VM Strat with hot bridge single, not quite hot enough

[Bobbo]

I have the Vintage Mod 70s strat with the Duncan Designed single coil set. I am digging how the neck and middle play with my Peavey Vypyr but am finding the bridge pickup does not quite push enough gain from the emulated models. I tweaked the models I regularly use, XXX and Recto, for both EQ and gain but still have needed to resort to a boost to get the gain levels I like. According to what I find online the DD bridge coil is about 12k. For comparison I used to play an HSH Strat with a Custom 5 then swapped for a GFS Alnico V at about 8.5k through this Vypyr and was able to get the gain where I wanted easily with the Custom 5 and with the lower output 'bucker.

I do value a passable clean tone with the bridge, which is why I dropped from the Custom 5 to the GFS pickup in the last strat. On the other hand my neck/mid tastes have gone from humbuckers to warmish singles and I do not want to overpower those in this strat, again online info puts them at around 7k.

So from a pushing gain perspective, and say what you will about a Vypyr but I find it realistic enough for bedroom work, i am thinking of two directions:

1) an even hotter single with a bigger magnetic field like a Quarter Pounder or Dimarzio SDS-1

Or

2) a Little 59 or possibly even the Little Screamin Demon, or similar.

What i would like to accomplish is to push the output closer to the 8.5k full size humbucker from my last guitar. If it would work with a QP or SDS-1 i'd prefer it, but I just don't know if I am going to need a dual coil to get that output.

The body is HSS routed so the option being the most work would be a pickguard swap and a regular 'bucker but again if a QP or SDS-1 would get me there it would be preferred for this guitar, I like the way it looks now.

 

[Rockstar216]

Re: VM Strat with hot bridge single, not quite hot enough

You can use a hotter single in the bridge but you will lose a bit of high end sparkle.

 

[Bobbo]

Re: VM Strat with hot bridge single, not quite hot enough

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You can use a hotter single in the bridge but you will lose a bit of high end sparkle.

Thanks. But maybe read my post. Bridge is already a 12k single.

 

[Rockstar216]

Re: VM Strat with hot bridge single, not quite hot enough

DC does not determine a pups output. But a single size humbucker will not sound like a single. If you want the sound of a bucker in the bridge maybe try the lil screamin demon.

If you want a single try the quarter pounder.

 

[pflug]

Re: VM Strat with hot bridge single, not quite hot enough

Although a little more work, HSS may be your best bet with a "real" medium/ hot humbucker. Easy to add a split or even just auto split with the middle for lots of options

Often it's also be easier to find a deal on a used full sized bucker, may save enough cash to offset the added cost of a new pickguard and switch or push/pull pot

 

[Bobbo]

Re: VM Strat with hot bridge single, not quite hot enough

I know I can't rely on DC so what I'd like to know is whether or not the output of a single coil with a more powerful magnetic field like a Quarter Pounder or SDS-1 will approach the output of the mild (for a humbucker) 8.5k alnico V humbucker.