What pickups would you choose for an H/S setup?

ColeJustesen

ColeJustesen

New member
I have a GJ2 Arete that utilizes a humbucker in the bridge and a single coil in the neck. I actually really like the sound of the stock pickups, however there is a volume disparity between the two. I was thinking of swapping out the neck pickup for a stacked single coil to help match levels. That said I am not sure which one would be the best. I predominantly play rock style music, so I need something that can do gain and cleans well.

My guitar is a sapele body and neck, with a rosewood fretboard. The bridge humbucker reminds me of a Duncan '59 volume and sound wise. I was looking at the STK-S4 or the STK-S7, but not sure which would match the best. I think I like the sound of the STK-S7 more than the STK-S4. If I wanted to change the humbucker to match the STK-S7 best, what humbucker would match it the best. What do you all suggest? Maybe a Custom/STK-S7 set?

Cole
 
The wrong ones apparently.:thumbsdow

I did this and in my strat copy used a cool rails with a patb-3...but neither was what I was after:

The rails wasn't single coiley enough and the trembucker was too scooped.

It's still a work in progress although I think I'll just stick with HSS, currently has a custom with a2 and an Stk-s4 and there is a volume difference, but probably the S7 being that bit higher output would work for you.
 
Thanks for your reply. I am curious now as to how much a difference there would be in output from the STK-S4 and the STK-S7... I expect there to be some, but it is quite pronounced in my current setup. Hopefully someone else has some insight/experience in this kind of setup.

Cole
 
I know that this is kind of blasphemous, but is the volume disparity really that much of a deal breaker? If you play mostly rock, won't you tend to dwell in your bridge pickup? Then switch to the neck for clean playing? If that's the case, the volume drop could work in your favor. Especially if you play into an amp at the edge of breakup.
But to otherwise answer your question, I think that I would use a 5/2 in the neck paired with a Jazz b.

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I like to use my neck pickup for playing leads, and not only clean stuff. It does work for dropping the volume and staying clean, but I would like a bit more output. I didn't specify what roles the pickups played previously, so sorry for not clarifying. I forgot about the 5/2, I will look into that one. Thanks!

Cole
 
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A 59 with an STK-S4 would be my choice. They should be pretty close in volume, and as 2 very dynamic pickups, they would be great for many kinds of music.
 
A 5/2 in the neck with a 59 b would have been my second recommendation.

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Thanks for input everyone! I will look into them. I have an email out to Rio Grande pickups to see what they sound recommend from their catalog too. I have never played the STK-S4; how close to the traditional single coil do they sound?

Cole
 
ColeJustesen said:
Thanks for input everyone! I will look into them. I have an email out to Rio Grande pickups to see what they sound recommend from their catalog too. I have never played the STK-S4; how close to the traditional single coil do they sound?

Cole
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Very close. They are a little louder, a little rounder, and dead quiet. My #1 choice when I want a single coil sound.
 
I have both STK-S4 (neck) and STK-S7 (bridge) in a LTD ST-213 (Fender Strat clone), dummy middle. Really like them, a bit more output than regular Strat singe-coils IMO, a very well balanced set sound wise and volume wise, more modern than vintage IMO.
Before that, I had the STK-S7 in the neck with a Screamin Demon in the bridge. The STK-S7 was too dark for me in the neck compared to other guitars I have. The output was also to much for the Screamin Demon, which is a moderate output and very bright. Might be a better match for the 59 bridge (never had one so cannot comment) but the STK-S7 is definitely not what I want in the neck, too dark and too strong for me YMMV. But almost the perfect bridge single-coil.
 
playas said:
I did this and in my strat copy used a cool rails with a patb-3...but neither was what I was after:
Click to expand...

That's interesting, because that sounds like a killer combo. To each his own, I guess. :)

Mincer said:
A 59 with an STK-S4 would be my choice. They should be pretty close in volume, and as 2 very dynamic pickups, they would be great for many kinds of music.
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That sounds good too, but I might substitute the Perpetual Burn for the 59. Again . . . different strokes.
 
I’d go for a Pearly Gates bridge with a mag swap for extra kick - A6 or A8 depending on the guitar - and an SLL-6 in the neck

I love the wind of the Pearly, and a mag swap can let it dive head first into more modern sounds without shaking off its vintage PAF roots

To me, the classic strat neck pickup is just lovely, and the SSL-6 captures that tone wonderfully, while also having the extra output to keep up with a hot humbucker

You all seem to like the ‘59. I have one laying around, and put an A3 in it when I put it in the neck. I wonder how well it would handle an A6 or 8 in the bridge.... thanks for inspiring more tone chasing, SD community....
 
ArtieToo said:
That's interesting, because that sounds like a killer combo. To each his own, I guess. :)



That sounds good too, but I might substitute the Perpetual Burn for the 59. Again . . . different strokes.
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I generally prefer strat neck pickups to humbuckers so I missed the extra highend with the cool rails.

I really like a lot about the trembucker, but not the fact that it's scooped as I was really after something with more mids. Funny you should mention the perpetual burn as that most likely would have been more in line with what I was after.

The trembucker / cool rails combo would probably a perfect combo for an Iron Maiden covers band for example.
 
'59 - S4 is a solid recommendation although I prefer PG or PG+ in the bridge. S4 is very close to traditional single coil, while S7 is a hot vintage pickup which I personally like for smokier sound in the neck. I'd pair it with Screamin' Demon or '59/Custom Hybrid. Some people pair it with JB.
 
I keep listening to demos of the S4 and I think that it might be too Strat sounding for what I want. I think of the stacked options, the S7 is my preferred neck sound. I have it on another guitar, and I know I love the way it sounds there. I really like the sound I am hearing from the PGs too, but I am doubting the S7 would work with that pickup. Besides the aforementioned Screamin' Demon and '59/Custom, what other pickups would work... Could the Custom match?

Thanks for all the information everyone!

Cole
 
Went Custom5 / Lil'59 on my ESP LTD MH-1000HS. The Lil'59 does series / parallel wiring.

Perfect set for the tones I want out of that axe. Clearly the better option than the stock Pegasus / Hot Rails it came with.
 
Synapsys said:
Went Custom5 / Lil'59 on my ESP LTD MH-1000HS. The Lil'59 does series / parallel wiring.

Perfect set for the tones I want out of that axe. Clearly the better option than the stock Pegasus / Hot Rails it came with.
Click to expand...

That sounds like a great setup, too. What's the sound difference between the Little 59 in series or parallel?
 
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