Replacing The Stock Humbucker On My Fat Strat?

[newdorplane]

Re: Replacing The Stock Humbucker On My Fat Strat?

I kind of feel the CC might a little to smooth overall. What about the custom? It’s still a hot pickup, but feels different than the JB that you know you don’t like.

Not sure if i saw it mentioned, but what’s the rest of your rig looking like?




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Okay...I just listened to a few JB / Custom comparison videos, and believe it or not, I am having second thoughts about the JB, namely because the JB has an alnico magnet, and it sounds a bit more polished than the Custom - yet it sounds nice down low.

My concern: some say that the JB can make a bright guitar sound brighter, and that's something that I wouldn't want. I am running a Strat with a maple neck/alder body.

 

[newdorplane]

Re: Replacing The Stock Humbucker On My Fat Strat?

You say you don't want anything vintage, but practically every band you listed were using vintage pickups, or if they were not, they were using the Dimarzio Super Distortion.

Fair enough. I am new to the guitar, and maybe I am wrong. When I think vintage, I think of Van Halen I/II or Zeppelin. Again...this is all new to me, and you might well be right.

Sans Journey & Halen's early material, the 70's sound I am not interested in, while Ratt/Crew is a little too heavy. I am aiming for an early to mid 80's sound, but again, I am on a learning curve.

 

[Clint 55]

Re: Replacing The Stock Humbucker On My Fat Strat?

Vintage modern medium output bridge humbuckers from Duncan would be pups like the 59/Custom hybrid, Saturday Night Special, Screamin Demon or Whole Lotta Humbucker.

You can make the JB sound warm with 250k pots or an A2. I love its tone. Some do some don't. But it's hotter than single coils and has to be dropped to balance.

 

[newdorplane]

Re: Replacing The Stock Humbucker On My Fat Strat?

Vintage modern medium output bridge humbuckers from Duncan would be pups like the 59/Custom hybrid, Saturday Night Special, Screamin Demon or Whole Lotta Humbucker.

You can make the JB sound warm with 250k pots or an A2. I love its tone. Some do some don't. But it's hotter than single coils and has to be dropped to balance.

Damn...of the SD Saturday Night Specials, SD writes: "Unlike traditional humbuckers, the Saturday Night Special humbuckers are voiced to be a little hotter and fatter in the bridge position, and a little clearer and less “wooly” in the neck. They’re more aggressive than 50s-style models, but without the compression of most high gain pickups."

That's exactly what I am looking for. Thank you. And if for some reason that doesn't work, I can fall back on the pricier '78's.

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Thanks to each and every poster for their time for educating me!

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[Clint 55]

Re: Replacing The Stock Humbucker On My Fat Strat?

No prob!

 

[BeKindRewind]

Re: Replacing The Stock Humbucker On My Fat Strat?

Okay...I just listened to a few JB / Custom comparison videos, and believe it or not, I am having second thoughts about the JB, namely because the JB has an alnico magnet, and it sounds a bit more polished than the Custom - yet it sounds nice down low.

My concern: some say that the JB can make a bright guitar sound brighter, and that's something that I wouldn't want. I am running a Strat with a maple neck/alder body.

Well hey, it depends, I use a JB in a maple neck maple fingerboard Stratocaster and it's my favorite tone ever. I would describe my tone as somewhere between Billy Gibbons and Dave Mustaine. I play with a bit more gain than Gibbons but probably less than Mustaine, but then again I love the JB clean or even with a light overdrive. But that's me, I love the tone it gets, even with 500k pots I would not call it too bright whatsoever. I definitely prefer it over the custom, feels less compressed and much less scooped to me so it works better for my thang

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[newdorplane]

Re: Replacing The Stock Humbucker On My Fat Strat?

Well hey, it depends, I use a JB in a maple neck maple fingerboard Stratocaster and it's my favorite tone ever. I would describe my tone as somewhere between Billy Gibbons and Dave Mustaine. I play with a bit more gain than Gibbons but probably less than Mustaine, but then again I love the JB clean or even with a light overdrive. But that's me, I love the tone it gets, even with 500k pots I would not call it too bright whatsoever. I definitely prefer it over the custom, feels less compressed and much less scooped to me so it works better for my thang

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Much appreciated...the posts on this thread have really changed how I look at things, for the better.

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As for wiring the pickup in my HSS Strat, one poster mentioned that the wires might be crossed? In other words, SD's wiring diagram might be reversed on a Fender? How can I know for sure that that's the case on my guitar?

 

[Mincer]

Re: Replacing The Stock Humbucker On My Fat Strat?

Well, Fender's pickups are (mostly) out of phase with Duncans. You'd hear a weak, thin sound when you have 1 Fender and 1 SD pickup on if that were the case.

 

[newdorplane]

Re: Replacing The Stock Humbucker On My Fat Strat?

Well, Fender's pickups are (mostly) out of phase with Duncans. You'd hear a weak, thin sound when you have 1 Fender and 1 SD pickup on if that were the case.

Thanks for the tip!

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I have listened to A LOT over the past day or so, and I have learned A LOT from all of you; many thanks!

The three pickups that are in the finals:

- Custom Custom

- The JB

- Pearly Gates

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The JB is a very safe and affordable bet, and it's LOUD. I may want something a *little* more subtle. After a great deal of listening, I found that the JB is a great option, though it is a bit hot.

The Pearly Gates sounds a little more vintage than I would like, but I will deal with it. The once concern that I have with the PG: my guitar is naturally bright, and a track that I heard sounded a little ice pickish. Would you say that the PG has a tendency, in a maple necked Strat, to be a little bright?

 

[Mincer]

Re: Replacing The Stock Humbucker On My Fat Strat?

Well, the CC is my favorite pickup in the bridge of a Strat. It also splits well. It isn't as bright as the PG, or as harsh as the JB. It works well for a 1 guitar band, too, as it covers a big swath of frequencies.

 

[newdorplane]

Re: Replacing The Stock Humbucker On My Fat Strat?

Well, the CC is my favorite pickup in the bridge of a Strat. It also splits well. It isn't as bright as the PG, or as harsh as the JB. It works well for a 1 guitar band, too, as it covers a big swath of frequencies.

I thank you for the reply...I notice that the CC gets a love it/hate it reception. Since you're very familiar with the pickup, my concerns about the CC: would you say that the highs are bright and clear? What about the lows...are they warm and fat?

I love that the CC has an alnico 2 magnet; the alnico 5 produces a sound that's a little too strong, and ceramic magnets produce a sound that's a little too tight/defined, and aren't clean.

The CC seems do do everything well, yet I am worried that the bottom might be a little weak, and that the highs might be a little muddy....or no, am I wrong?

 

[Mincer]

Re: Replacing The Stock Humbucker On My Fat Strat?

Well, it is like a tub of butter. It isn't tight like alnico 5, it is soft and squishy. They highs are present but not ice picky, and certainly not wooly...they are there. Not muddy at all. But if you need very tight lows, you won't be happy.

 

[newdorplane]

Re: Replacing The Stock Humbucker On My Fat Strat?

Well, it is like a tub of butter. It isn't tight like alnico 5, it is soft and squishy. They highs are present but not ice picky, and certainly not wooly...they are there. Not muddy at all. But if you need very tight lows, you won't be happy.

Thank you for the very helpful info, especially since I am new to the guitar.

That highs are present (in the CC) but not ice picky sounds perfect, and I hate very tight lows. I like lows that are warm, wide, and somewhat loose and unconfined.

Would you say that the PG & CC have similar lows? To my ears, a buttery low is what I am looking for. On the basis of that, how similar are the CC and the Pearly Gates?

 

[Mincer]

Re: Replacing The Stock Humbucker On My Fat Strat?

Well, the lows are similar, indeed. But the highs are very different, and that is what you notice if you compare the PG & CC. The CC's highs are round. The PGs have some punch to them, and they are pretty bright. Both being A2 pickups, the lows are about the same.

 

[donaldr]

Re: Replacing The Stock Humbucker On My Fat Strat?

Never tried it but surprised nobody proposed the PAT-B3.

 

[Masta' C]

Re: Replacing The Stock Humbucker On My Fat Strat?

I second Mincer's earlier suggestion of the EVH Frankenstein (which is made by SD, by the way!). In my opinion, it's a perfected Custom Custom.

The '78 or PATB-3 are also great pickups that ride the line as "vintage hot" models and are very versatile

 

[newdorplane]

Re: Replacing The Stock Humbucker On My Fat Strat?

Well, the lows are similar, indeed. But the highs are very different, and that is what you notice if you compare the PG & CC. The CC's highs are round. The PGs have some punch to them, and they are pretty bright. Both being A2 pickups, the lows are about the same.

The lows were my main concern with the CC.

Looking at SD's chart, it looks like the bass is turned all the way down on the CC's - as if it's all mids and highs, but is lacking down low. I am not looking for a bass heavy pickup, but I don't want something that's lacking either.

As for the CC's highs being round, that sounds perfect!

I second Mincer's earlier suggestion of the EVH Frankenstein (which is made by SD, by the way!). In my opinion, it's a perfected Custom Custom.

The '78 or PATB-3 are also great pickups that ride the line as "vintage hot" models and are very versatile

Thanks for the suggestion! I am checking those out right now...

I second Mincer's earlier suggestion of the EVH Frankenstein (which is made by SD, by the way!). In my opinion, it's a perfected Custom Custom.

The '78 or PATB-3 are also great pickups that ride the line as "vintage hot" models and are very versatile

I thank you for your helpful suggestions...what I like most about the "non custom" SD units, aside from them being more budget friendly, is that they come in a trembucker form; my Strat's current humbucker has a total of three mounting screws, and SD's trembuckers are a perfect fit. My guitar is still under warranty, so I don't want to go drilling holes in the pickguard. As I grow with my guitar, I might get something a little more unique down the road.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Replacing The Stock Humbucker On My Fat Strat?

Keep in mind that any Custom Shop pickup can be ordered as a Trembucker.

There are lows on a CC. It just won't do percussive chugs of modern metal.

 

[newdorplane]

Re: Replacing The Stock Humbucker On My Fat Strat?

Keep in mind that any Custom Shop pickup can be ordered as a Trembucker.

There are lows on a CC. It just won't do percussive chugs of modern metal.

I want to thank you for both your time and patience; I am not into that modern metal stuff, so the CC sounds like it would suit my style perfectly.

 

[dominus]

Re: Replacing The Stock Humbucker On My Fat Strat?

Perpetual Burn.