Pickups for Surf Style Stratocaster

[richlich]

I've seen two possible pickup sets for a Strat that might be best to accommodate playing "surf" guitar (e.g. Dick Dale). Squier, for example, has a Vintage Modified Surf version which uses the lipstick tube style pickups and Seymour Duncan apparently has something similar (if not the same pickups). I see also that Seymour Duncan has a set of Antiquities "Surf" pickups. My plan is to take an old Squier Strat and replace the pups for this type of guitar. If you have experience doing something like this, I'd like to know your opinion on one or the other of these pickup sets. Also, if you have used the integrated pickguar/pups pieces, I'd like to know your experience with them.

Lastly, one of the things that bugs me about the demos I see on the Seymour Duncan site (and I've seen it on others), they never seem to demo the pickups USING REVERB. How in the heck are you going to judge sound/performance in a reverb environment if you don't demonstrate how the pickups sound when reverb is being used????

 

[LReese]

Re: Pickups for Surf Style Stratocaster

I think they want you to hear what the pickup really sounds like. People have different tastes in reverb. Some like plate, some like room and some like spring. Some like it heavy, some like light.

I've got no experience with the Lipstick pickups you describe, but the Ant Surfers (I do own) is one recipe (a fine one at that) of a '60s Strat pickup. Again, people have different tastes. I like all 3 the same, some like having the RWRP and custom bridge options.

If you play surf, Surfers will do a fine job at that. My vote would be all 3 neck pickups (same wind, direction, resistance) as the old Strats were but YMMV.

 

[Rich_S]

Re: Pickups for Surf Style Stratocaster

Even plain SSL-1s will do surf. To me surf tone is not about the pickups. It's about reverb, amp tremolo, and the vibrato arm. Strats, Jazzmasters, Jaguars, Mosrites can all do surf. Heck, Elliot Easton recorded most of his recent Tiki Gods album on a Bigsby equipped E-335 with humbuckers.

 

[jeremy]

Re: Pickups for Surf Style Stratocaster

id get a trio of ssl1's and be done with it. if ya cant do it with those, ya cant do it

 

[PFDarkside]

Re: Pickups for Surf Style Stratocaster

Dumb question.... What would happen if you put Jazzmaster pickups in a Strat?

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: Pickups for Surf Style Stratocaster

What would happen if you put Jazzmaster pickups in a Strat?

Fender would call it a Pawn Shop series special.

@richlich. Do not put too much emphasis on pickup model names. I have some of the SD Antiquity II "Surfer" replacement pickups for Stratocaster. Probably, the one musical style that I never attempt to play using these pickups is Surf. (I am fortunate enough to own an AVRI Jaguar for that.)

 

[LReese]

Re: Pickups for Surf Style Stratocaster

I would also agree that the SSL-1 would also be a fine choice as well as the APS-1. Even the '2' versions would be fine.

Pick 'yer poisson!

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: Pickups for Surf Style Stratocaster

I could make a long list of pickups that can do Surf music, but a very short list of modern amps that will do it.

You didn't mention the amp you plan to use, but I can attest to the new 68 Silverface Twin Reverb being the best purchase you could make in your quest for ultimate surf tone. It's like having a Bassman sitting next to a Twin, both utilizing the amp's spring reverb and tube driven tremolo. Very cool amp!

 

[Scott Olson]

Re: Pickups for Surf Style Stratocaster

These can do surf tone:

As for the reverb thing I do hear you, we do have some demos that have parts with reverb, but we usually get the opposite comments, people saying it should be done without reverb.

 

[Johnny the Kid]

Re: Pickups for Surf Style Stratocaster

+1 on the amp, but the lipstick tubes are a very nice addition to a good surf style amp.