Strat Pickups Much? What You Got?

What do you think of using 2 magnet types in Strat pickups @Eagle. Like A4 or 5 for wound strings and A2 or 3 for unwound?
 
Do you guys think there are big differences between different strat pickup models with basically the same spec?

Reason I ask is that with humbuckers, I understand how there could be so many variables. you've got two coils which can be wound with different wire, different turns, different pattern, different relative to each other, the magnet is right down at the bottom so all the metal material in the pickup really shapes how the field propagates around the pickup, eddy currents in the baseplate, covers, pole piece design etc etc etc.

With a strat pickup it just seems to me that they're so much simpler - the only metal is the magnetic pole pieces and the coil, and they're all right up there near the string so a much more direct sound. Beyond magnet type, the wire type and number of winds, I struggle to see how an SD, Tonerider, Fender, or boutique pickup of 6k and the same kind of pole pieces could really differ.

But I don't have the experience to know really. I've stuck with Tonerider City Limits since 2008...
 
We're spoiled for choice with really great pickup winders in the UK. I went down the rabbit hole with pAf style pickups a good few years ago now and came to the conclusion that they were all really similar and I was just wasting money chasing another 5%.

Since then I just picked the builder I liked best and have just ordered everything from them ever since. These days I decide what style I want e.g. 50s or 60s strat Pickups, then call Marc at Mojo and tell him what kind I music I want to play with them, type of sounds (maybe reference an artist tone), what guitar it's going in etc and then just buy whichever set he recommends.

I've only ever had to change one set he's recommended in the last 12 years, plus always buying from the same person means they get to know what you like and what you don't.
 
My Strat came with noiseless pickups and they do everything okay, but nothing great to my ears. I want to change them, but have been stuck in the rabbit hole since I got it. It's like I think I found what I want then read something somewhere and I'm back to questioning my decisions and go looking again.

I'm not a Strat purist and it would be nice to have, but I play a lot of different stuff. Think everything from 90's grunge & rock, 80's stuff, to 60 classic stuff like Led Zep. I want the best of both worlds, I want to sound like a Strat and an LP so I can play everything with this guitar. I know that's impossible but I'm thinking of changing from a SSS to a HSS to start the process.

My last idea is to put CS Fat 60's in the middle and neck and put a DiMarzio rail in the bridge like a Chopper or Fast Track 1 or 2. Or I may rail the whole thing out and see how that works for a while. Who knows...
 
Byrdman said:
thinking of changing from a SSS to a HSS to start the process.
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My Charvel is a Rail SS config and I'm not really happy about the Pickups and I need Noiseless so I'm swapping them out for a Set of Dimarzios, settled on Fast track 2 Rail in the bridge and 61 in the neck and 58 in the Middle

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Stone said:
My Charvel is a Rail SS config and I'm not really happy about the Pickups and I need Noiseless so I'm swapping them out for a Set of Dimarzios, settled on Fast track 2 Rail in the bridge and 61 in the neck and 58 in the Middle

View attachment 7544
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Man, our playing styles and music must be pretty similar! I have considered the same setup in my Strat. Let me know how that works out for you. Fat chance, but if you live in Central FL I'd travel to come play some music, lol
 
I’ve got those Pribora Classics in my Sunburst Strat. I really liked ‘em at first but am finding them a bit too tame as of late. No clue how much they cost, they came in the partscaster but they’re supposedly handwound in Russia. While they’re tame, they do sound great and they’re well balanced, but they’re so tame I need to use entirely different presets/signal chains between those and the Gilmour Strat with the EMG’s.
 
@la szum If you're interested in trad-style A2 pickups then I've got a Lollar Vintage Blonde neck and middle that you can have, gratis.

Neck 5.6
Middle 5.8

I decided to swap those 2 out for the Sixty-Fours because I wanted just a touch more mids. The Blondes have a slightly more scooped glassy tone.

EDIT: Ach... just remembered these are flat pole and you may want more traditional staggered?
 
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Suhr ML's (Mike Landau) because that's what came in my Suhr with and SSV humbucker in the bridge.

When I had a Fender strat, I liked the Fat 50's. You will get the 60 cycle hum from them, but they do sound great IMO.
 
TubeStack said:
I really like the stock pickups in my AV “Thin Skin” Strat. I’ll have to check the name, I always forget it.

I like them better than a Lollar set I had in a different Strat.
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To expand on this, what I like about the Custom 54s vs the Lollar Blackfaces I had, is the 54s have more bite and overall Stratty character. The Lollar neck in particular was pretty bassy/boomy and the bridge mid-heavy and humbucker-ish, whereas the 54s have that upper mid crunch and treble/"air". They seem to have a greater range of tones available, using the tone and volume knobs, because of the greater level of highs you can use or dial out if needed.

In general, the 54s have all those quintessential Strat sounds, like if you just imagine any classic Strat tone or riff from the 60s/70s, they sound exactly like them. Which, as Gore says, for some might be boring, but for me is super fun and what I want from a Strat (being mainly an LP guy).
 
I'm mr. vanilla and think the stock V mods in my strat are just dandy. Clock in right at $200 for the set too it looks like lol


Fralin makes kick ass fender pickups, but I don't think you can get 3 for $200
 
My Godin Classic CT has Lindy Fralin P-90 really love them, they are better sounding to my ears than the stock Seymour Duncans that came with the guitar
 
I had a set of Lindy Fralin Vintage Hot pickups that everyone raved about. They sounded good, but not magical. They were really similar to the Suhr V63 pickups I had previously to be honest.

Another good set of pickups you can sometimes find for cheap used are K-Lines. Quality is as good or better than Fralin and you can find them for $150 used sometimes. I have a set of the 64's but would like to try the Signatures. I also have the Signature Tele pickups and they are quite good too.

If you're looking at Dimarzio Area pickups, I think the Area 61 is a really good neck pickup. I have that in my Ibanez AZ now along with an Area 67 middle pickup. You do lose something compared to standard single coils but they are extremely quiet. The 67 makes the 2/4 positions jump a little more compared to the 58 which I find a bit bland. The 61 is nicely hotter and bigger sounding without being overly hot.

The best bridge Area pickup I've found is the Virtual Solo, their hottest one. The Area pickups to my ears lack the big low end of a good single coil, so a lot of the Area pickups sound neutered in the bridge.

I have a Chopper and don't like it much. It is closer to a humbucker sound but seems to lack the clarity and presence of a good PAF style humbucker. It's a bit middy and boomy. I'd try the Fast Track pickup that's a little lower output to blend with Areas or single coils.
 
Jarick said:
I have a Chopper and don't like it much. It is closer to a humbucker sound but seems to lack the clarity and presence of a good PAF style humbucker. It's a bit middy and boomy. I'd try the Fast Track pickup that's a little lower output to blend with Areas or single coils.
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Do you have that Chopper in the bridge position?
 
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