SSL-1 in an alder HSH guitar

[Animal]

I have a Vintage Rails pickup in the middle position of my guitar and I find it to be a bit flat and lifeless. It also doesn't seem right to have a mini-humbucking pickup in the middle of my guitar when I have two humbuckers in the bridge (SH6) and neck (PAF pro) positions to handle all of the gainy applications already.

The mini humbucking concept seems like a good idea in guitars that want to simulate humbucking crunch in a single coil size space, but I feel that for clean single coil tones the SRV-1 doesn't cut the mustard.

What I'm after is a vintage strat tone that jangles, twangs, shimmers, chimes and has some sort of acoustic quality. Neither of all of the three pickups in my guitar can acheive this tone unless I crank the master on my amp while playing solely through the Vintage Rails pickup in the middle. Even then it only sounds partially what I am after.

So my question is that if I get a SSL-1 in the middle position of my guitar will it be able to capture the clean type of tone I'm after? Furthermore, how does the output of the SSL-1 compare to the Vintage Rails? And Finally would my humbucking pickups be too overpowering for an SSL-1 if I were to get a coil tap and use position 2 & 4?

I have a Jackson PS-4 with a Floyd Rose tremelo, alder body, rosewood fingerboard, and a maple neck.

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: SSL-1 in an alder HSH guitar

What I'm after is a vintage strat tone that jangles, twangs, shimmers, chimes and has some sort of acoustic quality. Neither of all of the three pickups in my guitar can acheive this tone unless I crank the master on my amp while playing solely through the Vintage Rails pickup in the middle. Even then it only sounds partially what I am after.

So my question is that if I get a SSL-1 in the middle position of my guitar will it be able to capture the clean type of tone I'm after? Furthermore, how does the output of the SSL-1 compare to the Vintage Rails? And Finally would my humbucking pickups be too overpowering for an SSL-1 if I were to get a coil tap and use position 2 & 4?

Yes and No. Most Strat players use the neck pickup or bridge pickup by itself...or the middle pickup combined with the neck or bridge pickup but don't love the tone of a middle position Strat pickup by itself. The SSL-1 is a wonderful vintage type Strat pickup but you're not going to get the classic Strat tone from it if you only have it as amiddle pickup. The other thing is this: the SSL-1 is a much lower output pickup than a full sized humbucker and it will be so much lower in volume compared to your humbuckers that if you set your amp up to sound great with the humbuckers, when you switch to the SSL-1 it'll sound very low in volume. IMO, if you split your humbuckers into single coils and then combine either with the middle SSL-1, then you will have a usable tone. Lew

 

[Artie]

Re: SSL-1 in an alder HSH guitar

I can add just a bit to what Lew said - I had an SSL-1 in the middle position of my Strat before replacing it with a Vintage Rails. (Other pups came and went in there too.) The VR is definitely a hotter output than the SSL-1. I'm surprised that you find the VR "flat and lifeless". Just goes to show the difference a setup makes. (I mean amps and peripherals.)

If you're not thrilled with the VR, perhaps an SSL-6 might work. I liked it in the middle equally as much as the VR, and I'm trying to decide which will be the "keeper". Although, I'm pretty sure it will be the VR - which I use almost exclusively in conjunction with either the neck or bridge Cool Rails . . . or both.

 

[Animal]

Re: SSL-1 in an alder HSH guitar

I can add just a bit to what Lew said - I had an SSL-1 in the middle position of my Strat before replacing it with a Vintage Rails. (Other pups came and went in there too.) The VR is definitely a hotter output than the SSL-1. I'm surprised that you find the VR "flat and lifeless". Just goes to show the difference a setup makes. (I mean amps and peripherals.)

If you're not thrilled with the VR, perhaps an SSL-6 might work. I liked it in the middle equally as much as the VR, and I'm trying to decide which will be the "keeper". Although, I'm pretty sure it will be the VR - which I use almost exclusively in conjunction with either the neck or bridge Cool Rails . . . or both.

Well the VR is okay. But I get the feeling the tone I'm after lies within true single coils. It's low output really bugs me. I'm sick of having to crank my amp everytime I want to get a punchy tone from it. Should I try and adjust the pickup height?

I'm afraid that if I get something that's higher output like the hotrails that I won't be able to get a more vintage sound. Is something like a Lil' 59 worth considering?

I guess coil tapping my SH6 and PAF pro is probably the best answer but I'm still curious about the tones I could acheive by having a true single coil in the middle.

 

[RockStarNick]

Re: SSL-1 in an alder HSH guitar

I'm gonna go ahead and say that for the first time ever, I'm actually using the Strat middle pickup alone by itself and getting some RAD tones. In fact, the sound of that SSL1 Vintage Staggered pickup alone is going to make it onto more than one tracks on the new CD I'm recording...

Maybe because lots of people DONT use it, but its got this rich, but jangly and sustaining sound that just rocks.

I have my middle pickup wired with no tone pot, and it adds some extra jangle to it...sounds great clean and with some drive.

After trying the SSL1s, I've decided that they sound what a single coil is SUPPOSED to sound like. There are more modern variations, but the SSL1 does it for me.

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: SSL-1 in an alder HSH guitar

After trying the SSL1s, I've decided that they sound what a single coil is SUPPOSED to sound like. There are more modern variations, but the SSL1 does it for me.

Total 100% agreement. The SSL-1's sound very similar to the original pickups in my '63 Strat, and if that's not "what a single coil is SUPPOSED to sound like" I don't know what does! :laugh2: The SSL-1 and the Antiquity Surfer are my two favorite Duncan Strat pickups and they are very similar. Lew

 

[stevie_bees]

Re: SSL-1 in an alder HSH guitar

You've already had advice from the finest tone experts on the forum regarding this question. I have SSL-1's fitted to my guitar and as Lew says they are the finest. I know that the Antiquities are up there, but considering the price, I think your best option is the SSL-1's.