Strat Pickups Much? What You Got?

[Jarick]

Do you have that Chopper in the bridge position?

Yes, or at least I did. I have the Chopper T as well, very similar. They sounded too much like cheap ceramic pickups for lack of a better description. Like those old import guitars with cheap pickups, kind of the same vibe. Just didn't work for me.

Honestly, I haven't found a lot of bridge single coils I loved. My ideal pickups are like a low output PAF bridge and low output P90 neck if that makes sense...I like the thickness of humbuckers in the bridge and avoiding harshness, but with openness and clarity. Then in the neck I like single coils but I don't like them to be low output, thin, or plinky.

So for Strat pickups, I think that's why I like the V60LP's...they are Strat pickups but about as hot as you can get while still being quasi vintage sounding, and then the high end is rolled off a tick so they aren't harsh. Makes it easier to jump between those and humbuckers.

I've had so, so many pickups over the years. I had these Manlius pickups that had two bridge pickups, one was a P90 style with steel screws and little bar magnets (like half size ones), and one was a Broadcaster style with flat poles and a base plate. Not bad, but just missed the mark.

I spent an hour on the phone with Chris from K-Line and he did some custom pickups for me, those were pretty good but I didn't quite jive with them. Sold them but should have kept them, interesting. I think they were close to his 64's with flat pole pieces in the neck/middle and a hotter alnico 2 bridge also with flat pole pieces.

Some that I haven't tried are the Fralin split blades, those look cool. I've tried Zexcoil (not bad) and Mojotone Quiet Coil (too weak and bright/thin).

 

[Byrdman]

Yes, or at least I did. I have the Chopper T as well, very similar. They sounded too much like cheap ceramic pickups for lack of a better description. Like those old import guitars with cheap pickups, kind of the same vibe. Just didn't work for me.

Honestly, I haven't found a lot of bridge single coils I loved. My ideal pickups are like a low output PAF bridge and low output P90 neck if that makes sense...I like the thickness of humbuckers in the bridge and avoiding harshness, but with openness and clarity. Then in the neck I like single coils but I don't like them to be low output, thin, or plinky.

So for Strat pickups, I think that's why I like the V60LP's...they are Strat pickups but about as hot as you can get while still being quasi vintage sounding, and then the high end is rolled off a tick so they aren't harsh. Makes it easier to jump between those and humbuckers.

I've had so, so many pickups over the years. I had these Manlius pickups that had two bridge pickups, one was a P90 style with steel screws and little bar magnets (like half size ones), and one was a Broadcaster style with flat poles and a base plate. Not bad, but just missed the mark.

I spent an hour on the phone with Chris from K-Line and he did some custom pickups for me, those were pretty good but I didn't quite jive with them. Sold them but should have kept them, interesting. I think they were close to his 64's with flat pole pieces in the neck/middle and a hotter alnico 2 bridge also with flat pole pieces.

Some that I haven't tried are the Fralin split blades, those look cool. I've tried Zexcoil (not bad) and Mojotone Quiet Coil (too weak and bright/thin).

Thanks for taking the time for the write up. Oh well, back to the drawing board,

 

[Jarick]

Thanks for taking the time for the write up. Oh well, back to the drawing board,

I think it's worth a shot if you're interested though. It works really well for Ritchie Kotzen. They're fairly cheap used.

 

[Byrdman]

I think it's worth a shot if you're interested though. It works really well for Ritchie Kotzen. They're fairly cheap used.

I think I'm leaning toward the Fast Track 2. I believe it's the hottest PU they offer and figure that in bridge position with all the low/mid low it has, it might even it out some and give good ballsy HB sound. On my Strat, I can add in the neck pickup with a pull on the bottom tone in either 4 or 5 switch position.

 

[Jarick]

I think I'm leaning toward the Fast Track 2. I believe it's the hottest PU they offer and figure that in bridge position with all the low/mid low it has, it might even it out some and give good ballsy HB sound. On my Strat, I can add in the neck pickup with a pull on the bottom tone in either 4 or 5 switch position.

Might be a good pick if you like hot humbuckers.

I originally tried a Pro Track which is supposed to be like a PAF in single coil, and that was way too dark sounding, lost all the mojo. Then tried the Chopper and it was a little better but still dark.

Unfortunately I got a set of Cruisers and was excited to try them but they don't fit the routes.

 

[la szum]

@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?

Jeebus, JD! That is pretty freaking rad of you. Can I send something Blonde in return---like a local floozy
from one of the 5 bars/pubs in town?



I actually prefer a non-staggered Strat pickup---so maybe I am not a "traditionalist" after all.

 

[SillyOctpuss]

If you're going SSS I like fitting a baseplate on the bridge pickup. It fattens it up nicely and makes the bridge single coil much more usable for me.

 

[la szum]

Like with Tele Bridge pickups?

 

[Jarick]

I’ll be honest I didn’t notice a huge difference with the base plate, with the exception of if they aren’t secured they can become microphonic and make thumping sounds. That happened with the Manlius pickup. Otherwise there’s maybe a little bit more low end?

 

[la szum]

Honestly, I probably stay on the Bridge pickup the least. It is the weak link---to my ears---
of the 5 positions available on a typical Strat.

 

[jellodog]

Jeebus, JD! That is pretty freaking rad of you. Can I send something Blonde in return---like a local floozy
from one of the 5 bars/pubs in town?

LOL... nah it's cool. Shoot me a PM and we'll work it out.

I actually prefer a non-staggered Strat pickup---so maybe I am not a "traditionalist" after all.

Heh. Yeah, the flat poles have been fine (I bought more flatties!)... just so long as you don't like the pickups really close to the strings, because then the differences in pup height across the string radius are more pronounced (obviously).

Only neck and middle because I'm still using the "Special" in the bridge. I'm a big neck pickup user anyway.

These are the same pickups that Cordy has in his blue K Line e.g.:

 

[la szum]

Dooooooooood!

 

[la szum]

I have to go mom the lawn, and will get back with you after.

 

[Stone]

Thats awesome @jellodog

alls i can say for the whole bunch here is --->

 

[fretworn]

I have to go mom the lawn, and will get back with you after.

I usually dad the yard …

 

[SillyOctpuss]

Like with Tele Bridge pickups?

Yeah just like a tele bridge.

 

[SillyOctpuss]

I’ll be honest I didn’t notice a huge difference with the base plate, with the exception of if they aren’t secured they can become microphonic and make thumping sounds. That happened with the Manlius pickup. Otherwise there’s maybe a little bit more low end?

It's not night and day different but it definitely beefed my bridge pickup up a little bit. I never used a strat bridge pickup on its own before purely because it was so weedy. For £10 to buy it and the small amount of time it took to fit I think it was well worth it for me but you know YMMV.

Here's a young Nolly demonstrating them for Bare Knuckle Pickups

 

[la szum]

I think it's worth a shot if you're interested though. It works really well for Ritchie Kotzen. They're fairly cheap used.

I had the Kotzen Tele for a couple of years. Such a great guitar---but that Chopper in there is hot garbage to my ears. So honky.

 

[SillyOctpuss]

I had the Kotzen Tele for a couple of years. Such a great guitar---but that Chopper in there is hot garbage to my ears. So honky.

The neck on the kotzen tele is killer, I didn't really like the pickups either.

 

[la szum]

Yup. I still dream about that neck. I wish they made a neck with that profile and a Rosewood board.