Underwound SC Strat and Tele pickups

Re: Underwound SC Strat and Tele pickups

I have a Duncan/Musicman Albert Lee set in my MIJ 62 RI. All are flat poled alnico II units with small diameter poles. The bridge has a steel plate embedded underneath the poles. They give a chimey, comex tone that breaths a lot and let's the guitar really speak through them. With the right amp settingS I can play everything from Dire Straits cover tunes to screamy 80's metal.

BTW, the neck and mid come in around the mid 5k mark and the brIdGE is dead on 6k.

This is by far my fave true single set.
 
Re: Underwound SC Strat and Tele pickups

For some reason, I have in my head Clapton's Blues Power as an example of what these underwound pickups could sound like. But, I realize that was recorded with a standard/stock/pure vintage Fender pickups.
 
Re: Underwound SC Strat and Tele pickups

Guitar Toad said:
For some reason, I have in my head Clapton's Blues Power as an example of what these underwound pickups could sound like. But, I realize that was recorded with a standard/stock/pure vintage Fender pickups.
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Blackie was made from a bunch of Strats that Clapton bought for a $100. He took the best neck from one, best body from another, best pickups etc. I've seen a lot of articles and even a video of how the Fender Custom Shop made the replica Blackie. Unlike SRVs number one, nobody made any mention if there was anything unusual about the pickups, so you may be right! If the pickups were from a 50s Strat, they would probably be in the *underwound* range.
 
Re: Underwound SC Strat and Tele pickups

Guitar Toad said:
For some reason, I have in my head Clapton's Blues Power as an example of what these underwound pickups could sound like. But, I realize that was recorded with a standard/stock/pure vintage Fender pickups.
Click to expand...

That is so wild; I think of the exact same song when I think of underwound strat pups.

In terms of the thread topic, I have some Strat pups that are in the area of 5.9-6.3. I really like them for their clarity even when using moderate amounts of gain. I certainly prefer them over "hot" strat winds, which get too muddy for my tastes. The 6K Strat pickup really shines when you are boosting with an OD but shooting for a clean tone...bring the level up but keep the gain at under 25% and it's just a nice thick clean tone that retains sparkle.

My only complaint is that it's very hard to get a balanced bridge tone out of a set of pickups wound in this range. I don't know how much hotter I'd go with the bridge and still retain balance, but to me there are few things that sound worse than an anemic, icepicky Strat pickup in the bridge.
 
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Re: Underwound SC Strat and Tele pickups

I was trying to imagine what an weaker or underwound would sound like...then Blues Power popped in my head and thought if anything that might be really close. I'm glad you chimed in Farkus.

I really like the Antiquity Texas Hot Custom Bridge which is about 10k. I'm thinking an underwound would be perfect or if my Texas Hot neck was closer to 5.8k it might be perfect for the neck position.
 
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