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Post subject: Need PU Advice >.>
Posted: Sun Dec 27, 2009 3:31 pm
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Location: North of Pittsburgh PA
Hi All, I have a situation regarding my beloved stratocaster. I've lived with the stock 57/62 PUs for a while and I can't shake the feeling it's holding back my strat. I've tried all kinds of PU heights, action and shtuff like that, but my strat still sounds like it's held back. Acoustically it is very bright and clear, but when amped up it feels like it loses that character and sounds like it's stuffed up. They also sound a little weak to me, especially compared to the humbuckers in my Rhoads (I know humbuckers are louder, but the JB in my Rhoads is like 3x louder than my strat >_>). The Rhoads roars with such ferocity and yet remains so clear that my strat has taken a back seat for a while, and I can't stand to have that happen <_< So basically, I need more output and more clarity. Here's the specs:

Specifications: Original '57/'62 Stratocaster Pickup:
DC Resistance: 5.6K
Inductance: 3.0Henries

The Questions:
-Have higher DC Resistance? Or inductance?
-Would I lose anything if I went noiseless?
-Should I drop the coin and go scatter-wound (handwound)? Is it worth it?
-What determines clarity in a pickup?

Any answers, advice or suggestions are very appreciated. I want to make this my #1 so price isn't really an issue, I just have a desire for the right electronics that will unlock this guitar's potential, so perhaps it will help me unlock my potential ^^

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Post subject: Re: Need PU Advice >.>
Posted: Sun Dec 27, 2009 4:29 pm
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Capo wrote:
Hi All, I have a situation regarding my beloved stratocaster. I've lived with the stock 57/62 PUs for a while and I can't shake the feeling it's holding back my strat. I've tried all kinds of PU heights, action and shtuff like that, but my strat still sounds like it's held back. Acoustically it is very bright and clear, but when amped up it feels like it loses that character and sounds like it's stuffed up. They also sound a little weak to me, especially compared to the humbuckers in my Rhoads (I know humbuckers are louder, but the JB in my Rhoads is like 3x louder than my strat >_>). The Rhoads roars with such ferocity and yet remains so clear that my strat has taken a back seat for a while, and I can't stand to have that happen <_< So basically, I need more output and more clarity. Here's the specs:

Specifications: Original '57/'62 Stratocaster Pickup:
DC Resistance: 5.6K
Inductance: 3.0Henries

The Questions:
-Have higher DC Resistance? Or inductance?
-Would I lose anything if I went noiseless?
-Should I drop the coin and go scatter-wound (handwound)? Is it worth it?
-What determines clarity in a pickup?

Any answers, advice or suggestions are very appreciated. I want to make this my #1 so price isn't really an issue, I just have a desire for the right electronics that will unlock this guitar's potential, so perhaps it will help me unlock my potential ^^


The DC resistance and the inductance would have to increase to bring out what I perceive you require.

I was never a fan of mixing single coils with humbuckers. Besides, you will never get the quality frequency response out of a HB that you can out of a SC.

Scatter wound is a gimmick, especially with today's technology; no, it is not worth it.

Books can be written on what determines the clarity of a pickup. The following statement is WAY too oversimplified but let it suffice it to say, thinner gauge, premium wire windings and powerful magnets tend to make for a clear sounding pickup.

Based upon again, what I perceive to be your requirements, a Seymour Duncan SSL-5 would suit your needs quite nicely. I say the SSL-5 over the SSL-6 because the '6' has the flat polepieces whereas the '5' has the same stagger as your 57/62s.

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Post subject:
Posted: Sun Dec 27, 2009 8:06 pm
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Location: North of Pittsburgh PA
Don't worry, I didn't even have a slight bit of intent on putting a humbucker into my strat, that would defeat the purpose of the Rhoads and the purpose of the strat ^^

It says on Seymour's website "for heavier and brighter toned instruments," and this guitar definitely fits that description. My follow up question would be, would there be any possible downsides to going to a higher resistance and inductance? Should I put an SSL-3 in the bridge to get the beefy bridge pickup sound? What is man's role in the universe? :P

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Post subject:
Posted: Sun Dec 27, 2009 8:30 pm
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Joined: Tue Jul 24, 2007 7:33 am
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Location: Mars, the angry red planet.
Capo wrote:
Don't worry, I didn't even have a slight bit of intent on putting a humbucker into my strat, that would defeat the purpose of the Rhoads and the purpose of the strat ^^

It says on Seymour's website "for heavier and brighter toned instruments," and this guitar definitely fits that description. My follow up question would be, would there be any possible downsides to going to a higher resistance and inductance? Should I put an SSL-3 in the bridge to get the beefy bridge pickup sound? What is man's role in the universe? :P


When I said humbucker, I also meant stacks and of late, their newest name: "Noiseless".

The only 'downside', if you want to call it that is that a higher resistance/inductance bridge pickup (vs. usual OEM parameters) will no longer be capable of automatically ice picking your ear drums. The highs will be there alright but there will be more midrange and bass spread out and around which in turn, will trim the genuinely offending frequencies.

Personally, I use an SSL-2 in the neck, an SSL-6 in the middle and an SSL-3 in the bridge. Like I said in a post a while back, the SSL-3 sounds like a nice, ripping P-90; and who wouldn't like a nice, ripping P-90 in the bridge position of their guitar?

And since you asked, man's role in the universe is to know, love and serve his Creator. :D

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Post subject:
Posted: Mon Dec 28, 2009 6:33 pm
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I don't know who wouldn't like a ripping P-90 in their bridge, but I sure know I would >.>

Much thanks to you Martian for the good info, I better keep on loving and serving :D

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Post subject:
Posted: Mon Dec 28, 2009 7:04 pm
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Location: Mars, the angry red planet.
Capo wrote:
I don't know who wouldn't like a ripping P-90 in their bridge, but I sure know I would >.>

Much thanks to you Martian for the good info, I better keep on loving and serving :D


Glad to help!!

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