SRV Tone(Ssl pickups and heavy strings)

[garbeja7]

Well, I have Ssl1 in neck and a RWRP one in mid position of my strat, and one Ssl5 is on the way for a beefier bridge.
2 questions:
1. What are your thoughts on this set for the tone I'm after?
2. Currently I play 10-46 on standard and detune to Eb for my" playing with SRV backing tracks" mood. Lately I've been getting the chops quite better, but I want to try 11-48. Do you think is worth it for the tone, will I be able to maintain my chops with the normal time requires to jump up a gauge?

 

[AlexR]

Re: SRV Tone(Ssl pickups and heavy strings)

SRV's tone is not really one thing - not pickups, not strings, not even amp. Its the playing style and attitude. You need to choose your strings based on what allows you to play the licks you want to the best.

That said, the ssl's seem a little thicker tonally than what typical vintage strats have. This is probably ok as you won't have to work as hard to get the fatness.

For mine, I'd ditch the RW/RP middle - it never sounds as nice as with it not that way......a bit more sterile. And there are a few songs there which are posi 4 like Lenny which you want it for. Plus the other positions have hum, so its not like you're avoiding it in the first place

 

[beaubrummels]

Re: SRV Tone(Ssl pickups and heavy strings)

Vintage strats only have a 3-way switch, but with the right pickups you can get the twang without a position 2 or 4. I'm using a mix of original '66, '68 and Antiquities. Mine has two middle pickups, the 'hotter' one is in the bridge. Can do Lenny and anything just fine, just move your picking position up toward the neck.

 

[zionstrat]

Re: SRV Tone(Ssl pickups and heavy strings)

In my opinion, gague is about 1/3 of the srv sound. Started with 11s at standard and have moved up to 12s over the years.

Takes time to build strength for bending.

Only recently have added a few light string guitars and amazed at the difference. Light strings are more jangely, bright, double string bends etc...

Heavy strings have far more body, drive more, less high end.

Far prefer bends on heavies for tone and lights for pull offs and tapping.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G920A using Tapatalk

 

[hamerfan]

Re: SRV Tone(Ssl pickups and heavy strings)

Try a set of Texas Special or other overwounds (6.5k - 7k 42 awg plain enamel with A5s) gives a instant SRV tone.

 

[Mincer]

Re: SRV Tone(Ssl pickups and heavy strings)

And listen to a lot of Albert King, whom he liberally stole from. I find it hard to listen to SRV these days, as I hear licks from Albert all over him. I'd rather go to the source (although Albert's tone is way different, and IMO, a lot better).

 

[zionstrat]

Re: SRV Tone(Ssl pickups and heavy strings)

And listen to a lot of Albert King, whom he liberally stole from. I find it hard to listen to SRV these days, as I hear licks from Albert all over him. I'd rather go to the source (although Albert's tone is way different, and IMO, a lot better).

Albert's major 7 arpeggio always killed me... perfect jazz ornimentation for almost any blues.

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[jeremy]

Re: SRV Tone(Ssl pickups and heavy strings)

i love albert and stevie was very open about stealing tons of his licks but i think srv had better tone much of the time. to get close to srv's tone is fairly simple. good strat tuned to Eb strung with heavier strings, vintage style alnico 5 strat pups, into big clean amp with a good tube screamer. if you have ssl1's, 11-48 strings tuned down 1/2 step, a super reverb and a tube screamer you should be able to get damn close to srv IF you have the chops. thats a big if

 

[PFDarkside]

Re: SRV Tone(Ssl pickups and heavy strings)

SSL-1/SSL-1/SSL-5 is a great combo. Lots of familiar Strat sounds in that set.

Tuned down, you can definitely get away with heavier strings if you want. The good thing is that you can get a set of 11-49 for $5 to see if you like them. (I like 11-52 for even bigger bass strings) Of course, you'll need to adjust intonation and bridge float, maybe neck relief and action as well. Those are good things to learn how to do yourself if you don't know yet.

As Jeremy mentions, SRV is mostly technique. It's not the big strings, it's hitting the strings so hard that 9s and sometimes 10s just flub out. Your new set into a TS into a Fender style amp turned up will sound great.

 

[chadd]

Re: SRV Tone(Ssl pickups and heavy strings)

So many little things that went into his sound. I've always found the 5751 in V1 and 15" speaker were as important as the big strings, but the aggressiveness of the player is what really makes the biggest difference. Without that, everything else will still leave you short.

 

[jeremy]

Re: SRV Tone(Ssl pickups and heavy strings)

i dont think the 15" or the 5751 is all that key, the goal is big, tight and clean from the amp. the 5751 helps the clean part, the 15 helps the big part but there are plenty of other ways to get there depending on your rig. did srv use 15's with his dumbles?

 

[Hank-]

Re: SRV Tone(Ssl pickups and heavy strings)

Also don't forget to get a long coily instrument(or high capacitance) cable. That along with the other parts mentioned should help you get in the zone of SRV.

 

[chadd]

Re: SRV Tone(Ssl pickups and heavy strings)

i dont think the 15" or the 5751 is all that key, the goal is big, tight and clean from the amp. the 5751 helps the clean part, the 15 helps the big part but there are plenty of other ways to get there depending on your rig. did srv use 15's with his dumbles?

No idea what he used on a day to day basis, but those a big part of all the studio recordings.

You can get 60% of the way there with just about any setup if you know what you're doing. For some people, they think that's nailing it.

 

[Ayrton]

Re: SRV Tone(Ssl pickups and heavy strings)