Opinions re strat pickups please

[Meggy]

I've started buying the bits to build a strat partscaster - have a nice 2-piece alder body, and a good rosewood board neck on the way. Anyhow, it's not really going to be primarily for playing jazz, but I guess I value/trust the opinions of the guys on this forum, and specifically interested in opinions regarding the pickups in this instance. A minefield I know - just going by some of the demo videos on Youtube (and without judging the playing) - I kind of like the Klein Jazzy Cats set - not sure if they're meant to be good for jazz, it's just a name anyhow. But maybe these kind of tones, especially re the neck pickup sound.

Having said this, these pickups aren't cheap, and I might just buy a set like this from ebay and see what they can do - not much of a financial risk after all. This is one of those hopeless, badly defined posts with no clear question I know, sorry - but if you have an interest and experience with strat tones and pickups, I'd welcome your views, cheers.

[Meggy]

No bonus points for being the first to say "tone is in the fingers" incidentally...

[TedBPhx]

Fender 57/62 reissues for me. Not reverse wound or reversed polarity, relatively low output, 6.7k. Plus I have them almost flush with the pick guard.

[curbucci]

Look up some info on the legacy of "real" Bill Lawrence pickups here:
Wilde Bill's NF Singles
Wilde Bill's Twin Blades

[ThatRhythmMan]

Pete Biltoft does p90 style pickups in a Strat form factor. I have a set in one guitar. I’ve been very impressed.

Single coil P-90 style pickups for Strat style guitars

[Greentone]

I like Lindy Fralin pickups.

[ugarte]

GFS Lil' Killers. The neck version for all three positions. At $24 each its worth it just to try. It won't really sound much like a strat (in most situations) but if you want to play jazz on primarily the neck position this is a very cost effective solution.

I've been using the Telecaster version on one of my partscasters for about 6 months and love it enough that i would like to engineer a floating version for archtops.

[Meggy]

Thanks very much for the replies so far - I should make it clear, I'm not really after getting a jazz sound from this strat, and really am looking to get some pickups in the general ballpark area of "classic strat" kind of sound, although the clips I posted might serve to indicate what I'd like within that area. So I'm interested in thoughts regarding what people like within that area. Also is the expensive stuff worth it? - I can find alnico magnet sets, fibre bobbins etc. for over £300, and for less than £40 with very similar specs.

The perils of posting on a jazz forum re pickups I realise - I guess I trust your judgement/ears because you have the discernment to like jazz, even though I'm not really after anything very like "classic jazz tone" in this instance.

[ThatRhythmMan]

In that case, I’m partial to the Fender Custom Shop 69s.

[robertm2000]

+1 to Pete Biltoft's Vintage Vibe Guitars pickups. I bought a set from him. He and I emailed over half a dozen times till he was dead sure what I wanted, and he nailed the exact sound. Well worth using his pickups! I had 15 electrics, and after I bought the Biltoft pickups, I sold all my other electrics, they were THAT good! The Biltofts were a bit over $100 a pickup, and they have interchangeable magnets - Pete has Alnico 2, 3, and 5, and ceramic magnets that can be interchanged in a matter of seconds, and he sends two sets of magnets, your choice, with each pickup. SUPER good sounds and good deal!

[LtKojak]

For that "classic" strat sound, the arguably de facto standard is the Seymour Duncan SSL-1 set.

Having said that, I know a guy which is making pretty good strat p'ups with a pretty special recipe using a custom stagger for max string output evenness, without ever missing the "classic" tone and vibe.

Contact him here:

kingvox | Telecaster Guitar Forum

Tell him LtKojak aka Pepe sent you; you'll get the "Royal treatment"

[Meggy]

Thanks for the further replies - all excellent suggestions I feel, even those that aren't really what I'm after on this occasion might bear thought for the future. Pete Biltoft is someone who's website I've perused on more than one occasion, and clearly is a top bloke who does great things.

Internet demos of various pickups prove to be of fairly limited use, I guess inevitably. One thing that is successfully demonstrated is that a good guitarist can make just about any pickup sound nice, and a bad one, no matter how much he's spent on his pickups (or indeed the rest of his gear) can make anything sound terrible. The only really useful demos seem to be where a good guitarist uses several different pickup sets, with gear that otherwise remains constant - then you can maybe hear some useful differences that give an idea as to what would suit.

So, I do appreciate the input, with what is really an impossible question - I guess I'm going to try a less expensive option (there are a couple easily available in the UK) and go for something broadly in the vintage strat style, but perhaps aimed at a little fuller kind of tone, rather than the thin, really bright kind of sound some like for strats. This will mean I won't have spent a fortune - if I like them great, if not, I can reconsider, and no great financial disaster.

Quite like the Ironstone Silver set as an option - someone has recorded a couple of good-sounding demos of gospel/funk/jazz-y stuff here, and got some sounds to my taste: Strat Sound clips Silver - Ironstone Electric Guitar Pickups - £38 for a set, can't be bad.

[medblues]

If you are interested in multiplying your sound options from the basic pickup set you choose, Toneshapers have some products specifically targeting Strats: ToneShapers - Home

You might also think about interchangeable prewired pickguards. It's like having many guitars in one.

For example: David Gilmour set

[fep]

I use my tele and strat for recording but I don't like the 60 cycle hum. When you do several tracks with guitars/basses that have hum that gets summed and gets louder and louder. With a couple of strat tracks and a fender J bass track the hum gets annoying. Playing live not as big of an issue but if you record you might want to consider the noiseless pickups.

The Fender Elite strat has the Gen 4 fender noiseless pu's. If you have access to a music store you can try the elite strat side by side with a regular strat and decide if you like the Gen 4 noiseless. That's what I did (except for the tele elite vs a regular tele) and I'm having the Gen 4 noiseless pickups put in my squire tele.

If you can't do that, this guy does it for you at 22:45 of this video:

[lammie200]

I don't like the hum either. I have Lace Holy Grails in my Strat partscaster. I won't be changing them out. Somewhat vintage sounding but versatile as well.

[DRS]

Seymour Duncan SSL1 is a great pick-up in all positions, reasonably priced, and widely available. Classic 50s strat sound. Or Duncan Antiquities.
There is a lot of snake oil out there. I believe if you are playing more than $300 for a set of 3, your paying too much.

[Meggy]

If you are interested in multiplying your sound options from the basic pickup set you choose, Toneshapers have some products specifically targeting Strats: ToneShapers - Home

You might also think about interchangeable prewired pickguards. It's like having many guitars in one.

For example: David Gilmour set

Useful things to know about cheers - FWIW, I am contemplating this wiring, which will give me neck+middle and middle+bridge series options (also a couple of out of phase combinations) by replacing the second tone control with a blend. On my other two strats, I use this control as a blend, but in order to get the N+B and N+M+B combinations. Always interested in stuff like this anyhow, thanks

[Meggy]

I use my tele and strat for recording but I don't like the 60 cycle hum. When you do several tracks with guitars/basses that have hum that gets summed and gets louder and louder. With a couple of strat tracks and a fender J bass track the hum gets annoying. Playing live not as big of an issue but if you record you might want to consider the noiseless pickups.

The Fender Elite strat has the Gen 4 fender noiseless pu's. If you have access to a music store you can try the elite strat side by side with a regular strat and decide if you like the Gen 4 noiseless. That's what I did (except for the tele elite vs a regular tele) and I'm having the Gen 4 noiseless pickups put in my squire tele.

If you can't do that, this guy does it for you at 22:45 of this video:

Thanks - it does bear consideration I'm sure. I have a Lace red-silver-blue set in one strat, which is fairly quiet, sounds good, and is super-versatile. I like those, although perhaps you could say they are a tad clinical sounding - I certainly wouldn't say without character though. But I have wondered about the Holy Grails, and also the Lace Gold and Hot Gold sets. Gen 4 noiseless is interesting too, and I'll have a listen/watch of that video with interest. Some find those chaps a bit irritating it seems, I kind of like them...

[Meggy]

I don't like the hum either. I have Lace Holy Grails in my Strat partscaster. I won't be changing them out. Somewhat vintage sounding but versatile as well.

Duly noted - they sound to be a good option, although I admit I wonder if there isn't just the slightest subtle something that the best noise-cancelling strat pickups still lose. But of course I haven't tried 'em. Versatile is always a good thing...

Seymour Duncan SSL1 is a great pick-up in all positions, reasonably priced, and widely available. Classic 50s strat sound. Or Duncan Antiquities.
There is a lot of snake oil out there. I believe if you are playing more than $300 for a set of 3, your paying too much.

Very true re the snake oil, and worth saying, cheers. And appreciate the recommendations.

[John A.]

Thanks for the further replies - all excellent suggestions I feel, even those that aren't really what I'm after on this occasion might bear thought for the future. Pete Biltoft is someone who's website I've perused on more than one occasion, and clearly is a top bloke who does great things.

Internet demos of various pickups prove to be of fairly limited use, I guess inevitably. One thing that is successfully demonstrated is that a good guitarist can make just about any pickup sound nice, and a bad one, no matter how much he's spent on his pickups (or indeed the rest of his gear) can make anything sound terrible. The only really useful demos seem to be where a good guitarist uses several different pickup sets, with gear that otherwise remains constant - then you can maybe hear some useful differences that give an idea as to what would suit.

So, I do appreciate the input, with what is really an impossible question - I guess I'm going to try a less expensive option (there are a couple easily available in the UK) and go for something broadly in the vintage strat style, but perhaps aimed at a little fuller kind of tone, rather than the thin, really bright kind of sound some like for strats. This will mean I won't have spent a fortune - if I like them great, if not, I can reconsider, and no great financial disaster.

Quite like the Ironstone Silver set as an option - someone has recorded a couple of good-sounding demos of gospel/funk/jazz-y stuff here, and got some sounds to my taste: Strat Sound clips Silver - Ironstone Electric Guitar Pickups - £38 for a set, can't be bad.

What you're saying here -- vintage but a bit fatter -- strikes me as describing plain old Fender American Alnico V pick-ups from the earlier generations of American Standard Strats (with flat poles, not the more recent staggered ones, which I haven't played). I have an 89 American Standard with those pups, and that's basically how I would describe it -- on the mid-range-y end of the Strat continuum but still very much a classic Strat sound. These turn up on eBay and Reverb for <$100 a set.

FWIW, this is the neck pup jazz sound of mine:

This is the mid + neck sound

And this is the middle pup, with an somewhat overdriven sound, from 2:09 to 3:05

John

[Boston Joe]

I've had Kinmans in a couple of my strats. Nice tone. They have a few different sets depending on the tone you're looking for. They do a very good job of getting the classic Strat sound without a ton of noise.

Also, I can't really say enough good stuff about Porter Pickups. I haven't heard their Strat pickups, but their P-90s are fantastic. I've also got their 9-T which is an overwound Tele pickup. Also a great sound. Not overly expensive, either.

[Frank67]

For the neck position I can recommend the custom shop fat 50 pickups. They are nicely balanced, fat and warm but not overly bassy. The later years neck pickups I mostly find too bright. In the middle I like a bright and sparkly pickup. The bridge on a Strat can easily sound thin and brittle.

The pickups that are in the David Gilmour Strat are great.
Neck - custom shop fat 50, warm, well balanced
Middle - custom shop 69, nice and bright
Bridge - Duncan SSL5, fat sounding, pretty hot for a Strat. Sounds great with overdrive

nothing extravagant or expensive, but a great sounding pickup combo. Since you build you self, I would also consider getting a push pull or mini toggle to bring the neck pickup in regardless of the five way switch. This allows for the Tele type middle position which sounds really good in that combo.

PS: tone is in the fingers (ducks and runs away ...)

[Meggy]

What you're saying here -- vintage but a bit fatter -- strikes me as describing plain old Fender American Alnico V pick-ups from the earlier generations of American Standard Strats (with flat poles, not the more recent staggered ones, which I haven't played). I have an 89 American Standard with those pups, and that's basically how I would describe it -- on the mid-range-y end of the Strat continuum but still very much a classic Strat sound. These turn up on eBay and Reverb for <$100 a set.

John

Appreciate your reply and examples, thanks John, and yes I guess you're in the ballpark re what I'm after. I already have a walnut-body strat I made which has some nice alnico 2 strat pickups (with a switch that taps them from high 7.2-8.5K output to more vintage 5.5-6.5K output). That has quite a sweet tone amplified, and certainly stratty, but perhaps outside the range of what people might call "classic strat". For this project, I'm going with a two piece American alder body, rosewood board neck, and alnico 5 pickups - I'm kind of going for typical classic strat specs, but I do still hope to get a certain result within that. I will of course be having more than one search through ebay and elsewhere, all part of the fun.

[Meggy]

I've had Kinmans in a couple of my strats. Nice tone. They have a few different sets depending on the tone you're looking for. They do a very good job of getting the classic Strat sound without a ton of noise.

Also, I can't really say enough good stuff about Porter Pickups. I haven't heard their Strat pickups, but their P-90s are fantastic. I've also got their 9-T which is an overwound Tele pickup. Also a great sound. Not overly expensive, either.

Cheers - noiseless is a thought, but I think for this one I've decided to go with traditional single coils - I have enough guitars that if it's a venue with noise issues, I can just use a different guitar (i.e. I have too many guitars ). Kinmans are lovely I'm certain, but just outside my price range for this build - I shouldn't really be doing this at all, so do need to keep costs down - it will be an interesting exercise in terms of what I can achieve for a fairly modest outlay. Good to hear about Porter Pickups, will have a look at their website.

[Meggy]

For the neck position I can recommend the custom shop fat 50 pickups. They are nicely balanced, fat and warm but not overly bassy. The later years neck pickups I mostly find too bright. In the middle I like a bright and sparkly pickup. The bridge on a Strat can easily sound thin and brittle.

The pickups that are in the David Gilmour Strat are great.
Neck - custom shop fat 50, warm, well balanced
Middle - custom shop 69, nice and bright
Bridge - Duncan SSL5, fat sounding, pretty hot for a Strat. Sounds great with overdrive

nothing extravagant or expensive, but a great sounding pickup combo. Since you build you self, I would also consider getting a push pull or mini toggle to bring the neck pickup in regardless of the five way switch. This allows for the Tele type middle position which sounds really good in that combo.

PS: tone is in the fingers (ducks and runs away ...)

Thanks - sounds like a very sensible combination you have in that guitar. I am thinking I'll keep the guitar clean, and avoid extra switches, and also I'm not a huge fan of push-pulls - in the past, when I have installed them, I find they just don't get used. My already built two strats have this blend circuit, which gets the extra n+m+b and n+b combinations - I know a lot of people prefer n+b to m - but I find most of the time I like the middle pickup on it's own with a strat. So for this guitar I'm going with the Dan Armstrong blend circuit I posted above, which adds the n+m and m+b series humbucking options - I'll have to get a set with a RWRP middle pickup, but there might be the odd situation/gig where having that comes in handy.



Tone is in the fingers lol, yes... There is truth in that one I know, but there are of course reasons why we choose to play a certain guitar also.