Strat Pickups for Middle & Neck Posistions

[ESPImperium]

I have decided to get some new pickups for my Fender Highway 1 Strat (2007 Model, Maple 'board), i have decided on the bridge pickup whitch will be the Bare Nuckle Miracle Man as i think its got the tone id want for a bridge pickup.

Im here to see if i can get help for my middle and neck, whitch i would like to get replaced as well, i am looking for a good variant in tones, i was thinking for the middle at one point either a SSL-3 Hot or a SSL-4 Quarter Pound Flat, but then came across the Antiquity Texas Hot RW/RP for the same pickup as well, but have came to the conclusion that i would like something in-between now.

As for the neck, i was thinking about keeping the stock one, but also came about thinking about going with a Lil 59' in the neck, i was also looking at either the APS-1, APS-2, SSL-2 or SSL-2 for that posistion. Im looking at a clean and clear tone here for clean tones, but when it gets dirt it compresses and breaks up easily, but remains clear, not mushy.

I think what im trying to say is this:

BKP Miracle Man = 17.5k DC Resistance
Middle RW/RP = Arround 11.5k DC (Can be as much as say 2k DC either side of that)
Neck = 6k DC to 7.5k DC for the style of tones id want there.

Can any one help me out there.

Thanks in advance.

 

[ESPImperium]

Re: Strat Pickups for Middle & Neck Posistions

Bump, anyone out there???

 

[Mr. B]

Re: Strat Pickups for Middle & Neck Posistions

Your post is a little confusing, I think thats why no one is responding. Narrow your questions down and we might be able to help you out. I will say this, if it helps; I have never heard a single coil sized humbucker I really liked. what tones are you going for overall? Are you wanting a "do everything strat"?

 

[ESPImperium]

Re: Strat Pickups for Middle & Neck Posistions

I see, let me try anagin;

What im after is this:

* A good humbucker in the bridge (Already chosen, BKP Miracle Man)
* A good versitile middle single coil pickup in the middle, can handle dirt, but also cleans up well, have been doing some research and i am thinking the STK-S4 might just be the thing.
* A nice clean, vintage correct pickup in the neck, can handle a little dirt, but mainly used for clean passages, done some research as well here and i think im along the Antiquity Texas Hot or Surfer for that, even a SSL-1 or SSL-2 as well may do.

Im aiming for a Iron Maiden tone for about 40% of the time, but i just want a axe that can go from Metal to Blues, just pickups that can do a good veriety of tones from my Strat, prefribly in a HSS layout, im staying away from coil sized humbuckers as i have been told, just get a full sized humbucker as it will be better in the long run.

 

[alex1fly]

Re: Strat Pickups for Middle & Neck Posistions

From my experience none of the Duncan singles sound that great with dirt, even the QP. You may look at Dimarzio's selection, they have a lot of pickups for strat that are designed for different kinds of tones than your standard strat tone.

 

[jeremy]

Re: Strat Pickups for Middle & Neck Posistions

see, i would totally disagree with that. i think the surfers, texas hots, aps, ssl5/6, qp's, hot, and twangbanger all sound great dirty. the ssl1/2 arent my favorite for dirty tones but are beautiful clean

 

[frankencat]

Re: Strat Pickups for Middle & Neck Posistions

I like SSL-2's in Strats myself. They sound great dirty and clean to my ears.

 

[jimijames]

Re: Strat Pickups for Middle & Neck Posistions

+1 for the surfers, I have a 2003 Highway 1 strat (before they came with a3 pickups, they came with hot ceramic singles) and the Surfers sound fantastic under 99% of the settings I put them under. They keep their character and clarity under gain, and sound so fresh when they're clean. Because the magnets are slightly degaussed, they sing in the upper register, and bite well enough on the lower register to play with some twang. If you use heavy gauge strings (11+) the surfers will do just about anything you can ask of them.

 

[Iron Horse]

Re: Strat Pickups for Middle & Neck Posistions

The Miracle Man isn't propably your best bet for Maiden tones, and it won't be so great for older hard rock and blues. From BKP, a Holy Diver would propably be closer, the MM is more EMG-like in tone, but it's not as sterile. I just think that the high end could be overkill in a maple board strat, with the ceramic mag.
E: And of course THE Maiden bucker would be DiMarzio Super Distortion.

 

[ESPImperium]

Re: Strat Pickups for Middle & Neck Posistions

I was thinking about a BKP Nailbomb as well for the bridge, im gonna have to Email Tim @ BKP first. I like the sound of a EMG 85, whitch a Miracle Man is kinda like, but i think im gonna have to narrow down the options there.

As for the singles, i am glad ive got the responces i have for the SSL-1 & 2s as well as the Surfers. I think i might be looking for one of the surfers in the neck and say a SSL-2 RW/RP in the middle.

I know there will be a volume drop off, but i may get a resistor put in the switch or something to try and equalise that. Im also gonna go with the bridge without a tone control, and have a tone for the other two pickups.

 

[Zhangliqun]

Re: Strat Pickups for Middle & Neck Posistions

I'd recommend tapped models for neck and bridge so you could go to a true vintage wind for the cleaner sounds at the flick of a switch. Duncan makes tapped versions of their heavier single coils.

 

[Mr. B]

Re: Strat Pickups for Middle & Neck Posistions

I know some of you may laugh, but I am really liking the new A3 pickups that came in my newer Highway One, better than about anything I have. (that includes SSL-1s, Texas Specials, Fender Vintage noiseless, and standard fender delta tones in an american series. They also handle gain a lot better than any of those, but I love vintage strat tones, and they do a good version of it. They are going pretty cheap on Ebay.

 

[Iron Horse]

Re: Strat Pickups for Middle & Neck Posistions

I was thinking about a BKP Nailbomb as well for the bridge, im gonna have to Email Tim @ BKP first. I like the sound of a EMG 85, whitch a Miracle Man is kinda like, but i think im gonna have to narrow down the options there.

As for the singles, i am glad ive got the responces i have for the SSL-1 & 2s as well as the Surfers. I think i might be looking for one of the surfers in the neck and say a SSL-2 RW/RP in the middle.

I know there will be a volume drop off, but i may get a resistor put in the switch or something to try and equalise that. Im also gonna go with the bridge without a tone control, and have a tone for the other two pickups.

The 85 is a lot fatter than 81, on which the MM model is based on. I think that Painkiller would be better, but call Tim.

 

[jerryjg]

Re: Strat Pickups for Middle & Neck Posistions

I am thinking StK-s4 middle and neck with that hot bridge bucker. If that dont match up look for Cool rails neck and Im not sure waht in the middle-maybe a cruiser/chopper.. Thats just from my very limited experience .

 

[Quicksilver689]

Re: Strat Pickups for Middle & Neck Posistions

Cool Rails/Vintage Rails for n/m, maybe?