What's the SD Equivalent of a 1965 Strat PU?

O

oceantracks

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If you were buying a new Strat and were back in 1965, what pickups did they use then and what does SD offer that is pretty much the same? Would it be the Surfers I keep hearing about?

Thanks
Tom
 
Re: What's the SD Equivalent of a 1965 Strat PU?

I see it online, as part of the California 50s set, and the description looks good, but I can' t find it on the SD website, nothing I see called an SSL...am I missing it here? Also the shots of it at Amazon and Musician's Friend show it as black....???

Tom
 
Re: What's the SD Equivalent of a 1965 Strat PU?

There isn't any Strat pickup by Duncan that resembles a '65.

'65s used Alnico 5 magnets, .0026" enamel wire and gray bottoms with an average of 5.8k.

No Duncan pickup resembles those specs. The Antiquity Surfers are based on early sixties pickups, which were Alnico 5, heavy formvar wire, black bottoms, and wound to around 6.3k. The SSL-1 are similar but un-aged.

The closest you can get would be Fender CS69's but apparently the wire in the late 60's is different. The chart Seymour came up with a long time ago says that in '67 the wire went from .0026" plain enamel to .0027" plain enamel. I really believe that's just a cork-sniffer difference, really.

If you're dead set on the '65, I know only two ways to get those specs. Buy a Fender CS65 Time Machine with those pickups (they don't sell them separately, you can only get them with the guitar) or have a small winder make you some.

If you're dead set on Duncan you could even go Duncan CS.
 
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Re: What's the SD Equivalent of a 1965 Strat PU?

tc said:
There isn't any Strat pickup by Duncan that resembles a '65.

'65s used Alnico 5 magnets, .0026" enamel wire and gray bottoms with an average of 5.8k.

No Duncan pickup resembles those specs. The Antiquity Surfers are based on early sixties pickups, which were Alnico 5, heavy formvar wire, black bottoms, and wound to around 6.3k. The SSL-1 are similar but un-aged.

The closest you can get would be Fender CS69's but apparently the wire in the late 60's is different. The chart Seymour came up with a long time ago says that in '67 the wire went from .0026" plain enamel to .0027" plain enamel. I really believe that's just a cork-sniffer difference, really.

If you're dead set on the '65, I know only two ways to get those specs. Buy a Fender CS65 Time Machine with those pickups (they don't sell them separately, you can only get them with the guitar) or have a small winder make you some.

If you're dead set on Duncan you could even go Duncan CS.
Click to expand...

Nice post!
What can you tell about the sound differences between
1. .0026" enamel wire and gray bottoms with an average of 5.8k. and
2. heavy formvar wire, black bottoms, and wound to around 6.3k

Let's say -alder strat, 1 piece maple neck
 
Re: What's the SD Equivalent of a 1965 Strat PU?

Stef said:
Nice post!
What can you tell about the sound differences between
1. .0026" enamel wire and gray bottoms with an average of 5.8k. and
2. heavy formvar wire, black bottoms, and wound to around 6.3k

Let's say -alder strat, 1 piece maple neck
Click to expand...


Pardon me but a '65 Stratocaster with an Alder body and a one piece maple neck would never have been built. The nearest equivalent would have been with a specially ordered two-piece maple neck.
 
Re: What's the SD Equivalent of a 1965 Strat PU?

Stef said:
Nice post!
What can you tell about the sound differences between
1. .0026" enamel wire and gray bottoms with an average of 5.8k. and
2. heavy formvar wire, black bottoms, and wound to around 6.3k

Let's say -alder strat, 1 piece maple neck
Click to expand...

Enamel wire tends to be warmer, but overwound Formvar kicks all sorts of ass for my tastes.

In general I'd say the 5.8k enamel to have a more hollow midrange, and a thumping kind of bass while the 6.3k formvar to have a bit more bite and midrange body. Think Experience era Hendrix vs. John Mayer with the Black One.

I know whatever Mayer has in his Black One is a total mystery but I don't know. To me it sounds like a killer early sixties Strat, or at least the tonal "image" or "stereotype" that has been instilled into my brain about how an early sixties slab board Strat would sound.

Hendrix at those times used a mid sixties Strat with a round-lam fretboard, which I guess could be called the middle point between a maple fretboard and a rosewood slab.

And just for the sake of awesomeness, Tomo Fujita blazing on a '62.
 
Re: What's the SD Equivalent of a 1965 Strat PU?

Do yourself a favor and go for the Fender 69's. Put them in my Am Std and they are as good as advertised especially with fuzz face and univibe.
 
Re: What's the SD Equivalent of a 1965 Strat PU?

Funkfingers said:
Pardon me but a '65 Stratocaster with an Alder body and a one piece maple neck would never have been built. The nearest equivalent would have been with a specially ordered two-piece maple neck.
Click to expand...

Yep, but i've got an alder strat with a maple neck and SSL-1's-
70's strats had 1 piece necks and grey pups..
 
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Re: What's the SD Equivalent of a 1965 Strat PU?

tc said:
Enamel wire tends to be warmer, but overwound Formvar kicks all sorts of ass for my tastes.

In general I'd say the 5.8k enamel to have a more hollow midrange, and a thumping kind of bass while the 6.3k formvar to have a bit more bite and midrange body. Think Experience era Hendrix vs. John Mayer with the Black One.

I know whatever Mayer has in his Black One is a total mystery but I don't know. To me it sounds like a killer early sixties Strat, or at least the tonal "image" or "stereotype" that has been instilled into my brain about how an early sixties slab board Strat would sound.

Hendrix at those times used a mid sixties Strat with a round-lam fretboard, which I guess could be called the middle point between a maple fretboard and a rosewood slab.

And just for the sake of awesomeness, Tomo Fujita blazing on a '62.
Click to expand...

Thanks!
I have SSL-1's
in the bridge : 6.7K
neck: 6.6K
They sound great btw..so I'm familliar with the tone of an overwound formvar SC...
 
Re: What's the SD Equivalent of a 1965 Strat PU?

Never tried 'em. But they do have similar specs (A5, enamel, etc).
 
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