Strats Personality and Pickups

[Guitar Toad]

Re: Strats Personality and Pickups

Hey all,

I personally think that Strats are a perfect example of guitars that can have a great amount of variability between them. Even the same year, body wood and fretboard type.

Now, it may just be my own delusion (heheh), but I think that you have to be very careful about choosing the same pickup for every one of your Strats.

For example, I had a set of Fat 50's Fender pickups in my 1976 ash bodied Strat. They sounded very thin and brittle-pretty nasty. Just not a good combo. There will be those that say, 'Of course it was bright and thin...these are just slightly overwound Strat pickups in an ASH body with a MAPLE neck'. So, I took these out. Just for kicks, I then put them in my 1975 Strat with an ASH body and MAPLE neck. They sounded fantastic and were just what I was looking for in that Strat.

So, be careful with your choices and your wallet. But then I guess you always have the 21 day return policy if you are 'shocked and awed'...

Mark

Mr. Farkus, have you ever tried an Antiquity Texas Hot in any of your strats? I think you might like 'em.

 

[Farkus]

Re: Strats Personality and Pickups

Mr. Farkus, have you ever tried an Antiquity Texas Hot in any of your strats? I think you might like 'em.

GT, first I have to say that folks have differences of opinion when it comes to the subject of guitars. I stand by my assertion that different guitars (even of the same make) will sound different even with the exact same pickup configs. I agree with someone elses statement about pickups being mics...that's exactly what they are. It only makes sense that the mic (pickup) will add a characteristic sound to a guitar...but that guitars inherent sound is still the most crucial factor (more so than the pickup, IMO). I respect the opinion of the other forumites, but I trust my ears.

FWIW, it's not about fixing a tone, it's about refining it and bringing out the guitars inherent tone. It's hard to fix the inherent sound of a guitar if you don't like it to start with, which is not a problem for me with any of my axes. My '75 sounds great unplugged, which is why I knew the Fat 50s had to go when they sounded shrill...in that guitar. After all, isn't tone tailoring why we're buying replacement pickups to start with? If my guitars sucked, I'd just be buying new guitars...

In regard to your question, I have a few pickups that I've acquired in the last few months that I haven't tried out yet...I'm waiting to get my M-box setup completed first so I can record samples of them all to compare. Right now I have a Texas Hot, an A2 strat, and a whole set of Chubtones that are still waiting to be installed, new in the boxes. I'm pretty anxious to hear the difference in the A2 and the Texas Hot...I wonder if I'll hear any difference.

I'll let you know what I find out GT.


Mark