SSL or APS...for blues...please advise

W

Westley

New member
Hello everyone. I'm new to this GREAT SD forum and I really need your help.

I'm an aspiriing blues player, looking to upgrade the stock pickups in my American Standard (alder body/maple fretboard) strat.

I'm looking for a pure 50's vintage tone, specifically pickups that sound great clean, and that are glassy, sweet, articullate and full. I'm not asking too much. LOL.

I've begun researching the SD website and am interested in the SSL and the APS series.

I have few questions if I may.

How would you describe the sonic differences between the SSL and the APS series?

What are the differences between the flat and the staggered versions?

Ultimately, which of the two pickups would you recommend?

Would you recommend that I select the RW/RP?

THANK YOU VERY MUCH!

Westley
 
Re: SSL or APS...for blues...please advise

Westley said:
Hello everyone. I'm new to this GREAT SD forum and I really need your help.

I'm an aspiriing blues player, looking to upgrade the stock pickups in my American Standard (alder body/maple fretboard) strat.

I'm looking for a pure 50's vintage tone, specifically pickups that sound great clean, and that are glassy, sweet, articullate and full. I'm not asking too much. LOL.

I've begun researching the SD website and am interested in the SSL and the APS series.

I have few questions if I may.

How would you describe the sonic differences between the SSL and the APS series?

What are the differences between the flat and the staggered versions?

Ultimately, which of the two pickups would you recommend?

Would you recommend that I select the RW/RP?

THANK YOU VERY MUCH!

Westley
Click to expand...


Ok...for pure 50's glasst Strat tones Surfers are the best choice, then if they Surfers are too much $$$ go with SSL-1's. As for the Staggered vs Flat, flater are "better" for flatter fretboard radus, but I still prefer staggered. I would get the RW/RP middle...it is a huge help! As for every thing do a searh on this forum, there is a thread in the vault about the ultimate Strat tone, it was started by Lewguitar and it served as my bible when I was deciding on Strats, pickup, etc!

Good luck
and welcome to the forum!
 
Re: SSL or APS...for blues...please advise

the guy who invented fire said:
Ok...for pure 50's glasst Strat tones Surfers are the best choice, then if they Surfers are too much $$$ go with SSL-1's. As for the Staggered vs Flat, flater are "better" for flatter fretboard radus, but I still prefer staggered. I would get the RW/RP middle...it is a huge help! As for every thing do a searh on this forum, there is a thread in the vault about the ultimate Strat tone, it was started by Lewguitar and it served as my bible when I was deciding on Strats, pickup, etc!
Click to expand...


I 100% agree with this advice .... I love the APS pickups but hey are warmer and not as glassy as the SSL-1's.
 
Re: SSL or APS...for blues...please advise

the big difference is magnet type.....SSL are A5 mag, APS are A2.........A5 has more bass and glassier highs.....A2 is less bass, and more mids, and more smoothness

overall, they are both really nice pickups and not THAT much different from eachother, i think you will be happy no matter what you end up choosing
 
Re: SSL or APS...for blues...please advise

For the tone you described, and if you're on a budget, I'd go with SSL-1's. Staggered pickups are chimier to my ears, and sound more "stratty". :)

If you want a slighty thicker sound for the bridge, but don't want to go with a higher output pickup, I'd suggest an APS-2 (flat) in the bridge.

Combine it with the SSL-1's in the neck and mid, and you'd have a mighty fine, traditional sounding strat with a friendlier bridge position sound. :burnout:
 
Re: SSL or APS...for blues...please advise

My advice probably isn't helpful and is simple: get whatever comes in SRV's '59 strats. Godly pickups.
 
Re: SSL or APS...for blues...please advise

Boleslaw Gers 666 said:
My advice probably isn't helpful and is simple: get whatever comes in SRV's '59 strats. Godly pickups.
Click to expand...


Actually, it was just a normal early 60's strat with normal, early 60's strat pickups.


The tone was all in the hands and heart. ;)
 
Re: SSL or APS...for blues...please advise

Thanks everyone.

How do the SSL's (staggered with RW/RP) compare with Fender's Custom Shop 54's and Dimarzio's Blues model and their Virtual 54's?

You guys are the best!

Sincerely,

Westley
 
Re: SSL or APS...for blues...please advise

One more thing to add: I hear the APS pickups, especially the APS-2 as having a thicker, chunkier tone with more mids compared to the SSL pickups.

As for flat vs raised/staggered: I think flat sounds more one dimensional and that staggered gives a little brighter tone with more "air" or "space" in the tone. Staggered sounds a little livlier to me.

Like Christian, I prefer staggered regardless of whether the neck has a flatter and modern radius or not.

The SSL-1's are super fine pickups. My buddy has them in his Jimmie Vaughn and whenever I've compared that guitar to my Strat with the Lindy Fralin Vintage Hots (the great alnico 5 Strat pickups that Mark Knopfler uses) I always feel that his guitar sounds just about equal to it.

The SSL-1's sound killer as neck and middle pickups, but I always use them with a hotter bridge pickup. I've paired them with a JB JR and also the Fralin Steel Pole 43 as the bridge pickup and I think the new Duncan Twangbanger would also be a great choice for a bridge pickup with the SSL-1's as the neck and middle pickups.

Lew
 
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Re: SSL or APS...for blues...please advise

Westley, I'm with everyone else. If you can afford the antiquities they will definitely make your strat sound more broke in.

As far as production stuff goes, I'd go with the SSL-1. I love my APS' but if you want all the glass they won't cut it. They won't have all of the glass on the top end and as bouncy of a bass tone. The mids the SSL-1 will be more scooped like the old 50's pup. I'd go with a calibrated set if I was you with the RWRP in the middle. Like Benji said if you need a fatter bridge pup pup go with a flat. A flat A2P for the fattest to my ears. For my strat I went with two APS' staggered and a flat in the bridge, and I couldn't be happier unless there was ever so small output increase in the bridge.

Luke
 
Re: SSL or APS...for blues...please advise

Thanks again everyone!

May I ask another question or two?

Has anyone played either Fender CS 54's or Dimarzio Virtual Vintage Blues or Virtual Vintage 54's?

If so, how do they compare to the SD's SSL's (staggered with RW/RP).

Thanks again everyone!

Sincerely,

Westley
 
Re: SSL or APS...for blues...please advise

Westley said:
Thanks again everyone!

May I ask another question or two?

Has anyone played either Fender CS 54's or Dimarzio Virtual Vintage Blues or Virtual Vintage 54's?

If so, how do they compare to the SD's SSL's (staggered with RW/RP).

Thanks again everyone!

Sincerely,

Westley
Click to expand...


Ok...IMO the bset Fender pickups for a Strat right now are the ones that come stock in a Jimmy Vaughan and Fat 50's...I do not care for the Texas Specials, the CS 54's, CS 68's or the CS 57/62...they are all OK but I feel that a set of Duncans would be an upgrade...truth be told even as good as the Fat 50's anf the stock JV pups are a set of Duncans would still be an upgrade. I tried the DiMarzio Vintage Blues, and the Bluse Velvets, and again did not care for them...the vintage 54's just seemed kind of weak and wimpy, the Bluse velvest had lots of punch but IMO an overall "flat" kind of tone...no real body to the tone. If you are on a budget and/or just do not want to spend a lot of money the SSL-1's are DAMN FINE PICKUPS! the only thing about them is that the bridge pickup (just like a vintage 50's or 60's Strat) is kind of thin and can be icepicky...an Alnico II pickup would help it, and an over wound alnico II pickup would cure it! I would say that the best vintage Strat tone on a budget would be a pair of SSL-1's in the neck and middle and a Twangbanger in the bridge. Great stuff...if you really wqant to keep with the same type o magnets maybe something like an SSL-3 in the bridge with the SSL-1 neck (I would still prefer the Twangbanger, but that's me!). Also keep in mind, Duncan has a 21 day return policy, so take some chances, get some pickups and if you don't like them, trade them in on something different. I have to stress again...the ultaimate Strat tone thread is amazing! It is in "The Vault" if you read it all, you will have a great idea of how to get what you are looking for.
 
Re: SSL or APS...for blues...please advise

I very appreciate the time, experience and wisdom of everyone's response(s).

I've narrowed it down to SSLs (staggered w/ RW/RP) and Dimarzio Virtual Vintage Blues. My next step is to play test both extensively.

Thanks again everyone!

Sincerely,

Westley
 
Re: SSL or APS...for blues...please advise

No problem Westley, we're just glad we could help you out! If you want glass the SSL-1 is the way to go. The hot or custom in the bridge will give you a thicker sound with quite a bit of glass still.

Luke
 
Re: SSL or APS...for blues...please advise

Westley said:
Thanks again everyone!

May I ask another question or two?

Has anyone played either Fender CS 54's or Dimarzio Virtual Vintage Blues or Virtual Vintage 54's?

If so, how do they compare to the SD's SSL's (staggered with RW/RP).

Thanks again everyone!

Sincerely,

Westley
Click to expand...


I had the VV Blues in the neck of my strat and the 54 in the mid. They're great strat pickups if you need to go noiseless, but to my ear, they aren't as "alive" sounding as Duncan's real singles.

The Blues is going to be hotter and fatter than the SSL-1's and the APS1's. If I remember the 54 correctly, it had very nice highs with open mids and a slightly pulled bass response.
 
Re: SSL or APS...for blues...please advise

Thanks again guys!

BTW...Luke Duke, when I saw your signature, "Member of the Heritage Brotherhood", I checked out your profile and noticed you own a 150 CM.

Small world, recently, I ordered a 150 CM, Classic (59's SD, zebra coils), nashville tunamatic bridge, aluminum stop bar, Spezel iveroid tuners, etc. Sweet axe.

Thanks again everyone!

Westley
 
Re: SSL or APS...for blues...please advise

Westley said:
Thanks again guys!

BTW...Luke Duke, when I saw your signature, "Member of the Heritage Brotherhood", I checked out your profile and noticed you own a 150 CM.

Small world, recently, I ordered a 150 CM, Classic (59's SD, zebra coils), nashville tunamatic bridge, aluminum stop bar, Spezel iveroid tuners, etc. Sweet axe.

Thanks again everyone!

Westley
Click to expand...

I really think you'll dig your Heritage man, the 59's are spanky and thick, should do well, especially if you want to cop some of the old 60's guys tones. I went with a Jazz/JB in mine, but couldn't get a sound I really loved from the JB so I sent it back and got an A2P, phenomenal pup. It's what made me decide to check out the APS' for my strat first. Between the sound clips and the tone chart they seemed like a definite step in the right direction. I got the neck and middle staggered and a flat for the bridge, that way I could get a bit thicker tone. For anybody who want a fatter bridge tone but want to stick with the same pup I always recommend the flats.

Luke
 
Re: SSL or APS...for blues...please advise

YES...YES...YES...Luke, my man, that 60's sound is exactly what I'm shooting for bro!

Great call on your part!

Thanks again.

Sincerely,

Westley
 
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