What are the absolute best noiseless strat pickups?

Re: What are the absolute best noiseless strat pickups?

Kinman, every time for me.

No competition in the market for my tastes.

I love the build quality, seperate magnet spread for bridge, mid and neck so it aligns perfectly and most of all I LOVE their tone.
My personal favourites are the 62's.

I've also recently bought his new PAF+ humbucker which is being installed in my Anderson tomorrow.
Can't wait to try it.

I've tried all the Dimarzio noisless inc the rail versions, the YJM Duncans and none were in the same ball park.
Not tried the new Fralin split singles but I'm not convinced by the clips I've heard... they do look good though.
There's also the Zexcoil pickups that look amazing.
 
Re: What are the absolute best noiseless strat pickups?

Whatever ones give me the tone I like, run through a Decimator G string noise gate, because that way I don't have to limit myself to "noiseless" pickups. I can get all the tone of whatever pickup I want to use, but without the buzz, and no change in tone that I can detect.
 
Re: What are the absolute best noiseless strat pickups?

I'm not a huge fan of noiseless strat p'ups, as all I've tried lack that "something" that make a single coil what it is.

I've been through the following sets:

Lace Holy Grail
Duncan Classic Stack Plus
Kinman Woodstock
EMG SA

All get you in the ballpark... but none delivers the dynamics a real SC has... which it may or may not be a good thng... it's NOT for me.

The only strat I use is a PRS SE EG, loaded with a Custom handmade, handwound vintage spec set with three different polepiece spreads made by our own Zhangliqun, aka David Plummer, maker of Zhangbucker p'ups.

This set just delivers in this guitar: every single recorded tone of classic strat sounds is just a bit of EQ away. The dynamics are great to say the least, so... this set is not going anywhere any time soon, if ever!

HTH,
 
Re: What are the absolute best noiseless strat pickups?

I have also decided noiseless pups are not for me. I'd be happy with a low noise single coil. That's why I have decided to sell my Kinmans and get one of those noise cancelling backplates for myself. If I can knock 6dB off of the noise, I'd be happy.
 
Re: What are the absolute best noiseless strat pickups?

 
Re: What are the absolute best noiseless strat pickups?

fortysixyou said:
Call me crazy, but I love my Fender SCNs.
Click to expand...

I like those too. Had a set in a MIA Strat I had. Got them all aftermarket though. They sound really good to me. Not a vintage Strat tone, but a good Strat tone to my ears.

The best ones I have personally used, and use, are the Duncan Classic Stack Plus.
 
Re: What are the absolute best noiseless strat pickups?

there is no best. there is only best for you.

ive tried lots of em and the duncan classic stack+ is as good as ive found. they still dont sound like a '62 strat pup or surfer but they sound really good
 
Re: What are the absolute best noiseless strat pickups?

Im with kojak, jeremy and you mike - noiseless sets juts dont sound like regular single coils......
but im really keen to hear what you say about that backplate thing....juts make sure you spend some time with the regular noisy sound before you install it so you can the rest of us in the peanut gallery if there is a noticeble difference in tone.
 
Re: What are the absolute best noiseless strat pickups?

I have Suhr BPSSC (which is the ilitech / Lindy Fralin thing with different packaging). It works great! I'm using Duncans with it and it's virtually noise free, just make sure you don't use a RW RP middle single coil pickup and you should be good.
 
Re: What are the absolute best noiseless strat pickups?

Thanks for the affirmation man! Btw is that Sven in your avvie?
 
Re: What are the absolute best noiseless strat pickups?

wolf5150 said:
Kinman, every time for me.

No competition in the market for my tastes.

I love the build quality, seperate magnet spread for bridge, mid and neck so it aligns perfectly and most of all I LOVE their tone.
My personal favourites are the 62's.

I've also recently bought his new PAF+ humbucker which is being installed in my Anderson tomorrow.
Can't wait to try it.

I've tried all the Dimarzio noisless inc the rail versions, the YJM Duncans and none were in the same ball park.
Not tried the new Fralin split singles but I'm not convinced by the clips I've heard... they do look good though.
There's also the Zexcoil pickups that look amazing.
Click to expand...

Thanks. I wasn't sure if the Kinmans were true single coils or hum-cancelling singles. I'd like to hear about the PAF+. It sounds like it might be a good pickup so keep me posted after you install it.

gibson175 said:
geez! that thing looks interesting!
Click to expand...

It looked interesting to me too until I saw the price tag.

LtKojak said:
I'm not a huge fan of noiseless strat p'ups, as all I've tried lack that "something" that make a single coil what it is.

I've been through the following sets:

Lace Holy Grail
Duncan Classic Stack Plus
Kinman Woodstock
EMG SA

All get you in the ballpark... but none delivers the dynamics a real SC has... which it may or may not be a good thng... it's NOT for me.

The only strat I use is a PRS SE EG, loaded with a Custom handmade, handwound vintage spec set with three different polepiece spreads made by our own Zhangliqun, aka David Plummer, maker of Zhangbucker p'ups.

This set just delivers in this guitar: every single recorded tone of classic strat sounds is just a bit of EQ away. The dynamics are great to say the least, so... this set is not going anywhere any time soon, if ever!

HTH,
Click to expand...

What LTKojak with a great, non-sarcastic post? This is absolutely cool. Thanks for the info about the Woodstocks. Those are some I was looking at too. I have a sweet thin skin nitro black strat with maple neck that I want to turn into a classic strat or maybe something Gilmourish.

fortysixyou said:
Call me crazy, but I love my Fender SCNs.
Click to expand...

I think the SCN's are pretty good, but not pickups that I would want to use. The new NS3's are better in my opinion, but they don't have the output and touch response the SCN's have. They remind me of Dimarzio HS3 in the way that they handle high gain.
 
Re: What are the absolute best noiseless strat pickups?

Suhr/Ilitch BPSSC does an excellent job but the build in version is even better.

I do like Seymour's Vintage Rails - a fine sounding pickup.
 
Re: What are the absolute best noiseless strat pickups?

The effect of the backplate system could also be achieved by adding a dummy pickup out of phase with the regular three under the pickguard. I dont think it would need any polepieces in it either. Just the bobbin and wire from some piece of junk pickup. All it does is make like a humbucker and cancel the noise

The problem with this approach, and the advertised backplate system, is that you have to have all three regular pickups in phase, and most strats dont...
 
Re: What are the absolute best noiseless strat pickups?

MikeM said:
Click to expand...

is it just me or was there a big difference between the silent sound engaged and off? The non-noise cancelled mode sounded more harmonically rich on every setting...and it wasn't as subtle difference either.
However....i like the push pull thing...its be nice to have the option when noise is driving you up the wall.
 
Re: What are the absolute best noiseless strat pickups?

Gryphon said:
The effect of the backplate system could also be achieved by adding a dummy pickup out of phase with the regular three under the pickguard. I dont think it would need any polepieces in it either. Just the bobbin and wire from some piece of junk pickup. All it does is make like a humbucker and cancel the noise

The problem with this approach, and the advertised backplate system, is that you have to have all three regular pickups in phase, and most strats dont...
Click to expand...

the whole idea is basically a dummy coil just made in a way that its easy to put on your guitar. and with a big price tag.

gibson175 said:
is it just me or was there a big difference between the silent sound engaged and off? The non-noise cancelled mode sounded more harmonically rich on every setting...and it wasn't as subtle difference either.
Click to expand...

yup
 
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