I have heard good things from LewGuitar about the Classic stacks but I am very open here. To Grump I am picky enough that I don't cheap out. Like I said my Don Mare tele set ran me close to 300 smack-a-roos and werw wotyh every penny.
 
Re: Noiseless single coils.

The STK-S4 Classic Stack Plus is a noiseless SSL-2 Vintage Flat. (SSL-1 is the Vintage Staggered, same pickup, just different polepiece heights.)

There's a lot of other options from Seymour Duncan. Gilmour fans often like the STK-S6 Custom Stack Plus (noiseless take on SSL-6 Custom Flat). Those who just don't get along with bright strat bridge pickups sometimes go for the STK-S9b Hot Stack Plus (noiseless version of SSL-3 Hot).

STK-S7 Vintage Hot Stack Plus doesn't have a direct equivalent, it's a lightly overwound vintage strat pickup. Great for controlling brightness in a bright strat, or warming up the bridge slot while sticking to vintage for neck & middle.

I like setups like an STK-S6 bridge, STK-S4 middle and STK-S7 neck. Weakest in middle for best quack from 2+4 positions, hot but still stratty bridge, warm but not excessive output neck.

With an STK-S9b, you could go for STK-S7 mid and STK-S6 neck, but given you want vintage tones I don't think you'd want to go that wild.

There's also the YJM Fury series, but I haven't heard them enough to judge how well they mix with other pickups.

Also, if the guitar is just too bright, you could hit the Custom Shop up for a Stack Plus versions of the Five-Two, Alnico II Pro or even Antiquities, but that'll get pricy if you need a whole set.

You could also mix & match non-humcancellers, the STK series are splittable so you can combine them with RW/RP standard pickups and still cancel hum. STK-S7 bridge, SSL-1 middle and SSL52-1 neck, for example would hum cancel in bridge, 2nd and 4th switch positions.

If you don't use the middle by itself, could save money with an SSL-1 middle, and sell it if you decide to change it out for a humcanceller later.
 
Re: Noiseless single coils.

I think that if you're going noiseless you have to embrace the fact that you'll never ever nail it 100%. I didn't care and that way of thinking made me pretty happy when I was using DiMarzio Area series pickups. They got close enough for me.

I used a '58/'58/'61 set. I haven't tried a '67 but those seem to be the ones I would have loved to have in the neck and middle.

 
Re: Noiseless single coils.

Have you shielded your guitar yet? A little copper tape on the pickguard and in the control cavities can really work wonders on that single coil noise that you're complaining about . . . it might be worth spending the 10$ and checking if the noise levels are acceptable with regular single coils.
 
Re: Noiseless single coils.

Kinman Blues.. if you want traditional
Kinman Marvin.. if you like to rock out.

Absolutely incredible and as good as any real single in my opinion.
Plus the magnet/string alignment he uses for each position really makes a difference.

I've been a fan for 10 years and will always remain a fan. :friday:
 
Re: Noiseless single coils.

Kinman Blues.. if you want traditional
Kinman Marvin.. if you like to rock out.

Absolutely incredible and as good as any real single in my opinion.
Plus the magnet/string alignment he uses for each position really makes a difference.

I've been a fan for 10 years and will always remain a fan. :friday:
Sorry, your post wasn't up when I started typing this:).

I was thinking of the MKIII as I want something clearer than what I have now but not icepicky in the high end.
 
Re: Noiseless single coils.

The MK111 is VERY bright.

I didn't like mine.. it now sits in the middle position of my Silhouette Special.
Plus, check the polepiece alignment and compare it to normal singles.
DSCN0352.jpg


I LOVE the 69 as a neck pickup... nothing it won't do.

It's in my Anderson and Silhouette Special.
 
Re: Noiseless single coils.

The MK111 is VERY bright.

I didn't like mine.. it now sits in the middle position of my Silhouette Special.
Plus, check the polepiece alignment and compare it to normal singles.
DSCN0352.jpg


I LOVE the 69 as a neck pickup... nothing it won't do.

It's in my Anderson and Silhouette Special.
Looks like the spacing is slightly wider. Right?

Kinman 69?
 
Re: Noiseless single coils.

Have you shielded your guitar yet? A little copper tape on the pickguard and in the control cavities can really work wonders on that single coil noise that you're complaining about . . . it might be worth spending the 10$ and checking if the noise levels are acceptable with regular single coils.
The pickguard has a aluminum sheild above the control cavity.
 
Re: Noiseless single coils.

Sorry mate, what am I talking about. :banghead:

Its the Kinman 62 that i have.

He produces 3 polepiece spacings so the strings line up perfectly in all 3 positions.

When you place your order, there's a section for you to ensure yours is correct.

Regular singles are all produced with identical spacing so they line up at the bridge but don't allow for the narrowing spacing as the strings move towards the neck.

Look at my pic and you'll see the strings line up perfectly.
 
Re: Noiseless single coils.

Sorry mate, what am I talking about. :banghead:

Its the Kinman 62 that i have.

He produces 3 polepiece spacings so the strings line up perfectly in all 3 positions.

When you place your order, there's a section for you to ensure yours is correct.

Regular singles are all produced with identical spacing so they line up at the bridge but don't allow for the narrowing spacing as the strings move towards the neck.

Look at my pic and you'll see the strings line up perfectly.
Just went and looked at my strat and I see what you mean it does look like the pole pieces line up very well on your guitar.
 
Re: Noiseless single coils.

I have tried a whole bunch of so-called noiseless pups from different suppliers and always come back to single coil for that real Stratocaster tone.

I love Don Mare's pups as well as SD's SSL-5, SSL-52, and Ant's.

The trick that I use is proper shielding and a Suhr BPSSC System - you will not have any problems.

It's too bad that Seymour Duncan does not have a equalivant to the BPSSC System.

https://forum.seymourduncan.com/showthread.php?p=2193530
 
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Re: Noiseless single coils.

The Suhr system is a poor compromise.
I had it on my Suhr.
It only takes away some of the hum, takes away the top end and is a nightmare to install... PLUS if you have a RWRP mid single, you gotta change it or the system won't work.

There is a vid on you tube demonstrating it and you can hear what I describe quite clearly
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qiYNaC7LQtg

I switched to Kinmans ( the Marvin set on my Suhr with his K3 no solder loom ) and never looked back.

The guitar was stolen about 2 years ago. :banghead:
 
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