SSS pickup suggestions for second strat - "something different"

T

Taymar

New member
Hello all,

I've got two near-identical project strats, color, finish, and hardware are the only real differences. Same body and neck woods etc.

On the advice I got here previously, one of them's got a set of SD vintage flat strat pickups (reverse wound center). Love how it sounds.

I'm trying to figure out what to do with the second one that'll give me something different - though I don't really know what direction to go.

Ideally it'd be another SSS setup with 'regular looking' pickups vs. blackouts or hot rails etc. but if that's going to severely limit choices I'm certainly open to ideas.

On a bit of a budget, would prefer to keep it under 250 for the set if possible.

Thanks a ton for any suggestions.
 
Re: SSS pickup suggestions for second strat - "something different"

If it was me, I'd go Alnico 2 staggered set.
Man those are nice and sweet sounding.

Wanna go a little crazier can order with a left handed stagger for more 'jimi' vibe.
 
Re: SSS pickup suggestions for second strat - "something different"

I'd look hard at the APS-1 or SSL-52 in neck (a little warmer than the SSL-2) and middle and the twangbanger or SSL-5 bridge (a little beefier than the SSL-2 bridge sound).
 
Re: SSS pickup suggestions for second strat - "something different"

Yeah that's the one weak spot on the alnico set, a beefier bridge pickup could be a nice option.
 
Re: SSS pickup suggestions for second strat - "something different"

how crazy do you want to go? similar but vintagey? antiquity texas hots with or without the hotter bridge. the aps set is very nice as well, for a hotter bridge with that set you could use a twangbanger. i ran the aps/aps/twangbanger set for a while and really liked it. or do you want something way hotter like a ssl5/ssl5/ssl3 set with 500k pots?
 
Re: SSS pickup suggestions for second strat - "something different"

I would consider overwound single coils different. With that in mind I'd like to suggest the SSL-5 calibrated set. You get the benefit of the beefed up bridge pickup also.
 
Re: SSS pickup suggestions for second strat - "something different"

Explorer84 said:
I would consider overwound single coils different. With that in mind I'd like to suggest the SSL-5 calibrated set. You get the benefit of the beefed up bridge pickup also.
Click to expand...

This.
 
Re: SSS pickup suggestions for second strat - "something different"

What is great about the hot rail and any 4 wire is how many options you get out of one pickguard so if you ever missed that classic single coil sound you could get it.

Alright premium options
A hot rail, stock middle pickup if you never use it, cool rail neck pickup
JB jr or lil screaming demon bridge pickup , stock middle pickup , little 59 - the "lil" and jr are smaller versions of popular pickups
if you go with either the Autosplit mod used on Ibanez RG guitars method of wiring them up is what I suggest, it's not too difficult either thankfully
I absolutely hated the vintage rail. I wouldn't even use it as a fridge magnet based on my personal taste
check out the stack series Seymour Duncan has as well as live wire, I'm sure someone has done a lot of comparisons hopefully with the same guitar as well as Ola Englund or Keith Merrow

Never tried too many Dimarzio pickups that are 4 wire but I'm sure there will be 15 other replies that have which is great about this forum

On a budget the dragonfire or GFS active pickup sets
another noiseless single coil set would be the dragonfire noiseless set

I had this squier starcaster which I'm not even joking I had at least 3-5 pickguards made for it as it followed the typical Chinese hole pattern and designed a way to switch them without soldering. I could go with a typical SSS setup to H/H if I wanted to for serious tone chasing or options.
 
Re: SSS pickup suggestions for second strat - "something different"

Thanks all! Appreciate all the recommendations - I have some sound samples to check out for sure!

Question on the overwound single coils - I see Rose pickups makes a pretty affordable set (the 'Buff Beauty') at $85. I can't find any sound samples of that particular overwound model - has anyone had experience with these please?

thanks again!
 
Re: SSS pickup suggestions for second strat - "something different"

Hot Rails / Vintage Rails / Cool Rails. Different, awesome look and even more awesome fones.
 
Re: SSS pickup suggestions for second strat - "something different"

I’m a Strat fiend... I’ve got quite a few different SSS setups. The one that’s most similar to yours has APS-1/SSL-1/SSL-1. (The APS-1 is more chewy than the SSL-1, and position 4 is a pretty unique sound compared to the SSL-1/SSL-1 Combo).

My alternatives I really like are:
Fender CS69 set - Brighter and janglier than the SSL-1s, Hendrix and Gilmour
Dimarzio Injectors - Hotter and chunkier than SSL-1s while still sounding like a Strat. (The Duncan Stack Plus lineup has similar options)
Fender Big Dippers - Underwound and calibrated Texas Specials, they are advertised as a “scoopy” set, for me they sound like more powerful CS69s with a thicker bridge.
Fender N4 - Good but I prefer Duncans and Dimarzio’s

A few other great options would be:
Everything Axe Set if you can get over the look
Quarter Pounder, very different tone
Texas Specials or the hotter Fralins.
 
Re: SSS pickup suggestions for second strat - "something different"

I have a Rose Buff beauty set - They’re great, you won’t be disappointed. Very clear with increased output. They’re made in the US for reasonable prices, and Ken will take custom reqs. little to no charge.

For something very different you could also try Lace Sensors, I’m enjoying Hot Golds in one of my Strats.
 
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Re: SSS pickup suggestions for second strat - "something different"

Keep in mind, that you can always contact the Custom Shop, and if you have an idea of a sound, see what they can do with making the pickup look like a normal Strat pickup. Lots of things can be tweaked with the normal Strat look, so you might end up with the guitar looking stock but not sounding like any ther Strat you'd played.
 
Re: SSS pickup suggestions for second strat - "something different"

Antiquity Texas Set would be my first choice. Then, maybe a Red Devil Bridge (hot texas sound) with Alnico II's or Anitiquity Texas middle and neck, but if not those a set of Alnico II's or a Quarter Pounder set. Those are all hotter that the ones that you have which will give you a different sound.
 
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