Strat set up for blues

[Worldscan]

New Member, old player.
Just picked up a Highway one strat with rosewood FB. Stock pickups are obviously nowhere near my number one '68 strat with '62 pickups in neck and bridge and an old Duncan Staggered poles (20 yrs old) in the middle. Immediatly dissasembled the guit and need to get it up now.

I'm a blues/classic rock player and want to set up this guit as a second for stage. Anyone else out there familiar with a setup to approach my old strat for thick blues tones. I have not shopped for pickups in about 20 years.

Currently used stage amps: Handbuilt Point to point '59 Bassman Style with Weber AlNiCo's, '68 Marshall Plexi cathode biased with two E34L's (two removed for lower wattage) through early 70's 4x12 cab.

FX: TS-9, other assorted gain/dist devices, cry-baby.

Thanks,
Tom in Cleveland

 

[Curly]

Re: Strat set up for blues

Tom,
welcome

I think the best thing you could do would be to look at the vintage strat pickup reviews in the Vault

my personal recommendation, though would be an APS (Alnico II Pro) neck, SSL (vintage) mid, and a hotter bridge - either a Twangbanger, an SSL-5 or 6 Custom, or an SSL-3 Hot.

of course, be sure to use RWRP for the mid, and I'd suggest adding the jumper for tone on the bridge

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Strat set up for blues

Tom,
welcome

I think the best thing you could do would be to look at the vintage strat pickup reviews in the Vault

my personal recommendation, though would be an APS (Alnico II Pro) neck, SSL (vintage) mid, and a hotter bridge - either a Twangbanger, an SSL-5 or 6 Custom, or an SSL-3 Hot.

of course, be sure to use RWRP for the mid, and I'd suggest adding the jumper for tone on the bridge

So many great choices! I like the same pickups Curly mentioned and also the Antiquity Texas Hots.

I just installed a set of the Antiquity Surfers in my Strat...they're an Alnico 5 version of the Alnico 2 Antiquity Texas Hots. I'll do review in the next day or two.

 

[Eric]

Re: Strat set up for blues

just a suggestion, but if you do play a lot of classic rock as well as blues, then the lil'59 is a great and very versatile bridge pickup. perfect for humbucker classic rock sounds but I also use it for most of my solos at the local blues jam nite and it sounds great thru an overdriven Fender amp
i'm not so sure about what single coils would be best for you though!

 

[xerxes]

Re: Strat set up for blues

i would say go with what curly said. he is really good at knowing his blues single coils.

however, a lil 59 in the bridge would be killer for thick blues......

 

[Curly]

Re: Strat set up for blues

I'll only add that I haven't tried the lil 59, but I like the SSL-3 Hot in the bridge - it does what the specs say, "Very high output single coil rivaling a humbucker in output." The notch position is maybe not quite as quacky, in which case a tapped version is an option, but I like it for something a little different than vintage tone.

I'm a little conservative, and like to stick with the "regular" single coils

I've mentioned the Hot many times here, and included several clips of that, and several of the other pickups mentioned here, on my site

 

[sgstrat]

Re: Strat set up for blues

Let's not forget what is probably the most underrated strat pickup: the SSL5/2 "Five/Two", previously the Nashville Studio. A very tasty combination of APS-like smoothness on the treble strings and Alnico 5 snap on the bass strings.

P.S. Welcome to the SD forum!

 

[Brow]

Re: Strat set up for blues

I'll make a suggestion for the Antiquity Texas Hot Strat pups with a Antiquity Custom Bridge pup. I have a set in a re-wired Fender Strat Plus and they sound great for classic rock and blues tunes imo.

Craig

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Strat set up for blues

I'll make a suggestion for the Antiquity Texas Hot Strat pups with a Antiquity Custom Bridge pup. I have a set in a re-wired Fender Strat Plus and they sound great for classic rock and blues tunes imo.

Craig

Yes! Those and the new Antiquity II's are my two favorite Duncan Strat sets.

I'm loving the Ant II's! I have them in the same Strat I previously had the Antiquity Texas Hots in.

A customer liked the Ant Texas Hots in my white Strat so much I sold him the pickups right out of the guitar and put a new set of Ant II Surfers in it instead.

I'd go Antiquity...just can't be beat. What a vibe!

Lew

 

[Worldscan]

Re: Strat set up for blues

Thanks all for the posts.
Also read some backlogged posts and currently in search of a dealer to go with an APS-neck, SSL-mid, and SSL-3-Bridge. (I checked your site Lew - what kind of lead time on getting pups you don't have stocked? You can email me direct @ TomB1176@aol.com.) Or could you recommend a stocking distributor?

I can now see this won't end here and will probably end up looking like pups will start to fill my spaces just as tube amps, old guits, pedals, and recording equip. has...

All in good fun and good TONE!

PS: I really liked your past review on the single coils Curly.

Best of tone to all...

 

[Curly]

Re: Strat set up for blues

I really liked your past review on the single coils Curly.

Tom,
thanks
I started out here on a search for "ultimate strat tone"

the thing is, the strat is pretty versatile, and there are so many choices ..

that said, as far as blues, I think many blues players are talking some variation of vintage, or "hot" vintage tone ... I can't speak honestly of the stacked or humbucking pups that I haven't tried, although there are certainly plenty of advocates of "noiseless" or humbucking pups here

I don't think there are any secrets left, as far as blues tone from a strat, though ... vintage type pickups, and an overdriven, good tube amp, pushed to the breaking point, lots of touch sensitivity, and a good dose of soul

I've learned a good deal from the many strat players here - Lew, StratDeluxer, jeremy, Robert_S, dr barlo, etc......... many are very articulate in describing tone with words, so I've tried to augment the online tone guide with my own "real world" clips whenever possible.

good luck in your quest!

 

[EarlySab]

Re: Strat set up for blues

I had a Strat set up with a set of 3 Duncan 5-2's with a custom wound bridge for more output. As far as vintage sounding pups, I have also tried the SSL-1's, APS-1's, Antiquity TX Hot and Texas Specials. The Duncan 5-2's were the fattest or thickest of the bunch and had the smoothest Distortion, however they lacked highs and quack for some of the clean stuff I played. I would recommend an APS-1 in the bridge, and an SSL-1 in the middle and neck if quack is a concern. The APS-1's don't have the highs of the SSL-1, but if you have an SSL-1 in the middle it will compensate the loss of highs (or quack) in the APS-1 when you blend them together in positon 2 (Bridge & middle combined). And of course you will get good quack and a nice glassy tone in position 4 (middle & neck combined) with the other 2 SSL-1's. Having the APS-1 in the bridge will warm up and thicken up position 1 (bridge) and will eliminate harsh highs and will give you a smoother distortion with more sustain but still sound very vintage.

Best thickness - 5-2
2nd - APS-1
3rd - Antiquitys
tied for 4th - SSL-1 & TX Special but TX Special were too harsh in highs.

Best Quack or belltones -
1. SSL-1's & TX Specials but TX Special too bright to be a good all around pup for me.
2nd - APS-1
3rd - Antiquity
4th - 5-2

My favorite all around vintage Strat pup - APS-1

Keep in mind that I didn't try all these sets of pups in the same Strat, and since every guitar has its own character this could vary somewhat. I expect some to say the Antiquitys may have just as good quack or highs as the APS-1. I would like to see what others have to say that have tried all or some of these pups in the same guitar and if their ratings are similar to mine. Also keep in mind that in my case the bridge pups in the 5-2 set and TX Specials were wound hotter than the middle & necks. Also I have only tried the bridge pup of the APS-1's, so I am just imagining how it would sound in the neck & middle.

What it comes down to is what's most important to you, the thickness which seems to be your main preference, or having great quack and bell tones, or trying to meet in the middle to get the best of both worlds. Best of both worlds would be APS-1 bridge, SSL-1 middle, SSL-1 neck. OR possibly even APS-1 in all 3 positions. If quack isn't a major concern, and you want mega thick, but still vintage tone, go with 5-2.

I expect my ratings will be disputed and I would like to see what others have to say that have maybe tried all or some of these pups in the same Strat.

 

[EarlySab]

Re: Strat set up for blues

Worldscan, I have now read your more recent post, where you are looking to put an SSL-1 in bridge and middle and APS-1 in neck. That will give you a brighter tone in the bridge, which is already the brightest position, and will give you a darker tone in the neck which is already the darkest position. My thinking on this has always been to counteract the brightness of the bridge with a fatter pup and counteract the darkness of the neck by adding a brighter pup to get a more balanced tone across the spectrum. What is the norm for most of you other Strat players?? I would like to know.

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Strat set up for blues

I'll tell you what:

I've played and owned alot of Strats including a '54, '57 and the one I still have, my '63 that looks just like SRV's before he wore the finish right off of it!

The Duncan Antiquity II pickups with the 6.2K neck and middle and 9.5K Ant II Custom bridge are some of the very, very finest pickups I've ever used.

Don't let the Surfer thing scare you off...these things have SRV written all over them! In fact, they're closer to the pickups SRV used than the Ant Texas Hots, which are also superb.

The Ant Texas Hots use alnico 2...a magnet Fender rarely or never used in Strats.

The Ant II Surfers are the ones that actually are more of a reissue of the 50's and 60's Fender Strat pickups...only they're better.

Unlike the originals, instead of all three being wound to about 6K, the Antiquitys have a much more useful bridge pickup that's almost 10K! And when you combine the middle pickup with the neck or bridge you get humcancelling.

No kidding: these are spectacular sounding pickups...for blues or any style.

Lew

 

[crowscrown]

Re: Strat set up for blues

Just my opinion. N: SSL5 M: SSL1 B: SSL3. Good pickups for those positions, also sticking with single coils and keeping those Strat tones. I have the same setup but a C5 in the bridge instead, I love those SSL's.

 

[SoCalSteve]

Re: Strat set up for blues

Check out the review of the Ants at legendarytones.com

 

[Fresh_Start]

Re: Strat set up for blues

FWIW Curly's right on the money for the neck & middle IMHO. The bridge pup is where you can go in different directions. You may have already read the post, but a tapped Quarter Pound for the bridge gives a good, beefy tone and the option to cut the output adds some versatility.

I haven't tried Fralin's "steel pole" single coils, but they seem to get a lot of rave reviews from guys I respect (like Lew).

Chip

 

[Worldscan]

Re: Strat set up for blues

I ended up ordering an APS-neck, SSL-mid, and SSL-3-Bridge.

Some one also recommended trying Dimarzio Virtual Vintages which I could pick up a used set for cheap while I'm waiting for the Duncan's to arrive. Anybody hear these before? Waste of time or worth picking up for cheap?

I'ts probably like any other situation where the whole chain becomes a factor. I have about seven different pre/dist units that sound anywhere from excellent to mudd depending on the guit (humbucker equipped vrs. single coils) and the amp used. I've still found the "coarse" tone adjustment depends on the tube amp - tubes used for a given circuit, and of course the speakers/cab combination - then, and/if a pedal is used up front than the guit itself - to the majority of the extent - it all comes down to the gain stages.

However, theres nothing like the tone of a strat (or other guit) plugged directly into a good sounding Champ, Tweed Deluxe, '59 Bassman or Plexi. Starting with a good basic setup, the pickups in a given guit become the "fine/more subtle" tweakability factor that interacts with the gain stages along the way to the output (lotsa spices in the 'ol spice rack for flavors).

So what kinda spice are the Virtual Vintages?

Lord help me! I think I need to go plug in and get a tone fix...

 

[Worldscan]

Re: Strat set up for blues

OK Lew,
After reading your review on the Ant II Surfers I think I need a set of these as well. Did not receive my first order yet and the Dim.'s mentioned above fell through.

I'm actually setting up another one of my guits, an early 70's Telecaster Deluxe with a maple neck. It originally came with two Fender humbuckers (Ha Ha) which have not been in that guitar since I got it. I put a tremelo bridge on it and am setting it up as a three single coil strat type setup.

I'm hip to your review on the Ant II Surfers and am going to order a set of these and then decide which guit, the strat or tele, gets which set of pups.

Lew, do you have any of these available in stock? I'd pass the business along your way if so...

Regards,
Tom

 

[RACER X]

Re: Strat set up for blues

DiMarzio, Red Velvet bridge, & Blue Velvets in mid/neck.