Single Coil Strat Pickup Recommendations

A

ant_riv

New member
Hello, all-

I am looking for a set of single coil pickups for a Fender hardtail strat. It has an alder SSS body and maple neck/fingerboard.

I like the single coil tones of Ritchie Blackmore and Robert Cray.

I realize that amp, effects, and other variables influence the tone a great deal. I typically use a Marshall 4001 (Studio 15 - 2x 6V6), or a Marshall 4104 (50w 2x12 el34).

Any recommendations of what pups to consider or avoid would be appreciated.

Thank you!
 
Re: Single Coil Strat Pickup Recommendations

for robert cray ssl1's or antiquity II surfers are the ticket

blackmore used stock fenders up thru the beginning of rainbow, later on he used hotter pups including the qp flat for strat.
 
Re: Single Coil Strat Pickup Recommendations

What you need for Blackmore is the right trouble booster, e.g. a BSM HS and a cleanish amp very loud.

Blackmore always used vintage class pickups. The large magnet ones you can see in some of his photos are Schecter F400s which have the magnets from QPs but a vintage wind. His smoother later sounds are from Lace Sensor Golds (again, not the overwound bridge thing).
 
Re: Single Coil Strat Pickup Recommendations

I have a set of SSL-1's in my hardtail strat, and they sound great! Though, mine has an ash body and rosewood neck.

ant_riv said:
I am looking for a set of single coil pickups for a Fender hardtail strat. It has an alder SSS body and maple neck/fingerboard.
Click to expand...
 
Re: Single Coil Strat Pickup Recommendations

Thanks for the recommendations guys!

A friend had also suggested I check out the SSL-1s, so I am going to. I've always favored lower output pups.

Everything I've read about the Antiquities has been good, so I was hoping to hear opinions from some of you.

$$ is a part of the concern, but I'm hoping to get it right the first time, if possible.

+1 on the Treble Booster. I actually have a Keeley Java Boost and an AnalogMan Beano Boost. The Java does RB/Brian May type punch very well. The Beano is more like Billy Gibbons. Both are great.

Stef, thanks for posting the link. If I didn't have the Keeley, I would be looking into getting one. FYI, I was able to get the Keeley used for $125USD.

From my original post, you can see my amps tend towards cleaner, less gainy, and I use more power tube crunch, than preamp tube distortion.

Thanks again guys!
Great info, and I really appreciate it.
 
Re: Single Coil Strat Pickup Recommendations

ssl-1's are not that low output (fender cs 69's are!) - I'd call ssl-1 medium hot - mine in the brigde is 6.7K and 6.6 in the neck. This is not a bad thing ... I cannot dime the marshall like they did in the old days, to get all the crunch and fullness of really low output strat pups
IMO they are a good compromise between vintage strat tones (hendrix, early RB..) when set a little farther from the strings, and 80's music styles (YJM, Norum, RB..) as close to the strings as possible for more punch, fullnes and gain (for a rich singing lead tone a la yjm)
Java boost is a good one - I like the middle boost options... i like this guy's tone
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WDIKuXGOTEk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jOkaIIZXkUk
 
Re: Single Coil Strat Pickup Recommendations

SSL's, Antiquity Surfers or even the Antiquity Texas hots. I have the Surfers & the Texas Hots. Love both.
 
Re: Single Coil Strat Pickup Recommendations

the ssl1 are pretty low output in the grand scheme of things. they arent the lowest output single coils out there, like you said cs 69 are lower as are others, but they are still along the lines of what fender put out in the early 60's. compared to the ssl5/6 custom, ssl3 hot, ssl4/7 qp, fralin sp43 and lots of others they are pretty low output.

they sound great though
 
Re: Single Coil Strat Pickup Recommendations

Thanks for the recommendations!

I am definitely interested in checking out the SSl-1s.

How much different are the Surfers from the Texas Hot?

I am leaning towards checking out the Surfers also, if the SSL-1s don't work out as I like a clearer, punchier tone. (Like RB's Machine Head-era tone. Highway Star, Lazy) Yngwie's lead tone is great also. Does that make sense?
 
Re: Single Coil Strat Pickup Recommendations

the closest pickups set to machinehead era (1971) is fender cs '69 (enamel wire, 5.6K, grey..)
for YJM tone you have 2 options: HS-3 or a SD fury set
I think surfers are too hot (overwound) for RB...
SSL-1's are the cheapest of all mentioned and you'll have 21 day trial period (same with fury)
 
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Re: Single Coil Strat Pickup Recommendations

I had a set of CS 69s in an Alder/Maple strat the bridge was Blackmore heaven. My set ohmed between 5.51 and 5.68 I remeber cause I'm a nerd.lol
 
Re: Single Coil Strat Pickup Recommendations

ant_riv said:
How much different are the Surfers from the Texas Hot?
Click to expand...

Very. The difference between Ant1 and Ant2 (Surfers) is much bigger than between SSL1 and APS1.

It's mostly guitar dependent, though. I generally like the Ant1 better than Surfer/SSL1/APS1 but I now have a Strat which likes the Surfer better to my ears.
 
Re: Single Coil Strat Pickup Recommendations

Thanks for the information!

I just hit "buy-it-now" for a set of SSL-1s on eBay.

The price was right, and if they don't work out, I'll try the Antiquity Surfers.

I'll let you guys know how they work out for me.

I really do appreciate you sharing your knowledge.

Thank you!
 
Re: Single Coil Strat Pickup Recommendations

I received the set of SSL-1s yesterday and put them in my hardtail strat!

Unfortunately, I didn't get the wiring finished until about 10:00 pm and so I couldn't test them at normal volume. I did test them softly. Everything works.

I hope to crank them tonight when I get home from work.

I do have a question, though.

I purchased them as a matched set, but the neck and bridge had the same label on the package, and when I tested them with my multimeter, they tested the same (7.68k). The wires were the same length also. Is this normal?

I eeney-meeney-miney-moed the two when I installed them. At the volume I was at, I was able to adjust them so they seem balanced, which is all I care about, but I did find it odd.
 
Re: Single Coil Strat Pickup Recommendations

thats the way old strat pups were. there was no hotter bridge pup. you got balance by adjusting the heights
 
Re: Single Coil Strat Pickup Recommendations

Didn't have a chance to crank it up yet, but thought you guys might like to see a picture of it completed. Thanks for all of the advice!

ShadowLakes039.jpg
 
Re: Single Coil Strat Pickup Recommendations

Well I think I'm done!

I was able to crank up my Marshall Studio 15 this morning and fine tune the pickup heights.

I am definitely loving the tone, so far. I've found that running the guitar volume control at about seven keeps the tone crunchy and fat (round). This works for leads also, and when I want a little more scream, I can push the volume.

My compulsiveness wants to try all of the other pups you guys recommended (Ant I, Surfers, Texas Hot, Kleins, etc.) but my bank account just laughs at that idea.

I really appreciate all of your advice.

Thank you!
 
Re: Single Coil Strat Pickup Recommendations

went through that whole game years ago !! I have 2 strats still & 6 pickguards with diffent sets in them. yah know what? I'm leaving my surfer 2's in one & texas hot's in the ash body. They just sound great & & I 'm gettin to old to keep lookin they sound great!! Cost me alot of money on 1st set but they installed also. 2nd set I saved $75 & did it myself. Don't worry over it !! I have one guard with 85 ceramics from a squire strat that are great!! rember it is all good !!!
 
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