Which Pickup for Strat?

[brixtonanimal]

I need a recommendation on a semi-versatile pickup for my strat. I currently have an invader pickup in the bridge and a dirty fingers in the neck (can you tell i like Tom Delonge). The whole rig was wired by yours truly about 10 years ago, and I did a very shoddy job. I took it into a shop to get the issues corrected but the guitar still sounds like ****.

The guitar in question is the Jimmy Vaughan signature strat with the alder body and maple neck. I play mostly hard rock and metal (ranging from 80's hair to more modern asking alexandria type). What i need is something that can handle the metal tones, but isnt so fat and chunky that its a one trick pony. The pickup selector tool on the SD site recommended p-rails, but I fear that they may not have high enough output. Any recommendations on this would be fantastic.

Rob

 

[PFDarkside]

Re: Which Pickup for Strat?

Can you describe in a little more detail how it sounds and how you'd prefer it to sound?

I can definitely see the Dirty Fingers being too hot for the neck, but the Invader sound be a good pickup for your guitar and style. Are you confident in the current wiring of the guitar after getting it back from the tech?

 

[brixtonanimal]

Re: Which Pickup for Strat?

It just seems to sound a bit garbage. I am going to be rewiring it within the next few weeks so I should have something better sounding. Would switching to something like a JB/Jazz setup offer a big enough change to justify the cost?

 

[brixtonanimal]

Re: Which Pickup for Strat?

Any recommendations guys???

 

[OsvyRock]

Re: Which Pickup for Strat?

Any recommendations guys???

A Black Winter set, a Duncan Distortion set or Duncan Custom/Jazz set could do for you.
They will get the metal sounds you're looking for, and I imagine that they have bass but not as the INVADER.

I use the Duncan Custom and I can nail lots of tones with it!


PS. Your amp and pedals may play a more important part than the pickups themselves for the tone you're looking for.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Which Pickup for Strat?

Yeah, the Jazz/Custom is a good set, and so is something like the Jazz/Alt8. Either way the sound will be huge and open and tight. The JB might be a little too much on the hard rock side, though.

 

[marcello252]

Re: Which Pickup for Strat?

I vote for Jazz custom too

 

[powdermnky007]

Re: Which Pickup for Strat?

I recently lowered my pickups and that made a big improvement in my quality of my sound. Play around with that first.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Which Pickup for Strat?

I am a big fan of exhausting all possible adjustments on current pickups before you give up. But sometimes, pickups that you'd think would work don't in a particular guitar.

 

[Masta' C]

Re: Which Pickup for Strat?

First: Verify your wiring, pots and all the solder joints are up to par...replace if necessary (might be a good idea anyway)

Second: Spend some time adjusting the pickup heights to see if you can find a response you like

Third: Toss the Dirty Fingers and stick a Jazz in the neck like others have suggested. Likewise, if the Invader isn't doing it for you at that point, the JB or the Custom are both pretty solid choices for rock/metal and very popular. You may also want to consider the matched Black Winter set, which is a great set for clarity under gain.

 

[brixtonanimal]

Re: Which Pickup for Strat?

I put in the custom/jazz set and had it professionally installed (amazing job). Needless to say I am extremely happy with the outcome. So much response and an amazing tone compared to the last setup.

Robert

 

[Mincer]

Re: Which Pickup for Strat?

I am happy it worked out! Can we hear how cool it sounds?