Noiseless Strat Pickups: SD vs. Dimarzio?

[stratocrusher]

I've got a G&L Legacy HB that has a JB in the bridge. I'm very happy with the JB at the bridge, but I've never been thrilled with the stock neck and middle single coils. I've also started to get into recording, so I think I'd like to put something noiseless in there.

I was thinking about putting in SD Classic Stacks, Duckbuckers, or Vintage Rails (maybe a Cool Rails at the neck if I went for the Rails). However, I also started looking into some of the Dimarzio Virtual Vintage pickups and am intrigued by them. I listened to some soundclips of them and liked them quite a bit. If I went this route I am thinking about a Virtual Vintage Blues in the neck and a Virtual Vintage in the middle.

I realize a lot of you guys will recommend the SD's, but I know some of you have tried the Dimarzio stuff too, so I would appreciate comparisons. I've always thought SD pickups seemed a bit higher quality than Dimarzios, but I would kind of like the stock single coil look and I'm not crazy about the Classic Stacks. Also, like I said, I really liked the clips I've heard of the Dimarzio Virtual Vintage pickups.

Thanks for your help.

 

[Curly]

Re: Noiseless Strat Pickups: SD vs. Dimarzio?

I don't know which pickups to tell you to get, but I think some of the issues with the stock G & L's are related to the wiring and pot values.

 

[Bones]

Re: Noiseless Strat Pickups: SD vs. Dimarzio?

Listen to Curly, sounds like the big problem. If I had to get a strat with noiseless singlecoils? hm.... Classics all the way!

 

[stratocrusher]

Re: Noiseless Strat Pickups: SD vs. Dimarzio?

Hmm....I don't think there is anything weird going on with the wiring or pot values. I haven't actually looked at mine to confirm, but the Legacy is just a pretty standard strat. I know some of their other models do have some more interesting things going on with the wiring, but I think mine uses 250K pots (again, I'd have to double check on that). The only unusual thing is that it's got 2 tone controls that cover different ranges. Anyway, the JB sounds great and the singles sound pretty much like any strat single coil would be expected to sound. I just don't think they're fantastic or anything and since I could benefit from noiseless pickups, I just figured I'd replace them.

I will look into the pot thing, but regardless, does anyone have opinions on these pickups?

 

[RACER X]

Re: Noiseless Strat Pickups: SD vs. Dimarzio?

Yeh check the pots first.