Vintage Hot Stack Plus STK-S7

[ErikH]

Has anybody tried this one out yet? How is it in the neck and middle? How much more beefed up than the Classic Stack Plus is it?

I have a Classic Stack Plus right now in the neck and middle with a Screamin' Demon in the bridge but am curious about this new one. I love the Classic Stack Plus. Really great in pretty much any environment and matches up well with the Demon.

 

[frankfalbo]

Re: Vintage Hot Stack Plus STK-S7

I'd advise leaving the CS+ in the middle and trying the Vintage Hot in the neck. The Vintage Hot and the Classic share the same kind of wire, so the degree of "more hot" is closely related to the dc resistance. The Custom and the Hot both have different wire, like their respective non-humcancelling counterparts. So dc is less of an indicator.

 

[ErikH]

Re: Vintage Hot Stack Plus STK-S7

Thanks, Frank. How about with matching up with a hotter humbucker in the bridge, like a Custom series, JB or the like? Would the Vintage Hots in the neck and middle be ok there or would it be better to go with the Custom Stack at that point?

I'm looking at a match up throughout the whole setup. I don't mind the classic JB/SSL-1/SSL-1 setup that was used in the 80's. But, if one wanted the neck and middle matched better, which would be the better route to go (without using rails)? Vintage Hot or Custom Stack?

 

[frankfalbo]

Re: Vintage Hot Stack Plus STK-S7

With a louder bridge pickup, you can use two Vintage Hots or just move the Vintage Hot to the middle, and put a Custom Stack Plus in the neck. Custom series/Vintage Hot/Custom is one of my favorite H/S/S combos.

 

[ErikH]

Re: Vintage Hot Stack Plus STK-S7

Sweet. Thanks. I may have to try them at some point. Like I said, I love the CS+, but a little more punch from them would be nice. The Vintage Hots seem to be the ticket there.

 

[BigJoe77]

Re: Vintage Hot Stack Plus STK-S7

I have one that I used in the neck position. (Actually switched them all around, but liked it best in the neck). Definitely takes the classic stack plus sound and cranks it up another notch or two. If you're looking for a little more punch, the Vintage Hot is it. If you are looking for Mike Tyson in the Hangover more punch, then maybe the Custom Stack is where it's at.

An analogy that Frank has used in the past is that the Vintage Hot is like the Classic stack plus gear revved up a bit whereas the Custom Stack plus is like shifting in to another gear. An absolutely perfect analogy for the differences.

If Frank comes back here, I'd like to know if there is an equivalent in the non stack lineup of the Vintage Hot Stack Plus.

 

[frankfalbo]

Re: Vintage Hot Stack Plus STK-S7

No, not really. There's a hot bridge model of both Antiquities, but otherwise it would have to be an overwound SSL 1. We'll see how it does as a stack for now, and you can always split to the top coil if you want a true single coil and plan to hum cancel with another pickup.

 

[nosferatus]

Re: Vintage Hot Stack Plus STK-S7

Hello! I didn't want to start a new thread since there are some about this pickup already. My question is about the tone chart. This pickup is listed as 7 / 5 / 5 (b/m/t) Is that maybe wrong? It makes more sence to me to be reversed (5/5/7) Since it is supposed to be similar to a classic SSL fender single coil just a bit hotter.
They say it makes a great neck pickup so the 7 bass and the 5 treble really does seem weird to me.

For those who have tried this pick do you think its voicing is similar to a Texas Special? I love Stevie Ray but I hate texas specials . (I had a set and it sounded kind of harsh to me)I like classic fender pickups , even American Standards and I am looking for something Fat and noiseless (but I must like the tone of it!)
Besides single coils I dont have problems with hotter pickups , like most standard PAF-style humbuckers (in the right guitars of course)

 

[ErikH]

Re: Vintage Hot Stack Plus STK-S7

This thread is nearly a year old. There is no problem with starting a new thread about this, especially since you are asking new questions. Unfortunately, I don't have any of the answers.

 

[PearlyHellhound]

Re: Vintage Hot Stack Plus STK-S7

Having a good year, finally, and getting a Engl Fireball 100 half stack. Plus a American deluxe fat strat. So I was thinking of a pickups set that could handle dark distorted tones and yet still have strat tone. Any suggestion?

 

[gregory]

Re: Vintage Hot Stack Plus STK-S7

I'd advise leaving the CS+ in the middle and trying the Vintage Hot in the neck. The Vintage Hot and the Classic share the same kind of wire, so the degree of "more hot" is closely related to the dc resistance. The Custom and the Hot both have different wire, like their respective non-humcancelling counterparts. So dc is less of an indicator.

Sorry to bump an old thread, but this little nugget had me wondering about the STK-S4B. How is it that the DCR of the bridge model of the S4 on the website (8.5k) is less than that of the middle (8.6k) which is less than that of the neck model (8.7k)?

 

[jeremy]

Re: Vintage Hot Stack Plus STK-S7

seems like its backwards? the stks4b is hotter and darker than the other stks4 models

 

[Chistopher]

Re: Vintage Hot Stack Plus STK-S7

It's probably a mistake. Those happen a lot on the SD website for some reason.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Vintage Hot Stack Plus STK-S7

This may be a website issue more than anything. I've used a trio of those pickups before (but didn't measure the DCR). The bridge isn't really much hotter, but they sound pretty balanced.

 

[jeremy]

Re: Vintage Hot Stack Plus STK-S7

having put the bridge model in the neck, its noticeably higher output and darker than the neck model

 

[gregory]

Re: Vintage Hot Stack Plus STK-S7

Thanks for the replies.

I went back and had a look at the 2009 catalog. The DCR and resonant peak for the three versions of the STK-S4 are listed as follows:

STK-S4N: 9.62 k, 5.70 kHz
STK-S4M: 9.75 k, 5.45 kHz
STK-S4B: 10.36 k, 5.20 kHz​

...and for the STK-S7 from the Pickup Comparison Chart:

STK-S7: 11.97k, 4.50 kHz​

I'm interested in how the S7 and S4B compare in the neck position.

Also, if anyone has a newer pdf catalog with technical information, I'd love a copy.

 

[Chistopher]

Re: Vintage Hot Stack Plus STK-S7

I use the STK-S7 as my go to recommendation for a noiseless Strat pickup for the neck slot, but the S4b might not be that bad. After all, they do share the same type and gauge of wire. If 12k isn't too dark, I don't think 10.4k would be either.

 

[jeremy]

Re: Vintage Hot Stack Plus STK-S7

i dont love the stks4b in the neck, sounds good for solos but its too dark for cleaner things, ill probably swap it out for something else at some point. havent tried the stks7 in the neck to compare but love the stks7 in the bridge

 

[gregory]

Re: Vintage Hot Stack Plus STK-S7

I don't imagine the STK-S7 will be any brighter.

I'm trying to get a handle on which will is louder in the neck position in order to better balance with an Injector Bridge: the Area 61 or the STK-S7. Demos and anecdotes point to the Area 61 having more HF extension. AFAICT, both pickups are shooting at the same style of tone.

 

[jeremy]

Re: Vintage Hot Stack Plus STK-S7

i like the stks7 in the bridge better than the stks4b. seems a little meatier, still bright but its a bridge pup so it should be. matches very well with the stks4n & stks4m both tonally and output wise. cant help with the area 61 since i havent a/b'd it against any of the duncan stack plus pups