Replacing too-bright original pups

[strings attached]

I'm unhappy with the over-bright, almost tinny sound my '87 American Standard Strat produces. I'd like to get rid of the hum, keep the Strat quack (although a little chunkier would be nice) and push up the output just a little - the stock pickups seem a bit weak to me (and when I try to compensate with the amp, well, the hum just goes up too...).

I'm thinking of vintage rails or cool rails because I like the sound samples on the SD site. Does anybody have any advice about how their output compares stock single coils?

I've got a Carvin SX300 and a Champ 12, both of which do fine with my humbucker guitar (has '57 reissues in it), and fine with Fender Noiseless. I play blues and some chunky rock, not metal or shred.

Thanks!

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: Replacing too-bright original pups

I'm unhappy with the over-bright, almost tinny sound my '87 American Standard Strat produces. I'd like to get rid of the hum, keep the Strat quack (although a little chunkier would be nice) and push up the output just a little - the stock pickups seem a bit weak to me (and when I try to compensate with the amp, well, the hum just goes up too...).

I'm thinking of vintage rails or cool rails because I like the sound samples on the SD site. Does anybody have any advice about how their output compares stock single coils?

I've got a Carvin SX300 and a Champ 12, both of which do fine with my humbucker guitar (has '57 reissues in it), and fine with Fender Noiseless. I play blues and some chunky rock, not metal or shred.

Thanks!

I use regular Duncan single coils in everyone of my strats,but I Know some users of the Duckbuckers and rail pickups for strat players will chime in for you.

 

[rspst14]

Re: Replacing too-bright original pups

If you like the traditional single coil sound, but you want a bit more warmth and no hum, I would go with either Kinmans, Bill Lawrence 280's, Lace Hot Golds, or Lace Holy Grails. In my opinion, those are the best noiseless singles on the market. Duncan has a new noiseless model in the works, several guys on the forum have tested the prototype and really liked it. I don't know how soon they will be out though, I'm guessing probably not before summer NAMM.

Ryan

 

[Imp]

Re: Replacing too-bright original pups

any of the rails would toast stock singlecoils for output, they're technically humbuckers

interestingly, i've seen the guy from idlewild has a strat with 3 cool rails in, might be worth checking out any new material they have.. Twilightoddessy has a 70s hardtail strat with 3 rails in too, i forget if they're cool or hot hehe - i hope he chimes in here..

tom

 

[strings attached]

Re: Replacing too-bright original pups

Thanks all for your help. Still leaning towards the Vintage rails, I guess, although I'll look into the Lace as well based on Ryan's recommendation.

I'd read somewere that the duckbucker and vintage rails have lower output than the other humbuckers - possibly lower than singles? If it's a bit higher than singles, though, that should do it.

Thanks again for your repsonses.

 

[Benjy_26]

Re: Replacing too-bright original pups

A bit more chunk than standard singles and no hum?

I had a set of Dimarzio Virtual Vintage pickups in my MIJ 62 RI that did just that. I had a Blues in the neck, 54 in the mid (great quack with this one in the notch position), and a Solo in the bridge (hotter and fatter than stock strat, almost P-90 like).

I like them a lot better than the Fender Noiseless pickups for strat and the Gold Laces that I've tried.

The Cool Rails sounds great, but aren't terribly stratty.

 

[strings attached]

Re: Replacing too-bright original pups

Yep - exactly what I'm looking for - a bit more oomph, no noise. Thanks for the good advice.

 

[Luke Duke]

Re: Replacing too-bright original pups

Everyone says Kinmans are THE noiseless pups, so like ryan said consider that. But Duncan has re-designed their stack design. Lew, and some other guys have tried them, so you might want to ask them about they sound, supposedly a huge leap forward. Also some folks are saying they are beating out the Kinmans. I didn't think the Classic stacks sounded that bad.

I haven't tried a duckbucker but they are supposed to be the most stratty sounding of the mini hums.

I personally have APS' and conductive paint. The noise is negligible, there are a lot of guys here who have done complete shielding jobs on their strats and used regular singles and got strats quieter than some LP's.

Luke

 

[strings attached]

Re: Replacing too-bright original pups

Everyone says Kinmans are THE noiseless pups, so like ryan said consider that. But Duncan has re-designed their stack design. Lew, and some other guys have tried them, so you might want to ask them about they sound, supposedly a huge leap forward. Also some folks are saying they are beating out the Kinmans. I didn't think the Classic stacks sounded that bad.

I haven't tried a duckbucker but they are supposed to be the most stratty sounding of the mini hums.

I personally have APS' and conductive paint. The noise is negligible, there are a lot of guys here who have done complete shielding jobs on their strats and used regular singles and got strats quieter than some LP's.

Luke

I like the duckbucker sound on the samples - and had read that vintage rails were essentially similar in sound, but don't have the pole-piece problems with string bending.

I think I'm starting to overthink this thing...

Thanks again.

 

[Luke Duke]

Re: Replacing too-bright original pups

Right on the vintage rails have good quack as well, it's just eh duckbuckers go an extra step with adjustable polepieces as well.

Luke