Swamp Ash Superstrat -- bridge pickup suggestions

David Garner

David Garner

New member
So I built a nice Superstrat, body is swamp ash, neck is maple with a rosewood board. I have a JB in there now along with the Classic Stacks in the neck and middle. The JB is solid, I LOVE the split tone, but it's simultaneously a little harsh and a little weak sounding in this particular guitar. My Les Paul with a Super Distortion in the bridge just mauls it in terms of output and thick tone.

I know a swamp ash Superstrat with a Floyd isn't going to sound like that LP, but I'm hoping for suggestions for a bridge pickup that might do a better job of thickening up the tone, adding some punch, rounding off the high end and still split well. That last part is important -- this guitar is used about half the time as a normal Strat. It's only certain songs that get the humbucker flipped to both coils.

Thanks in advance. I'll hang up and listen.
 
The JB is already wound pretty hot, you might want to install a double thick A2 in it. That will fatten it up and round it out.
 
Technically, double-thick A2 isn't going to match the output of the stock A5 and the PATB-1/3 will also be lower in output (slightly) than the JB, though the PATB series were designed to tame bright/thin sounding guitars.

I say look at the Alt 8 or Invader from Duncan. Both are hot, warm pickups that split well.

If you go DiMarzio, you have a LOT more options...AT-1, Transition, Tone Zone, Gravity Storm, Dreamcatcher, Satchur8 etc. Hot, warm, and thick is sort of their specialty.

Did you know you can order the Nita Strauss "Pandemonium" directly from the DiMarzio at a normal price without the machined cover they originally came with? If you know you like the Super D and want to really take this Strat to the next level, you should have a look!
 
Masta' C said:
You must be right.
Click to expand...

I thought so. The bridge is competing with classic stax, he doesn't need more output, he just needs it filled out and fattened up. Double thick A2 will bump up the output compared to single thickness A5 in any case.
 
Clint 55 said:
I thought so. The bridge is competing with classic stax, he doesn't need more output, he just needs it filled out and fattened up. Double thick A2 is hotter than a regular thickness A5 tho.
Click to expand...

I'm not saying you're wrong about the magnet thing...magnet size definitely affects strength. You might be right, just haven't seen any numbers to back this up...I would think them fairly comparable, but I may be wrong
 
To my ear, double thick A2 is hotter than anything except for A8 or ceramic, but feel free to go measure it. The JB isn't at risk of being undergunned compared to the vintage singles lol. He just needs it fattened up and filled out. Plus he's already getting a good split tone, the mod pickups will make it worse.
 
Custom custom?

It's overwound 14k A2 based. If the JB split tone suits your fancy I am sure the CC would too. The CC should have more mids to help round off the treble.

As you know the JB is overwound 16k A5.
 
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Thanks to all. My intuition with this guitar is it needs hotter, less bright pickups. Mincer, does the 59/Custom have a lot of top end or is it pretty balanced? I'm leaning toward something in the Custom lineup, probably a Custom Custom, at this point. I have an A2 magnet I might try in the JB before I do, but I too worry it's going to drop output more than I want. JBs have always sounded a lot less hot to me than the specs indicate, and this one is no exception. It's just like it lacks punch. I raised it up and raised the pole pieces to get some more snarl out of it and I'll report back if that helps (I can't try it into a real amp until the wife and kids wake up). Failing that I might swap the A2 in and see what happens.

It isn't that it sounds bad. It's just that by comparison the Super Distortion in one Les Paul and the Custom Shop Pearly Gates in the other are less strident and more punchy. Part of that is probably the guitar, but I feel like I can get closer to what I want with this one too. Given that the Pearly Gates is a bright pickup and isn't very hot, I think this is just an issue with the JB not liking the Swamp Ash Strat bridge position as a resting spot. The JB I had in the other LP sounded great, though the Super D did kick it out once I got it.
 
The Hybrid's EQ is like a PAF...less mids and even treble and bass. The Custom Custom is the opposite. But what I love about the CC is how it can change with a magnet swap. The CC is more compressed-feeling. Both sound good clean and with gain, and both sound good split.
 
Mincer said:
The Hybrid's EQ is like a PAF...less mids and even treble and bass. The Custom Custom is the opposite. But what I love about the CC is how it can change with a magnet swap. The CC is more compressed-feeling. Both sound good clean and with gain, and both sound good split.
Click to expand...

The Custom Custom sounds more like what I'm after. I think, in order, I will 1) try out the JB as I have altered it (pole pieces and height), 2) try the CC, and 3) failing those, try the Tone Zone (thanks @Masta C).
 
David Garner said:
Thanks to all. My intuition with this guitar is it needs hotter, less bright pickups. Mincer, does the 59/Custom have a lot of top end or is it pretty balanced? I'm leaning toward something in the Custom lineup, probably a Custom Custom, at this point. I have an A2 magnet I might try in the JB before I do, but I too worry it's going to drop output more than I want. JBs have always sounded a lot less hot to me than the specs indicate, and this one is no exception. It's just like it lacks punch. I raised it up and raised the pole pieces to get some more snarl out of it and I'll report back if that helps (I can't try it into a real amp until the wife and kids wake up). Failing that I might swap the A2 in and see what happens.

It isn't that it sounds bad. It's just that by comparison the Super Distortion in one Les Paul and the Custom Shop Pearly Gates in the other are less strident and more punchy. Part of that is probably the guitar, but I feel like I can get closer to what I want with this one too. Given that the Pearly Gates is a bright pickup and isn't very hot, I think this is just an issue with the JB not liking the Swamp Ash Strat bridge position as a resting spot. The JB I had in the other LP sounded great, though the Super D did kick it out once I got it.
Click to expand...

Before writing the JB off try an A8 magnet in it, will boost the output somewhat and tame the harshness. My favourite bridge pup mod for high gain, works exceptionally well in both JB and Custom.
 
Mincer said:
In my swamp ash HSS strat, I have Classic Stacks and a 59/Custom Hybrid. They blend really well, and the Hybrid has a great split tone, too. No harshness at all.
Click to expand...

The Hybrid to me many times feels hotter than a JB because of how it's voiced. It seems to cut in a mix much better. On split tone with singles I was surprise after pulling the Perpetual Burn in my Kiesel DC and replacing it with a Hybrid how much better the PB sounded with the singles split than the Hybrid. Would have thought it would be the opposite but it sure was NOT! Have a PB back in that guitar now as a result. If you have never tried the PB split with singles do it it will surprise you best humbucker so far I have used split with singles.
Saying that a JB in a ash body Super Strat is normally a great combo. It's one of the few places I really like a JB.
From your comments on where you want to go will recommend a ALT 8.
 
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