SSL-5 vs Texas Special for strat bridge

[mariosyjp]

hello everyone

this is my first thread because i haven't found this comparison in any forum!
i have a classic 60s mim strat. the stock pickups are fine but they're only fine if you know what i mean. the guitar is great after i set it up and i'm pretty impressed with it for it's price!
anyway i plan on swapping the pickups gradualy. the bridge will be the first to go. i need something stronger so that the volume doesn't drop and a bit warmer. i don't want something super hot like the ssl-4 i still want it to sound vintage. i know that's exactly the definition of the ssl-5 but i dig gallagher's tone as well as gilmour's. some say that texas special is gallagher.
is the texas special hotter than the ssl-5? which one has more highs? which is more vintage?

ps: would it be accurate to say that the fs-1 is bassier and the texas special middier?

thanks!

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: SSL-5 vs Texas Special for strat bridge

Gallagher enthusiasts would probably direct your attention to the Bareknuckle Pickups Irish Tour pickup set. I recommend the SD Twangbanger and two Five-Twos.

 

[mariosyjp]

Re: SSL-5 vs Texas Special for strat bridge

Gallagher enthusiasts would probably direct your attention to the Bareknuckle Pickups Irish Tour pickup set. I recommend the SD Twangbanger and two Five-Twos.

thanks for the reply! i'd rather not have my strat sound like a tele and i want an alnico 5 pickup not a mix of magnets or alnico 2

 

[DonP]

Re: SSL-5 vs Texas Special for strat bridge

I have Texas Specials but no SSL-5 to compare.

 

[bluesbend]

Re: SSL-5 vs Texas Special for strat bridge

The Texas Special has more mid's than the SSL-5.

 

[Chickenwings]

Re: SSL-5 vs Texas Special for strat bridge

Texas specials in the bridge sound great. Plenty of snarl. Not so keen on the neck pup tho

 

[mariosyjp]

Re: SSL-5 vs Texas Special for strat bridge

would you use either pickup with a tone control wired to it or would that make it too dark to sound stratty?

 

[stevie_bees]

Re: SSL-5 vs Texas Special for strat bridge

The Twangbanger won't make your Strat sound like a Tele, it adds a fullness to the tone, without being too hot.

 

[mariosyjp]

Re: SSL-5 vs Texas Special for strat bridge

The Texas Special has more mid's than the SSL-5.

this is very useful to compare the two...
what about the highs? i would expect the TS to have more highs than the SSL-5 because of the smaller resistance but what do you think?

thanks

 

[hamerfan]

Re: SSL-5 vs Texas Special for strat bridge

Not exactly but my set are two Texas Special in neck and mid, with a SSL-6 in the bridge. The SSL-6 has more volume and mids, very round highs (a like a humbucker) while the texas specials are clearer with a mighty bass. Not a bad combination.

 

[Thunder]

Re: SSL-5 vs Texas Special for strat bridge

Both good pups but think the SSL-5 is more Vintage. I have a 60's Player too and was also thinking about an SSL-5 in the bridge! It's like an SSL-1 with more oooomph!

 

[mariosyjp]

Re: SSL-5 vs Texas Special for strat bridge

Both good pups but think the SSL-5 is more Vintage. I have a 60's Player too and was also thinking about an SSL-5 in the bridge! It's like an SSL-1 with more oooomph!

i tried the dimarzio fs-1 which should be similar to the ssl-5 and wasn't very pleased with the result. the ssl-5 has about 12 resistance vs 6 of the vintage singles. that doesn't look like a little overwound that looks like double-wound! i want something a bit stronger than vintage for the bridge

 

[mariosyjp]

Re: SSL-5 vs Texas Special for strat bridge

Not exactly but my set are two Texas Special in neck and mid, with a SSL-6 in the bridge. The SSL-6 has more volume and mids, very round highs (a like a humbucker) while the texas specials are clearer with a mighty bass. Not a bad combination.

that's exactly what i didn't like about the fs-1 in the bridge: "humbucker highs"! i like vintage pickups for the neck and middle and in the bridge i want the same only a little hotter

 

[hamerfan]

Re: SSL-5 vs Texas Special for strat bridge

i tried the dimarzio fs-1 which should be similar to the ssl-5 and wasn't very pleased with the result. the ssl-5 has about 12 resistance vs 6 of the vintage singles. that doesn't look like a little overwound that looks like double-wound! i want something a bit stronger than vintage for the bridge

You cant compare its a different wire. The SSL-6 (non staggered version of the SSL-5) comes with 43 AWG wire. So 13k Resistance with 43 wire is about 11,000 winds of wire around the bobbin, if you use 42 AWG you get for 11,000 winds a resistance of 11k. For a vintage single you need about 7000 winds with 42 awg. Its not double wound, but 50% more.

 

[hamerfan]

Re: SSL-5 vs Texas Special for strat bridge

that's exactly what i didn't like about the fs-1 in the bridge: "humbucker highs"! i like vintage pickups for the neck and middle and in the bridge i want the same only a little hotter

If its so, look into the Antiquity Texas Custom bridge. A damn fine pup with 9k of 42 wire.

 

[jeremy]

Re: SSL-5 vs Texas Special for strat bridge

You cant compare its a different wire. The SSL-6 (non staggered version of the SSL-5) comes with 43 AWG wire. So 13k Resistance with 43 wire is about 11,000 winds of wire around the bobbin, if you use 42 AWG you get for 11,000 winds a resistance of 11k. For a vintage single you need about 7000 winds with 42 awg. Its not double wound, but 50% more.

not sure where you got your numbers, but that is not my experience with pups.

for strat pups id say from 1200 to 1350 turns of #42 will give you 1k of resistance, it will vary depending on the wire hence the range. so 8500 turns might give you 6.6k.

for #43 its more like 1000 turns per 1k

 

[bungalowbill]

Re: SSL-5 vs Texas Special for strat bridge

I use the ssl-5 in the bridge of one Strat and the ssl-6 in the bridge of another.....they are both more beefy than a texas specia, which in my experience was kind of icepicky in the highend.

 

[Thunder]

Re: SSL-5 vs Texas Special for strat bridge

i tried the dimarzio fs-1 which should be similar to the ssl-5 and wasn't very pleased with the result. the ssl-5 has about 12 resistance vs 6 of the vintage singles. that doesn't look like a little overwound that looks like double-wound! i want something a bit stronger than vintage for the bridge

I would listen to some good sound clips here and on YouTube. Trust your ears!

 

[mariosyjp]

Re: SSL-5 vs Texas Special for strat bridge

thanks everybody for the input that was very helpful. i am currently looking at these three:
antiquity surfer (or texas) custom
irish tour
texas special

 

[Push to Shuv]

Re: SSL-5 vs Texas Special for strat bridge

As far as the CS69's in the neck and middle go, they are absolutely awesome. I had a Black Strat replica with CS69's and the neck and middle were ear-gasmic. Excellent Gilmour tones and just plain wonderful Strat tones. I didn't care much for the bridge and intended to swap it for an SSL-5 but had to sell the guitar before I ever got the chance to.