which strat bridge pickup to get???

[appar111]

I'm thinking of converting the single full-size humbucker position on my tele and I'll most likely go with a single coil. I already have the adaptor ring picked out-- non-slanted.

I'm looking for something that can do a nice bitey, raw strat bridge sound, but not weak or thin and that sounds as good clean as it does distorted. That last qualification might knock alot of the stack options out of the running as alot of them sound flat.

Something hum-cancelling is preferred but not necessary. Ideally something that covers everything from the Stooges to the Police to Alice Cooper.

Possible candidates are:

Dimarzio Injector
Dimarzio SDS-1
Dimarzio VV Heavy Blues
Duncan SSL-5 or SSL-6
Duncan Twangbanger

Any other good ones that I'm missing, or if not, what's best out of the above choices?

I could also go with a basic Dimarzio FS-1, or a Fender Texas Special or Custom Shop '54 bridge pickup.

what are your thoughts?

thanks!
J.

 

[Despair]

Re: which strat bridge pickup to get???

The hum-cancelling equivalent of the SSL-6 is the STK-S6 Custom Stack Plus. Assuming that your humbucker is in the bridge position, it's an excellent choice.

Might be fatter than you want, not bitey enough if that's a neck humbucker slot you are replacing to try to get a bridge sound out of...

 

[appar111]

Re: which strat bridge pickup to get???

Despair-
Yep, it's the bridge position on a single pickup tele. Not even routed for a neck pickup on this one! I'll do a little recon on the STK-S6.

 

[Despair]

Re: which strat bridge pickup to get???

Despair-
Yep, it's the bridge position on a single pickup tele. Not even routed for a neck pickup on this one! I'll do a little recon on the STK-S6.

I figured that was what you meant, but figured better annoying about precision than confusion.

Custom Shop makes Stack Plus models these days, so if you have a Duncan model you like but can't take the buzz on, and that fits your budget, that's another option.

 

[appar111]

Re: which strat bridge pickup to get???

Some others that look like they might be good:

Duncan Quarter Pounder SSL-4
Dimarzio FS-1
Dimarzio Red Velvet
Antiquity Texas Hot custom bridge
Antiquity II Surf custom bridge

All except for the SSL-4 seem to be different takes on a hotter traditional strat bridge pickup.

I think I may have ruled out the Dimarzio Areas or Injector as I want something that sounds organic and not artificial and I've read some stuff about them being almost too perfect.

 

[Andrew Lamprecht]

Re: which strat bridge pickup to get???

I really like the quarter pounder stuff but it's definitely not a trad single coil.

 

[appar111]

Re: which strat bridge pickup to get???

yeah, for a more trashy sort of sound, something more along the lines of a traditional strat pickup would work better. Hard to find something that embodies the good qualities of a strat bridge pickup without the bad stuff like it being thin and weak.

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: which strat bridge pickup to get???

I like the irony of fitting a Twangbanger into a Tele-shaped guitar. I am also enormously fond of it as a pickup. Vintage-style stamped steel bridge saddles make an important contribution to the tone.

 

[WhooHoo]

Re: which strat bridge pickup to get???

I like Fender Vintage 57/62 Strat pickups.

Very clear and bell like in a Strat when clean and sound great when overdriven.

No Hum Cancelling, just natural single coil noise like everyone recorded all the 60s and 70s classics with.

 

[BachToRock]

Re: which strat bridge pickup to get???

Put a Phat Cat in there... they sound great in Fender guitars!

 

[appar111]

Re: which strat bridge pickup to get???

I like the irony of fitting a Twangbanger into a Tele-shaped guitar. I am also enormously fond of it as a pickup. Vintage-style stamped steel bridge saddles make an important contribution to the tone.

Even more ironic that it's cut for a bridge humbucker! This guitar is a basket case, but it's got a good body (Rutters tele body) and a solid allparts strat neck on it and plays great.

 

[tenniso]

Re: which strat bridge pickup to get???

i will 2nd the Twangbanger. i just put one in my MIM strat bridge slot with a Dimarzio air classic in the neck. the pickup is mounted straight across the strings in a H/H pickguard. i like it a lot. it sounds kinda like a p90 and tele mixed to my ears, and so far i really like it. it is definitely not thin sounding, but very bold but also very clear sounding. all the notes ring out with ease. also, mine is DEAD QUIET! it really does sound like it's description.