Single coil for mim strat bridge ?

[slate]

Hey y'all ,
I have a current model mim strat and i'd like some advice about a replacement bridge single coil .
The stock pickup is not actually too bad , apart from the very piercing top end which is awful .
Dont want a humbucker , just a warmer single coil .
Dont mind high or low output , as long as its warm .
Quarter pounder is no good for me , btw , as it has to have a white cover .
Any recommendations ? ( seymour duncan or other ?)
Thanks in advance
Slate

 

[jeremy]

Re: Single coil for mim strat bridge ?

the ssl3 hot model is a pretty warm single coil, big mids and a much softer than vintage high end. also has lots of output.

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: Single coil for mim strat bridge ?

The SD Five-Two will cure your shrieking plain strings whilst preserving the twang of the wound ones.

Correctly adjusted, the Twangbanger would beef things up nicely and offer a hint of Telecaster.

Money no object? Order a StratBro90.

EDIT - Another thing that might improve the sound of the MIM Stratocaster is a bridge saddle and sustain block upgrade.

 

[slate]

Re: Single coil for mim strat bridge ?

Thanks guys .
The ssl3 sounds appealing - also looking at the ssl5 .
I presume the 5 - although more top end than the 3 - would still be a good bit warmer than the stock mex pickup ?

 

[Simon_F]

Re: Single coil for mim strat bridge ?

I presume the 5 - although more top end than the 3 - would still be a good bit warmer than the stock mex pickup ?

Yes, the SSL-5 fattens things up nicely. Boosts the mids and the output but still retains the single coil vibe.

Does your Strat have a tone control on the bridge pickup? If not, you should wire it so it does - then you can also use that to tame the high end. You can either move the second tone control's wire from the middle pickup's switch lug to the bridge pickup's lug (leaving the middle pickup with no tone control), or put a jumper wire between the middle and bridge pickup lugs (so the second tone control operates on both the bridge and middle pickups).

 

[slate]

Re: Single coil for mim strat bridge ?

Thanks simon , good idea about the tone control .
I will definately do that when i decide on the replacement

 

[slate]

Re: Single coil for mim strat bridge ?

Simon ,
Do you mean the lugs on the switch ?
Im crap at wiring and cant work out which lugs to swap...
Tried a few , but no luck yet .

 

[Simon_F]

Re: Single coil for mim strat bridge ?

Yes.

Bear in mind I'm typing this at work with no Strat in front of me... Assuming yours is a traditionally wired Strat with tone controls for the neck and middle...

Look for a wire that runs from the first tone control (i.e. middle knob, next to the volume) to one of the switch lugs. That will be the lug for the neck pickup.

Then look for a wire that runs from the second tone control (i.e. bottom knob) to one of the switch lugs. That will be the lug for the middle pickup.

The next lug on the same side of the switch will be unconnected if there is no bridge tone control.

Once you find that you have two options:

1) Unsolder the wire from the middle pickup lug and solder it to the empty bridge pickup lug next to it. This will make the second tone control operate on the bridge pickup, leaving the middle pickup with no tone control.

OR

2) Leave the second tone control connected to the middle pickup lug, but add a short jumper wire from that lug to the empty bridge pickup lug next to it. This will make the second tone control operate on both the middle and bridge pickups.

Personally I prefer the first simpler option, because then I can roll the tone back on the bridge pickup without having it affect the neck/middle combination. Bear in mind that it will still work on the bridge/middle combination - it's only position 3 (middle pickup alone) that will have no tone control. In my experience, if you don't use the middle pickup alone or you don't mind not having a tone on the middle pickup this is the easiest and best way to go. Other folks' mileages may vary...

Hope this helps.

 

[slate]

Re: Single coil for mim strat bridge ?

Got it !
Thanks very much !

 

[jeremy]

Re: Single coil for mim strat bridge ?

are your mim single coils alnico magnet or are they ceramic? the ceramic ones have quite a bit of output

 

[LuredMaul]

Re: Single coil for mim strat bridge ?

Dimarzio Virtual Solo is pretty nice too.

 

[slate]

Re: Single coil for mim strat bridge ?

Thankyou simon and thanyou all for your help .
Put in an ssl5 , which i like .
Also ordered a pair of ssl1's for the middle and neck.
Rock on!

 

[ItsaBass]

Re: Single coil for mim strat bridge ?

IMO/IME, the pickup doesn't need replacement, and is actually my favorite sounding one on the whole guitar once it is dialed in. (The middle pickup is the weakest link IMO.) You can just go under the pick guard and make a few changes:

1. Put in quality pots, just since you are in there. Might as well.
2. Wire the guitar so the bridge pickup has a tone control.
3. Go to a smaller value cap. I'd quarter or halve the stock value. This not only prevents so many mids from being removed when you turn down the tone knob, but it makes your tone pots less sensitive to slight movements, making it easier to "nail" a setting without "losing" it. You know when you are turning the tuner searching for a radio station, and you keep landing to the left of it or to the right of it because the control is too coarse? IME, the same happens with guitar pots that have the stock caps. Going to the lower value cap effectively turns your coarse adjustment pot into a fine adjustment pot, making it easier to pick out the exact setting you want on the tone control.

For number 2, there are five main ways to do it:

A. Sacrifice tone control for either the middle or the neck in order to give it to the bridge.
B. The bridge pickup shares a tone control with the middle pickup.
C. Wire all three pickups through a master tone control, and leave a dummy pot there (or wire the extra pot to be a separate volume control for one or two of the pickups).
D. Sacrifice the volume control in order to have a tone control for each pickup.
E. Replace one of your pots with a stacked pot, so you have four pots in three holes. This gives you a master volume and a tone for each pickup individually.

 

[Strat111]

Re: Single coil for mim strat bridge ?

Great combination w/SSL-1s in neck & middle w/SSL-5 in the bridge. Are you getting one SSL-1 w/RWRP for the middle to have it hum cancelling in positions 2 & 4?

 

[slate]

Re: Single coil for mim strat bridge ?

Great combination w/SSL-1s in neck & middle w/SSL-5 in the bridge. Are you getting one SSL-1 w/RWRP for the middle to have it hum cancelling in positions 2 & 4?

Yes , ordered the rw/rp for the middle .

 

[lazyfinger]

Re: Single coil for mim strat bridge ?

SSL-5/6 is the bees knees. I just put it yesterday on the bridge position, so haven't really played it. But I can feel it, this might be the one...