Sleeper Sets

[BadAspen]

What's a good set of pickups that you don't see too many people using, not because of cost or availability, but because of lack of advertising or poor branding?

For Seymour Duncan - Screamin Demon neck, OG Diablo bridge. I've never tried one myself, but one of my guitar slinging coworkers is having a whale of a time with this pairing in his Charvel HH. He says the neck pickup (Screanin Demon) is just the right balance to where it's got subdued highs but isn’t dark and is thick but not boomy. He says the bridge is a perfect bridge between PAF and hot humbucker. I'll probably get a chance to play them this weekend on a Bluesbreaker.

For Dimarzio - Bluesbucker neck, Super Distortion bridge. These aren't rare pickups, but you never see them side by side and they both have a degree of misunderstanding around them. Tone snobs don't like that the Bluesbucker isn't a "true" P90 and harder genre fans see the specs and name and get turned off to it pretty quickly. The Super Distortion is kind of the same. People who do lower gain genres get spooked because they think it's an obnoxious over the top loud pickup that'll have no treble or dynamics. And people who do higher gain genres won't like it because it was invented in the 70s. In reality I really like this pairing anf think it can do just about any genre in my Les Paul. My main focuses are proto-metal and Nashville style old country, and this can do both well.

 

[Chistopher]

I feel the ideal "classic" Strat noiseless pickup set is an STK S4n/S4m/S7b combo. It's often overlooked because most people who want a more vintage sound don't want noiseless, and people who want noiseless don't want vintage.

 

[Securb]

The Fralin High Output/Pure PAF combo is insane. Any tone can be pulled out of that combo from metal to Jazz. No matter what style or how much dirt you through at the pickups they are very articulate. Put the partial split mod on the Pure PAF and you get a very usable single coil tone.

 

[soulforger]

Dimarzio Transitions are a good example of a "sleeper" set in my mind.

 

[beaubrummels]

59n in the bridge, Jazz neck - poor man's Jimmy Page set

 

[Masta' C]

Duncan: Alternative 8, any of the "Parallel Axis" models, the SH-2b Jazz "bridge" model (also works great in neck alongside a hotter bridge pickup), Screamin' Demon as a neck pickup

DiMarzio: Transition set, the Fantom P90 stuff, Liquifire as a bridge pickup, Fred as a neck pickup

 

[Seashore]

Invader neck. I see some folks with an aftermarket Invader bridge but I don't see the full set around. It's a nice mellow neck pickup, cleans up well, and if you like a predictable contrast in tone between neck and bridge (which I do) it's a good match.

 

[Artie]

I feel the ideal "classic" Strat noiseless pickup set is an STK S4n/S4m/S7b combo.

Yup. Although, I can never remember if I did the 6, 7 or 9 in my bridge. I need to pop it open and look. Going along with that, the Livewire Classic II set, which, unfortunately, they don't seem to make anymore. Noiseless, Stratty, and can drive any weird load they're plugged into, like an old-school wah, without loading them down.

I wonder if the Blackouts, with the pin set to the "moderate mode", takes their place.

As for humbuckers, The PATB-1 set, as Masta' C mentioned, and the good ole '59 or Jazz set. I always like to try the new stuff, but I keep going back to the basics.

 

[jeremy]

i love my blackouts singles set, though come to think of it, i still have that dc on the volume pot issue with the old spc. they are middier than a typical strat set. the output level (which i have on a switch) doesnt change the tone much, but its a noticeable output difference.

i really like the stks4 set, but i do like the stks7 in the bridge better than the stks4b, though its not as vintage sounding. the stks6 is great, but even further from a vintage sound.

 

[Chistopher]

Also throw the Dimarzio Breed set in there. I feel the name rubs people the wrong way.

 

[Ascension]

Duncan: Alternative 8, any of the "Parallel Axis" models, the SH-2b Jazz "bridge" model (also works great in neck alongside a hotter bridge pickup), Screamin' Demon as a neck pickup

DiMarzio: Transition set, the Fantom P90 stuff, Liquifire as a bridge pickup, Fred as a neck pickup

I'm a huge fan of the Alt 8. Have one in my KOA 93 Carvin DC 127 with a Sentient in the neck. It's super versatile the way I have it set up, and have covered anything from metal to Country with that guitar and that pickup set. I'm mostly an overwound PAF guy now but love that particular guitar with that pickup combo. Trick to running the Alt 8 is how you set your pickup height. A 8 will get wonky if you get it to close to the strings but find that sweet spot and an Alt 8 is pure magic.

 

[Ascension]

I love the Alt 8 Sentient combo. Here are 2 clips with that combo in my old solid KOA Carvin DC 127 at a little Christmas thing we did a few years ago. Running my Mesa Subway and teh amp is unmiced here.
Clean Country with both humbuckers split. Was an off the cuff throw together, but check out the clean country solo tone at around 2 minutes here. https://youtu.be/MmQ5lOI1Fs8?si=euGvBSpIP3TikZ7J
Same event full humbucker mode at gain https://youtu.be/hen1EGlQP0k?si=fx-mjKS1l8EmWlBy
Another set is the Saturday Night Specials one of my favorite sets.
Also am a big fan of the Kiesel Beryllium bridge paired with a Gamballi neck. Fantastic overwoulnd PAF set that covers a lot of ground. Have that set up in both of my Kiecel DC 600's with a 5 way.
They are 2 of my most played guitars.
the Dimarzio Gravity Storm set is also killer. Huge sounding warm open set but with a lot of clarity and som eunique overtones. Really cool set that seemingly doesn't get much love.