SSL-4 QP vs 5 vs 6 & RWRP? w/ 500k

[Gooch]

I have an HSS and I'm going to an HS. I play a strat with a C8 Humbucker and to Van Zandt Blues single coils. I wanna use my 500K and the Van Zandt's don't take the 500k that well and I never use all 5 tones. I really use the Humbucker and the Neck the most. So I'm goin to go down to a three way selector. Only thing I think I'll miss will be that sweet split sound clean on the 4 position between the neck and the middle. But I can live without it.

I play hard rock through modded Marshall like amps ala Splawn and two BFG modded amps.

I love Demartini's neck tone and he uses the SSL-4 QP. I know the 5 and 6 each can take the 500k well, like the 4, so I'm just curious what the tonal differences are between the three.

Also, do I want a RWRP in any of these pickups?

Thank you in advance for your replies. I'm going to purchase the pickup this week after getting your feedback. Cheers!

 

[Clint 55]

Re: SSL-4 QP vs 5 vs 6 & RWRP? w/ 500k

The Custom Strat sounds more like a Strat while the QP has some epic buzzy mids goin on. Another suggestion is the Phat Cat. It's the best single coil I've tried. Sounds fat and full but with bite. Takes mag swaps well. And sounds fantastic with distortion.

 

[Gooch]

Re: SSL-4 QP vs 5 vs 6 & RWRP? w/ 500k

The Custom Strat sounds more like a Strat while the QP has some epic buzzy mids goin on. Another suggestion is the Phat Cat. It's the best single coil I've tried. Sounds fat and full but with bite. Takes mag swaps well. And sounds fantastic with distortion.

Thanks, man. ...I presume that's the SSL-5 you're talking about? Are you saying the QP sounds not so good ...I only need one sc, because I'm going HS.

 

[Clint 55]

Re: SSL-4 QP vs 5 vs 6 & RWRP? w/ 500k

No prob. I like both. The SSL6 sounds traditionally stratty while the SSL4 has metallic mids going on that are really interesting.

 

[Mincer]

Re: SSL-4 QP vs 5 vs 6 & RWRP? w/ 500k

You might consider a Stack pickup, so you don't have to worry about any kind of buzzing or polarity issues.

 

[Gooch]

Re: SSL-4 QP vs 5 vs 6 & RWRP? w/ 500k

You might consider a Stack pickup, so you don't have to worry about any kind of buzzing or polarity issues.

Yup, I was looking at those too. So in an HS configuration, does the neck hum a lot?

Couldn't I just get the SSL-4 RWRP and put it in the neck o cancel hum, if there's even that much of it? If it works for Demartini!

Which stack would you recommend for my application: dirty blues to hard rock, modded marshall heads?

 

[Mincer]

Re: SSL-4 QP vs 5 vs 6 & RWRP? w/ 500k

Well, any single coil will hum. If you pair it with a humbucker, you just notice it more (well, at least, I do). As far as which stack to look at, I like the Hot Stack Strat here.

 

[Gooch]

Re: SSL-4 QP vs 5 vs 6 & RWRP? w/ 500k

Well, any single coil will hum. If you pair it with a humbucker, you just notice it more (well, at least, I do). As far as which stack to look at, I like the Hot Stack Strat here.

I'm not really too concerned about the neck qp hum unless it's known for being really bad, and I'm not reading on the forums that it is.

 

[Mincer]

Re: SSL-4 QP vs 5 vs 6 & RWRP? w/ 500k

No, it isn't bad. I just don't want you to think it is dead quiet.

 

[Jacew]

Re: SSL-4 QP vs 5 vs 6 & RWRP? w/ 500k

Yup, I was looking at those too. So in an HS configuration, does the neck hum a lot?

Couldn't I just get the SSL-4 RWRP and put it in the neck o cancel hum, if there's even that much of it? If it works for Demartini!

Which stack would you recommend for my application: dirty blues to hard rock, modded marshall heads?

I had SSL-7 (staggered version of SSL-4) in neck postition for a while. Didn't like it at all: Lots of loose bass, solid mids, but no highs at all, until lowered so far, guitar lost all it's character. Replaced it with Van Zandt Blues and sound brilliant (I had SSL-1 there for a while too, but I wanted something just slightly tighter).

If it's brighter sounding strat, it might work well though. Mine tends to get overly dark even with SSL-1.

For bridge position QP sounds awesome. Some mentioned epic mids, which I can fully concur. I might describe the sound to be somewhere between tele bridge and P90.

EDIT: I use 500k pots. VZ Blues neck sounds about perfect with those in that guitar...