Strat Pickups

Re: Strat Pickups

So......why is it optional? Wouldn't you want that/shouldn't that be standard with the set?
 
Re: Strat Pickups

In canceling the noise, you inevitably cancel some good frequencies, too. Some people don't want to make that sacrifice -- me, I'll take the hit.
 
Re: Strat Pickups

Lewguitar said:
I would think so...couldn't tell you if it'll give you the tone you're imagining in your mind, but that'd be a nice set of pickups! :) The Twangbanger is actually the pickup SD recommends with the APS1 or 2...just for your info. :) I find that when I use a bridge mini-humbucker with Strat single coils I lose the #4 switch setting...the classic middle/bridge combo...because the Little 59 or JB JR just don't blend with the middle pickup in the same way as two Strat single coils would. Lew

Yes I've had the exact same experience.
I have a hotrail and 2 texas hots.
The hotrail really doesn't mix too well with the middle texas hot. Its a very high output pickup. But sure as heck it mixes well with the 2 texas hots in series. Its a les paul type sound.

I have a strat in the plans with an 1 11/16 fat neck (maybe even fatter). I'll use 6100 fretwire, 12 - 56 as strings, put a left handed tremolo, and pop a set of ants + custom bridge in... Now offcourse you know which artist i'll be worshipping with that one... Btw i'll put my initials on the pickguard with shiny tape - AAA (Alexei Alexeevitch Akimov) pretty cool eh?
 
Re: Strat Pickups

Hi Terry -

That Mexican Strat is going to be alder, right?

FWIW, I'd try an APS neck, SSL middle and either a Twangbanger or a tapped Quarter Pound in the bridge.

Unless you're going for the Antiquities or Fralins - haven't tried either and want both.

The Alnico 2 APS in the neck is nice & smooth. Having an SSL with alnico 5 in the middle brightens up position 4 (neck & middle) and gives you more sparkle in the middle position. It can produce an almost acoustic sound if you run your amp really clean. For the bridge, I'm just not that big a fan of vintage Strat pups - I like a stronger, fatter sound and/or some tele twang. The TB is an obvious choice, but I put a steel plate under a tapped QP while everyone was raving about the TB but you couldn't buy one yet and really like it a lot. The middle/bridge position sounds like a strat, but the bridge by itself is more useful (just IMHO). If you wire it so you can get neck & bridge pups together, that adds a really nice Tele-type tone to the Strat's arsenal.

BTW your neck radius has a lot to do with whether or not you should go for flat or staggered single coils. With a 9-1/2" or smaller radius, the staggered coils are probably better. If you've got a 12" or greater radius, you really need flat poles. In between, it's your choice. The MIM Strat is 9-1/2" unless my memory is bad...

Hope this helps,

Chip
 
Re: Strat Pickups

Fresh_Start said:
Hi Terry -

That Mexican Strat is going to be alder, right?

FWIW, I'd try an APS neck, SSL middle and either a Twangbanger or a tapped Quarter Pound in the bridge.

Unless you're going for the Antiquities or Fralins - haven't tried either and want both.

The Alnico 2 APS in the neck is nice & smooth. Having an SSL with alnico 5 in the middle brightens up position 4 (neck & middle) and gives you more sparkle in the middle position. It can produce an almost acoustic sound if you run your amp really clean. For the bridge, I'm just not that big a fan of vintage Strat pups - I like a stronger, fatter sound and/or some tele twang. The TB is an obvious choice, but I put a steel plate under a tapped QP while everyone was raving about the TB but you couldn't buy one yet and really like it a lot. The middle/bridge position sounds like a strat, but the bridge by itself is more useful (just IMHO). If you wire it so you can get neck & bridge pups together, that adds a really nice Tele-type tone to the Strat's arsenal.

BTW your neck radius has a lot to do with whether or not you should go for flat or staggered single coils. With a 9-1/2" or smaller radius, the staggered coils are probably better. If you've got a 12" or greater radius, you really need flat poles. In between, it's your choice. The MIM Strat is 9-1/2" unless my memory is bad...

Hope this helps,

Chip

Thanks for all the info Chip...you're a machine!!! :)
 
Re: Strat Pickups

My lefty is an MIM body, stock MIM pups aren't bad in the neck and middle but in the bridge they uh...suck.

I popped for a Fender Custom Shop "Custom 69" set and they're about the best pups I've used in a Strat yet. Still not 100% convinced I've got the bridge sound I want but i am super close. Defintely have the classic 60's Strat sound anyway. Happy hunting!
 
Re: Strat Pickups

Wattage-yes!!!

The Custom Shop 69s are killer! They have more low end than any other strat pup I've tried. Because of this, the in between positions are good, not great, but the bridge pickup is much fuller sounding with less icepick than most other strat pups.

Some people like more mids in strat pups than thew 69s have, but I don't. I like the low end thump and the sparkle in the mids and highs.

Do you have your bridge pup set to a tone control?
 
Re: Strat Pickups

I have two Kinman Woodstocks in my Tele (with Kinman tele bridge) and Kinman Traditionals in my Strat. I'm not really a huge Strat guy but they sound plenty good to me.

Hacker, I know what you are saying...my favorite Strat tones are from Big Star's "Radio City" album, he had the piano-like thing going in spades. Not much beef in the middle but that's a-okay with me!
 
Re: Strat Pickups

i'm using kinman exclusviely for single coils on my american made strat, but i have custom strat that has a jb and 59
 
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