SSL-1 vs. alnico 2 for strat

[jalguitarman]

i have decided some time soon to change all of my pickups in my strat. decided on an sh-11 custom custom humbucker for the bridge, but would like to know you preference for the middle and neck positions between these two single coils and why would you chose it over the other not thinking about my choice of bridge humbucker. Thanks guys!!!!! :smack:

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: SSL-1 vs. alnico 2 for strat

Let me start by saying tha both are grat pickups and I think you will be happy either way. The SSL-1's are more of a vintage Strat...nice and chimey, lots of sparkling goodness to be found in them, the APS-1's are really pretty similar but they have a tad less treble and a tad more mids...they are a great "rock" single coil for the guy that still wants to keep a Strat tone.

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: SSL-1 vs. alnico 2 for strat

oops...I forgot, you want an opinion...I LIKE THEM BOTH! :smack:

 

[Dangerine49]

Re: SSL-1 vs. alnico 2 for strat

I just put a couple of APS-1's (along with a Lil '59 bridge) in an ash Strat. Very, very nice.

 

[Dave]

Re: SSL-1 vs. alnico 2 for strat

SSL-1. Although I liked the APS-2, I wanted a bit more highs to cut through and as said before, the SSL-1's will give you more treble and you just can't beat a vintage strat sound in neck and neck/mid position.

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: SSL-1 vs. alnico 2 for strat

Let me start by saying tha both are grat pickups and I think you will be happy either way. The SSL-1's are more of a vintage Strat...nice and chimey, lots of sparkling goodness to be found in them, the APS-1's are really pretty similar but they have a tad less treble and a tad more mids...they are a great "rock" single coil for the guy that still wants to keep a Strat tone.

I'm an alnico 5 guy all the way when it comes to the neck and middle pickups in a Strat. More bass, more treble...classic chimey, bubbley, glassy SRV, Hendrix and Mark Knopfler tone, especially for chords and R&B style two and three note fills and slurs.

I like alnico 2 pickups like the Ant Texas Hots and APS-1 and 2, but it's not the tone I hear in my head. It's thicker, smoother, chunkier...less glass to the treble, a little less bass and more mids than alnico 5. Better in some ways for soloing and often easier on the ears, but not quite that tone I hear from alnico 5 on tunes like Little Wing, Lenny, Castles Made of Sand, etc.

However, for the bridge pickup on a Strat two of mine have an alnico 2 pickup and I like the A2 Twangbanger, A2 Antiquity Texas Hot Custom bridge pickup and the A2 Duncan Custom Shop Tapped Tele Hot. I also like the Fralin Steel Pole 43 which is a ceramic single coil with a tone similar to a P90.

My only Strat with an alnico 5 bridge pickup is my '63 Strat with the 41 year old original pickups.

 

[Vasshu the humanoid typhoon]

Re: SSL-1 vs. alnico 2 for strat

I usually like the SSL-1's on rosewood necks and the APS-1's on maplenecks, otherwise I agrre with Lew
And I have both and love them.

 

[Curly]

Re: SSL-1 vs. alnico 2 for strat

the question implies to me that you're going for a vintage vibe, which would make me say the SSLs
my own preference is a modern radius neck guitar with APS-2s - not so much vintage, but fatter, smoother, more mellow

I use both, though

 

[jalguitarman]

Re: SSL-1 vs. alnico 2 for strat

the question implies to me that you're going for a vintage vibe, which would make me say the SSLs
my own preference is a modern radius neck guitar with APS-2s - not so much vintage, but fatter, smoother, more mellow

I use both, though

Yeah I am preaty much going for a vintage vibe. I play a few different styles and have the luxury of having different guitars for different sounds. This particular guitar I am trying to adapt for a couple of different styles. I love Eric johnsons tone but am not trying to cop his sound too closely. I am very torn between the two pick ups because they look like they both have very desirable characteristics. I will be using the neck and middle single coils for clean arppegiated chords and for clean and distorted blusey tones. The bridge pick up obviously is for serious shreddin!!! I was thinking the warmer alnico pro 2 would sound more violin like distorted which johnsons is kind of like that, but at the same time I think of the sparkly clean tons i could have with the ssl-1. I know that the stock tex/mex single coils are ok but i think I could do better. BTW my strat is ash body maple neck. thank you to those who have responded and voted!!!!

 

[Artie]

Re: SSL-1 vs. alnico 2 for strat

You raise an interesting question . . . has anyone used a combo of both? An SSL-1 in one position, A2 Pro in the other?

 

[kmcguitars]

Re: SSL-1 vs. alnico 2 for strat

You raise an interesting question . . . has anyone used a combo of both? An SSL-1 in one position, A2 Pro in the other?

YES ! I love the A2 Pro in the neck and SSL-1 middle In all my Strats.
The bridge is the only wild card for me. twangbanger or Lil' 59er or X

 

[Dave]

Re: SSL-1 vs. alnico 2 for strat

YES ! I love the A2 Pro in the neck and SSL-1 middle In all my Strats.
The bridge is the only wild card for me. twangbanger or Lil' 59er or X

I think I remember John (stratdeluxer) using that setup, or was it SSL-n and APS-Mid? :smack:

 

[jalguitarman]

Re: SSL-1 vs. alnico 2 for strat

You raise an interesting question . . . has anyone used a combo of both? An SSL-1 in one position, A2 Pro in the other?

This could be a very cool combonation for me. I used a 5/2 single coil in a guitar I used to have so i know that the sonics of the two magnet types do work together well. If i was going to do that, the SSL-1 would definatly be in the middle position. I will definatly have to think about this.!!!!!! :cool3:

 

[dani]

Re: SSL-1 vs. alnico 2 for strat

YES ! I love the A2 Pro in the neck and SSL-1 middle In all my Strats.

+1.

i will put the ssl-1 in the middle and the aps-1 in the neck. in theory, it will chime alot more in the notched positions with the cc and aps-1. the aps-1 in the neck sounds killer. nice round, creamy singlecoil lead tone.

 

[Curly]

Re: SSL-1 vs. alnico 2 for strat

my local tech's favorite combo is APS neck/ SSL/ SSL-3

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: SSL-1 vs. alnico 2 for strat

Some guys just can't get used to or comfortable with the bright glassy deep tone of alnico 5 SSL-1 or Antiquity Surfer...even though alnico 5 is the tone of Hendrix, SRV, Buddy Holly, D*ck Dale, David Gilmour, Buddy Guy and countless other Strat players who played vintage 50's and 60's Strats.

I just put a set of Antiquity Surfers (very similar to the SSL-1's) in a guy's Fender SRV Strat and he can't get into them at all...although he loves SRV's and Hendrix's tones! :smack:

So for those guys I think alnico 2 is the ticket and they should be playing Strats with alnico 2 Antiquity Texas Hots or APS-1 or APS-2 pickups. The mids are thicker and the highs are less bright and glassy.

You need to have a tone you're comfortable with...whether it's vintage accurate or not is not really important if you're not comfortable with the bright spanky tone of vintage Strat pickups then you should go for alnico 2 APS or Ant Texas Hots.

Lew

 

[jalguitarman]

Re: SSL-1 vs. alnico 2 for strat

Wow!!!! i am amazed this thread is still current. In all actuality i have decided to go with two class of55s in the neck and middle, simply because i am going to put a dimarzio humbucker in the bridge of my strat and and i think it would be best to go with the same brand all the way around. I really think that the ssl1 and the class of 55 are preaty comparable and i want to make my life a bit easier in the wiring. I decided on a dimarzio bucker because i just felt like the custom,custom may not be what i want, and i did not see any other duncan that i really wanted in my strat. Don't get me wrong i think sduncans are excellent pick ups but i did not really see my sound. A tech at dimarzio suggested an air zone so i have one ordered with two class of 55s. I decided i want the glassy sound of alnico 5 mags. If i don't like the air zone i am going to the opposite end of the spectrum and get a fred, well just have to see as i have never used a humbucker as fat as the air zone.

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: SSL-1 vs. alnico 2 for strat

I think I remember John (stratdeluxer) using that setup, or was it SSL-n and APS-Mid? :smack:

I don't use the SSL1s...I like the Surfers in the neck and middle,and lately I'm using APS2s in the neck and middle..I still prefer the Surfers and either a Twangbanger or the Texas Hot in the bridge.

 

[madguitar26]

Re: SSL-1 vs. alnico 2 for strat

im glad someone brought this thread up.
ive settled for my vintage rails in the neck (after height and tone adjustments) and was wondering if i swiched to the ssl1,would there be any major diferences...
the problerm is no matter how i put the tone on my strat plus(no tbx) down my classic 50 always gets chimmier at higher volumes...and i play LOUD.
the best single coil sounds ive heard in a strat came from a texas special and fat 50´s but just for the neck.
could the aps-1 be like a texas special only better(les mud)?:wave:

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: SSL-1 vs. alnico 2 for strat

im glad someone brought this thread up.
ive settled for my vintage rails in the neck (after height and tone adjustments) and was wondering if i swiched to the ssl1,would there be any major diferences...
the problerm is no matter how i put the tone on my strat plus(no tbx) down my classic 50 always gets chimmier at higher volumes...and i play LOUD.
the best single coil sounds ive heard in a strat came from a texas special and fat 50´s but just for the neck.
could the aps-1 be like a texas special only better(les mud)?:wave:

The Texas Specials are A5 pole and the APS pickups are A2....I never liked the TS pickups because I always feel like they're harsh in the highs and the mids are too peaky for my tastes..The APS 2s are a vintage sounding pickup and wind but with a sweeter/warmer tone and these pickups don't sound at all like the TS Fender pickups..

I Like using the APS 2s in a bright strat to warm it up a bit but they lack the vintage chime and clear bell like tones of the SSL series...If you wanted real nice vintage strat tones then go with the SSL 1 or 2s...

I use the Fat 50s and love em....These pickups are kind of a cross between Texas Specials and the SSL1s.....Not as harsh and not as much mids compared to the Texas Specials.