SSL-4 vs SSL-5?

[xfabianromerox]

Hello everyone! I'm a long time reader, first time poster! I've been using Duncan's since high school, and am now in college.

I was dabbling with my Strat during the weekend and did a split tone knob and accidentally ripped pickup winding on my Texas Special middle.

I liked how it have me a garage rock tone (Think Black Keys, early King of Leon, Strokes) but still sounded clean with the volume rolled back and crunch with slight distortion (think Can't stop by Red Hot Chili Peppers)

I was thinking about either getting another Texas Special, an SSL-4, or an SSL-5. I have an SSL-1 for the neck position for sweet and clean tones, and I have a Gibson 57 Classic + for distortion and darker clean tones in the bridge. I want something in between. Not so hot that it'll overpower the 57 + but not super sweet and clean like the SSL-1. Something that'll sound nice clean, but has some beef.

Also, will a single coil with higher output sound thicker than a humbucker with less? Thanks !

 

[jeremy]

Re: SSL-4 vs SSL-5?

welcome to the forum!

of those two i would choose the ssl5. the qp is a fat, dark, high output single coil with some gritty character. it can be a great bridge pup but i dont care for it in any other position. the ssl5 is more balanced. its louder, warmer on the top and thicker on the bottom than the ssl1 you have in the neck but not as bassy or loud as the qp. it is a good middle of the road pup between the vintage strat ssl1 and the hot paf 57+.

 

[thanaton]

Re: SSL-4 vs SSL-5?

Hello everyone! I'm a long time reader, first time poster! I've been using Duncan's since high school, and am now in college.

I was dabbling with my Strat during the weekend and did a split tone knob and accidentally ripped pickup winding on my Texas Special middle.

I liked how it have me a garage rock tone (Think Black Keys, early King of Leon, Strokes) but still sounded clean with the volume rolled back and crunch with slight distortion (think Can't stop by Red Hot Chili Peppers)

I was thinking about either getting another Texas Special, an SSL-4, or an SSL-5. I have an SSL-1 for the neck position for sweet and clean tones, and I have a Gibson 57 Classic + for distortion and darker clean tones in the bridge. I want something in between. Not so hot that it'll overpower the 57 + but not super sweet and clean like the SSL-1. Something that'll sound nice clean, but has some beef.

Also, will a single coil with higher output sound thicker than a humbucker with less? Thanks !

The SSL-4 and SSL-5 are mostly intended to be bridge pickups. They're both very hot single coils, way beyond Texas Specials. Another Texas Special might be your best bet. Seymour Duncan doesn't really have any true single coils in between "vintage" and "hot" output. The Texas Hots qualify, but with the AlNiCo 2 poles, I suspect it will sound lackluster beside the SSL-1 with the AlNiCo 5 in the neck.

 

[jeremy]

Re: SSL-4 vs SSL-5?

the texas hots are similar to the surfers just with different magnets, both are very vintage sounding. the custom bridge texas hot or surfer is a vintage hot option but isnt as strong as youd think with 9.6k reading. i do agree that duncan doesnt have much (the twangbanger is another example) between vintage and hot. it would be nice to have a vintage hot option. either an over wound ssl1 around 7.5k or a underwound ssl5 around 11.5k.

 

[thanaton]

Re: SSL-4 vs SSL-5?

The Texas Hots have the same DC resistance as the Surfers, but the AlNiCo 2 poles cause a higher inductance, so they are a bit darker like Texas Specials, but the weaker magnetic pull of the AlNiCo 2 gives them a softer attack than what you'd get from SSL-1's or Texas Specials.

 

[jeremy]

Re: SSL-4 vs SSL-5?

the texas hots do have a softer attack than the ssl1 or texas specials and are a bit darker but they are similar in output and sound vintage albeit not classic fender

 

[xfabianromerox]

Re: SSL-4 vs SSL-5?

Hmm, I don't really want something dull. Something chimy but with some beef. The Texas specials delivered for the most part, just wish they had a little more beef and a little less chime. it's just that my tone knob was to the bridge and limited the versatility.

 

[jeremy]

Re: SSL-4 vs SSL-5?

if you want more beef and less chime than the texas special then the ssl5 is probably a fine choice

 

[thanaton]

Re: SSL-4 vs SSL-5?

I haven't tried the Twang Banger yet, though I do have the SSL-4 and SSL-5, and based on the specs and past experience, I'd sooner take a chance with the Twang Bangers. The SSL-5's being wound to 13k, that's quite a lot, even with 43 AWG, and you really hear it.

 

[xfabianromerox]

Re: SSL-4 vs SSL-5?

I'm leaning towards the SSL-5, any other suggestions? There really aren't too many videos of guys with SSL-5s that aren't either doing a Gilmore jam or a metal jam.

 

[thanaton]

Re: SSL-4 vs SSL-5?

That's because the idea of using SSL-5's for cleans is almost unheard of, and most who purchase them are likely Gilmour fans. The SSL-5 was supposedly wound specially for David Gilmour as a bridge pickup, originally called the SSL-1C or some such.

 

[Chickenwings]

Re: SSL-4 vs SSL-5?

ive got ssl1s in the neck and the middle with an ssl5 in the bridge. Works great. Vintage tones all the way but with a bit more beef in the bridge when you need it. I like to have the bridge pup wired to the tone pot too, so it is not too present. I think you'll like it. Sometimes i think about going back to an ssl1 in the bridge for a more shadows kind of vibe, but they are both great sounds.

 

[xfabianromerox]

Re: SSL-4 vs SSL-5?

I ended up buying a RWRP SSL-5. It's coming Saturday, so I'll give you guys an update as to how it sounds in the middle and how it compares to the SSL-1 and 57 Classic +. I got it for $60 with faster shipping, so I saved myself $20ish bucks those darn RWRP pickups are expensive! Thank you all for your help!

 

[VinceT]

Re: SSL-4 vs SSL-5?

Hmm, I don't really want something dull. Something chimy but with some beef. The Texas specials delivered for the most part, just wish they had a little more beef and a little less chime. it's just that my tone knob was to the bridge and limited the versatility.

I recently swapped out my Texas Specials in my Strat for the new TVJones Starwood set. They are amazing, and actually made me fall back in love with my Strat. Tonally, they're just as you describe above compared to the Texas Specials.


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[xfabianromerox]

Re: SSL-4 vs SSL-5?

So after a day of playing around with it, I have to say that SSL-5 is bit hotter and beefer than I expected. It super sensitive to gain and volume; I have to dial the tone down as a push the amp more.

When compared to the SSL-1, it's not as bright, and has chunkier mids. The low ends sound much nicer on the SSL-1 IMO. It does sound great when its clean, but the tone has to be ALL the way up. With gain, the tone has to be brought down as the gain and volume increase. Overall, very good companion to the SSL-1

When compared to 57 Classic +, it's still not as bright. Then again, 57 + is a bright pickup, which is why it stood out when I was playing around with Les Pauls (not usually of fan of their pickups played with mild gain). SSL-5 has better mids, but again, the lows sound much better with 57 +. When the tone is evened out, the 57 is still without a doubt a chunky humbucker, and the SSL-5 a nice thickish single coil. With gain, the SSL-5 once again has to have its town lowered, but 57 has to be lowered even more (which sucks since I've wired them to share a tone knob). The SSL-5 sounds great once driven. It does wonders when playing garage rock and things that require dirty sounds but not humbucker dirty, like some Red Hot Chili Pepper stuff. As for the 57, well, it's a dirty Gibson humbucker. 'Nough said. Overall, great companions.

If anyone has questions, feel free to ask

 

[Mincer]

Re: SSL-4 vs SSL-5?

So, do you like the SSL-5?