Strat pickups

[tritheory]

I picked up a SSL-5 and a SSL-5 RW/RP from a a buddy of mine am thinking about putting it in the neck and middle positions of my AV RI 62 strat-Alder body, vintage bridge????...I currently have a SSL-3 with a baseplate in the bridge. It is a great pickup...a lot of mids and good crunch for heavy rock rhythym and leads......

Have fender fat 50's in neck and middle right now and do not care for them...Not enough output and too brittle sounding...I am worried that the SSL-5's will be too hot for the neck and middle and loose alot of the STRAT sound?
Recommendations for a good: Warm Heavy blues neck sound? SRV, Gary Moore, Eric Johnson, etc...

APS-2 ??? Worried about the output being too low though?
SSL-1 ??? Worried too glassy and output too low???

Also thinking about doing mini toggle switch for series of bridge/middle and bridge neck??

Advice??


Thanks,

Steve

 

[Curly]

Re: Strat pickups

the APSs are quite addicting kind of smooth and fat

work well with an SSL3 bridge, too, IMO.
I have two sets like that - might be my favorite.

 

[Luke Duke]

Re: Strat pickups

Soon, I hope, I should be able to tell you how all three aps' are. If the bridge is too weak I'm gonna go with the "Curly Custom" set with the hot in the bridge or maybe custom...I don't know but we'll see what happens.


BTW could you strat-a-holics give me advice on wiring tricks and such since I've only wired buckers and teles. I saw the fender noiseless came with an additional cap when I was reading through their parts sectin in their catalog. What's that about? treble bleed?
Luke

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Strat pickups

For SRV and Eric Johnson tone the SSL-1's are GREAT!!! From what Gearjoneser here says about the Fat 50's, you should be able to do a nice job with your Fat 50's too.

SSL-1's are very similar to the pickups SRV and Eric Johnson use/used. They are stock vintage output and use alnico 5 magnets like the original 50's and 60's pickups.

You're worried about the output being to low, but that's the way those old pickups are! If you want the tone of SRV, Eric Johnson, Mark Knopfler, etc., you have to be willing to work for it by perfecting your technique and touch and you can't expect hotter pickups to do that work for you.

Overwound pickups are not the way...not for that kind of tone.

I do like a hotter bridge pickup than vintage stock though. Vintage output Strat bridge pickups sound to thin and glassy and I prefer hotter models like the Antiquity Custom Strat bridge pickups.

But for the neck and middle positions I use more or less stock spec Strat pickups: SSL-1, Antiquity Surfer or Fralin Vintage.

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Strat pickups

You might want to read or this whole thread or just cut to the last page or two:

https://forum.seymourduncan.com/showthread.php?t=17874