Pickup Help for a American Deluxe Strat H-S-S

[3skin]

Hi,

I was hoping to get some opinions or help. I have an American Deluxe Fender Stratocaster with a Humbucker in the Bridge and 2 single coil pickups. Alder Body and Maple Neck and Fingerboard. Amazing guitar, but I was looking for a bit more from the Humbucker. I replaced the stock fender pickup with a Duncan Custom TB-5, and I am not excited by the results. It isn't that it doesn't have hot enough output, but it isn't that different then the stock pickup. It is a very Crunchy pickup, where I want a high output, warm, thick, liquidy type sound. I guess for comparrisons, I would like something similar to Nuno from Extreme on Pornograffiti, Jake E. Lee on The Ultimate Sin, Warren DeMartini on Invasion of Your Privacy, Zakk on No Rest For The Wicked... Does that give and idea? Anyway, I usually use Duncan pickups, but wouldn't be opposed to other brands also. Thanks for your help and suggestions.

 

[ErikH]

Re: Pickup Help for a American Deluxe Strat H-S-S

Zakk uses active EMG pickups so unless you go active, and use a Les Paul and play a Marshall JCM 800 stack, you'll just get in the ballpark, in the stands somewhere.

For the other 3, Warren used the JB, Jake used the Allan Holdsworth (JB with double screw poles rather than stud/screw poles) but switched to the regular JB later on so that would work. Nuno was a big user of the Bill Lawrence L500-XL.

Toss a JB in there. It should match well with the singles in the Deluxe (which I like, BTW, very nice singles when adjusted to the proper height). Of course, your amp and speakers will have a big affect on getting those tones as well.

 

[3skin]

Re: Pickup Help for a American Deluxe Strat H-S-S

Thanks for the response Erik. I was thinking of a JB, but wasn't sure it would be hot enough. I use a Marshall JVM head and a 4 x 12 cab loaded with V30's

 

[edsmith]

Re: Pickup Help for a American Deluxe Strat H-S-S

The PATB-1 is an excellent choice for a strat. Load it with a PATB-1 and PATB singles and you've got yourself one hell of a guitar.

 

[3skin]

Re: Pickup Help for a American Deluxe Strat H-S-S

PATB-1, interesting. I just looked it up. May be something to look into, Thanks!

 

[ErikH]

Re: Pickup Help for a American Deluxe Strat H-S-S

Thanks for the response Erik. I was thinking of a JB, but wasn't sure it would be hot enough. I use a Marshall JVM head and a 4 x 12 cab loaded with V30's

The JB is plenty hot enough and with that amp, you'll have no problem dialing in those tones. When you get in a Warren mood, crank up the reverb.

 

[3skin]

Re: Pickup Help for a American Deluxe Strat H-S-S

Erik,
After your reply I did some research. You definetely know your stuff. Looks like Warren always used JB's. I'm gonna get one. Good enough for Warren, good enough for me. He is one of my all time favorite players with one of the best tones ever IMHO. Thanks again for the info.

 

[ErikH]

Re: Pickup Help for a American Deluxe Strat H-S-S

You're welcome. Just FYI, you shouldn't have to change the pots in the guitar at all. They'll be fine. In fact, that S1 switch should be pretty sweet with the JB. When I first messed with a Deluxe, I wasn't all that impressed with it and thought the S1 took away from the SCN singles. Then I sat with one for a good while not too long ago that had a really good setup. The pickups were adjusted just right, the action was great, it just played incredible. As I flipped through pickup combos with the S1 engaged and disengaged, I realized that there really is a wealth of tones to be had from the Deluxe. Just swapping out the bridge pickup is all I'd do after a while if I were to get one.

 

[3skin]

Re: Pickup Help for a American Deluxe Strat H-S-S

Yeah, I feel exactly like you said. First off the Deluxes are hit or miss (I guess most gutars are). When you find a good one, they are spectacular. I played a bunch of them. Mine plays amazing, and for the most part sounds amazing. The Humbucker was just a bit sterile, without much sustain. I though a Custom would fix that, but it didn't do much for it. Looking foward to throwing a JB in there now. As for the S-1, I like it and I love the SCN singles. I had previously had a Deluxe with the Noiseless singles and I wasn't nuts about them.

 

[3skin]

Re: Pickup Help for a American Deluxe Strat H-S-S

So I put a JB in yesterday and I love it. Thanks Erik. The JB in the Alder Strat through the Marshall JVM is my ideal tone!