Strat Doesn't Sound Like a Rock Guitar Anymore

[angus99]

First, a disclaimer. I'm fairly new to electrics but have scored some nice equipment in the past year. Much of what I know is from reading a lot, not from years of experience. Just trying to learn all I can as fast as I can.

I just bought a really nice '82 ES 335 (I know--it's like giving a 90-year-old man a Ferrari, but I just love playing a great guitar) and immediately put a Seth Lover in the neck and Custom Custom in the bridge. I really like the huge variety in tone with this setup, the endless sustain, ease of play etc. etc. Problem is after playing humbuckers for a few weeks, my Strat Plus with Gold Lace single coils just doesn't sound like a rock guitar anymore and I definitely want to hang on to the Strat.

I play mostly classic rock, often with some crunch, and various kinds of blues. What would you guys recommend to get a ballsier sound out of a Strat while still retaining some of the classic Strat quack and chime? I'd like to use the standard pickguard, if possible, so I guess that limits me. Don't know if what I'm asking for is possible, but I'm open to any and all ideas.

Thanks a lot.

Angus

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Strat Doesn't Sound Like a Rock Guitar Anymore

A good set to try would be the Livewires Hot Set for Strat. They'll clean up beautifully when you turn the guitar's volume to 5 or 6 and overdrive the daylights out of your amp when you turn the guitar's volume back up again. I love my Strat with the Duncan Livewire Hots...

Lew

 

[theodie]

Re: Strat Doesn't Sound Like a Rock Guitar Anymore

Quarter pounders might do the trick.

Lew, I am not a strat guy but, I am starting to get gas for a Strat and a set of Livewires Hot. Damn you! LOL!

 

[Jocelyn]

Re: Strat Doesn't Sound Like a Rock Guitar Anymore

A set of SSL 1 or SSL 2 or may be a SSL3 in the bridge with SSL 2 in middle and neck

 

[Jocelyn]

Re: Strat Doesn't Sound Like a Rock Guitar Anymore

But I would g with Lews advice.....

 

[ErikH]

Re: Strat Doesn't Sound Like a Rock Guitar Anymore

Swap the bridge pickup out for a Little '59 and be done with it or look for the red Lace Sensor for the bridge. No need to swap all the pickups out, IMO.

 

[Zhangliqun]

Re: Strat Doesn't Sound Like a Rock Guitar Anymore

It will never sound like your 335 or any other beefy humbucker guitar, but I'm sure you understand that. But with that in mind, it's definitely possible to get a beefier tone out of your Strat.

I'm going to assume for the moment that the main problem is the bridge pickup in your Strat, and that if it was a little beefier, you'd be okay with the existing neck and middle. There are two basic options:

1) Beefier standard/traditional Strat single coil, the prime contenders being the Antiquity Custom Bridge and the Twang Banger.

2) Humbuckers in single coil size -- not stacks like your Laces, but just really skinny side-by-side coil humbuckers, like the Li'l series (Li'l 59, Li'l JB, etc) or the Rails series (Hot Rails, Cool Rails, Vintage Rails).

My vote is for #1 but keep in mind that I'm a bit prejudiced against #2 in part because I can't deal with the look. Totally irrational, so take that with a can of Morton's because a Li'l or a Rails might just nail what you're looking for.

If you do want something a little hotter for neck and bridge, I'm not sure where to steer you. Something in the low 7's with Alnico 5 would do the trick but I'm not sure who makes anything like that off the shelf. Duncan's Custom Shop could certainly make you some overwound Surfers or something, and Lindy Frailin could make them too, but they wouldn't be cheap.

 

[Jocelyn]

Re: Strat Doesn't Sound Like a Rock Guitar Anymore

You know what when I play on my Humbuker equpide guitar and then pick up my strat I kind of dont like it...Guess I like Humbuker's better. but I know I want that strat tone too.. I would go with what Lew suggested.

 

[Axl H]

Re: Strat Doesn't Sound Like a Rock Guitar Anymore

A SSL-2 through the right amp is a awesome pickup

Fat and it lets the guitars natural sound shine through alot

 

[Zhangliqun]

Re: Strat Doesn't Sound Like a Rock Guitar Anymore

Jocelyn has a point -- when I've been playing the LP or 355 for a while and grab a normal Strat, it sounds wimpy and mosquito-ish. But as I adjust my picking touch/technique to the Strat, it sounds better and I get used to it.

And then when I pick up the LP or 355 again, they sound like mud because I'm now hitting the strings too hard and/or too far from the bridge. So I have to adjust my picking technique back to the LP/355.

I don't have to do as much adjusting these days because I made a set of beefier pu's for the Strat and put some heavy strings on it. Still sounds very different from the LP and 355, which is the point of having a Strat anyway, but the adjustments are now negligible so there's no "getting used to it again" time.

 

[danglybanger]

Re: Strat Doesn't Sound Like a Rock Guitar Anymore

my friend has a Strat plus.

I HATE the pickups. I'm not a fan of lace sensors. They're actually too high output for me, but even under gain they sound like **** (IMO) and they don't have a clean tone. at all.

just swap em up for some normal singles

 

[Jocelyn]

Re: Strat Doesn't Sound Like a Rock Guitar Anymore

A SSL-2 through the right amp is a awesome pickup

Fat and it lets the guitars natural sound shine through alot

+1 thats why I suggested SSL2 or SSL1 with perhaps a hotter pickup in the bridge.. great for classic rock

 

[angus99]

Re: Strat Doesn't Sound Like a Rock Guitar Anymore

Thanks everybody. Tough to decide through computer headphones, but the tone samples are leading me in the SL3/Livewire Hot direction for the bridge. Although I'm a bit leery of getting TOO hot.

I have the same worry some have mentioned about trying to turn the Strat into an ES 335. Wouldn't want them even to approach sounding similar, so that's kinda steering me away from PAF sounding pups.

Can't find a sample for the SL-2 on SD's site. How would y'all compare the SL1/SL2 to the Gold Lace Sensors I have now? Is it really worth switching all 3 out, or should I try an SL3 or Livewire in the bridge with the other 2 originals and see how I like 'em.

Really appreciate the advice.

Thanks.

Angus

 

[angus99]

Re: Strat Doesn't Sound Like a Rock Guitar Anymore

A good set to try would be the Livewires Hot Set for Strat. They'll clean up beautifully when you turn the guitar's volume to 5 or 6 and overdrive the daylights out of your amp when you turn the guitar's volume back up again. I love my Strat with the Duncan Livewire Hots...

Lew

Lew, do you like the Livewire Hot Set better than the Antiquity Surfer/Texas Hots I see that you play? From reading other threads, it sounds like we have similar tastes in music. I'm looking for something that'll handle "All Right Now" or "China Grove" with a little authority and will clean up enough for "The Wind Cries Mary." I just don't want to sound like an adolescent at the Guitar Center trying to shred.

Thanks again.

Angus

 

[ImmortalSix]

Re: Strat Doesn't Sound Like a Rock Guitar Anymore

Good luck, man! If you figure out a setup that'll rock those three tones you mentioned, let me in on it!

 

[KeeperOS]

Re: Strat Doesn't Sound Like a Rock Guitar Anymore

I have a MIM Strat and here's what I did (I am NOT suggesting you do the same, just telling you what I learned).

I swapped the neck and bridge pups but as many suggested I kept the middle (remember, it is a MIM Strat so the pups can't get any suckier than that!)
I put the DiMarzios Fast Track 1 on the neck and Fast Track 2 on the bridge.
(They both are mini rails humbuckers, like the Duncan Rails series)
I changed all pots from 250K to 500K and it made a gigantic difference!!! (even the stock middle pup sounded a whole lotta better, clearer, more defined).

Overall, I think I could have made better choices (although I did find ways to circumvent what I was unhappy with).
I still wanted more beefness from the bridge while I found the neck to be overshadowing the 2 position (neck+middle). However, I easily solved the 1st problem by adding some of the neck in the sound by utilizing a blend pot (I have found the ideal, sweet spot to be when the blend pot is at about 4.3, 10 being neck full on, 1 being neck off) which along with how I am in love with it, (the neck pup) it is more than reason enough to not dare touching it!

That being said, I still find the 2nd position sounding too close to the neck, just a little toned down.
So
no.1, I'd suggest either get a not-so-powerful neck cause it'll drown the middle's character or, use an equally distinct middle and
no.2, you'll probably want the bridge to be fat, you'd be surprised how fat a Strat bridge can be and still have room for more...

One last thing, if after all you still find either the neck being too fat or the bridge too icepicky then maybe you'd like to use a blend pot yourself (especially if you think you don't need individual tone pots), ask Lew how to do it, he knows far better than I do!

 

[hamerfan]

Re: Strat Doesn't Sound Like a Rock Guitar Anymore

KeeperOS, you should adjust the neck lower and the middle higher until they make a good combo. And measure the out changed MIM pups and put the one with the highest reading in the middle.

 

[angus99]

Re: Strat Doesn't Sound Like a Rock Guitar Anymore

Good luck, man! If you figure out a setup that'll rock those three tones you mentioned, let me in on it!

I will. Actually, with the Strat I've got playing through a Rivera M60 & 2X12, I can get a moderately OK approximation (and a couple hundred others:fest6: ). Just after a bit fatter push from the Strat.

Thnx.

Angus

 

[angus99]

Re: Strat Doesn't Sound Like a Rock Guitar Anymore

I have a MIM Strat and here's what I did (I am NOT suggesting you do the same, just telling you what I learned).

I put the DiMarzios Fast Track 1 on the neck and Fast Track 2 on the bridge.

I changed all pots from 250K to 500K and it made a gigantic difference!!!

Thanks, Keeper. My teacher has Dimarzios on his Strat and it slays. ('course, it doesn't hurt that he has technique to effing die for.) Don't know what model Dimarzios, but they're a bit too aggressive for me.

Funny, I hadn't thought of doing the pots--even though I just put 500K pots on my 335 (really added a stronger, "airier" feel to it). I'll look into that as well.

I appreciate your other ideas--along with everybody who's responded. This may sound wimpy, but I'm kinda thinking of going with a proven, balanced set. I know it all comes down to individual taste, but I was very pleased with the Seth Lover/Custom Custom combo that several people recommended for 335s. I'm hoping to get lucky twice.:fingersx:

If anybody has any thoughts on my two previous posts, I'm all ears.

Thanks once again.

Angus

 

[angus99]

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in case anyone has thoughts on followups in posts 13 & 14.