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Post subject: Seymour Duncan ssl-1 California 50's VERSUS Custom Shop '69?
Posted: Thu Jul 08, 2010 7:15 am
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Has anyone out there had any experience with these? I'm debating on getting the Fender Custom Shop '69s or the SSL 1's California 50's pickup set. I've read good reviews on both.

I'm looking for a vintage set that gives me a warm, bell-like tone, but also shines with some overdrive or a little distortion (a yellowleadbetter meets pink floyd sort of thing...and doesn't give me ice pick treble or really colors my tone.

How do they compare?

I know the SSL-1 have a little more output and was wondering if that also made them preferable to the '69s.

I've also heard that the SSL-1 makes a better bridge pickup than the '69 - thoughts?

And of the different Fender Custom shop pickup sets (if I do go that route), do the 69's seem like the ones that would most fit the bill as far as what I'm looking for (at least when compared to the other fender pickups models)?

Thanks so much for the input!


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Posted: Sat Jul 10, 2010 3:50 am
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ssl1 tend to be a little more raw sounding. 69s have a little less highs but still the vintage sound is there. gilmore had ssl1s in his black strat. those sounds are a combo of player,guitar,amp and recording tecnique. no single part is going to give you an artists sound.


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Posted: Wed Aug 18, 2010 12:14 pm
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I've used both.

Yes, the SSL-1s are a hair more powerful and have a hair more midrange.

If this is any help to you: I had a real 69 Strat with of course, the OEM pickups. The only pickup of the three I could tolerate was the neck pickup as it was super clean. OTOH, the absence of virtually any midrange in the set made the middle pickup clanky and the bridge pickup, outright anemic. And talk about ice picking your ears!

I threw in a set of SSL-1s and not only did it solve my problems but I received compliment after compliment about my 'old' guitar's 'new' sound. The only knock I have on the SSL-1s is that the bass, although tight, was not as tight as with the 69s. I perceive this to be due to the SSLs having more midrange because of the more coil winds and Duncan's artificial aging (weakening) of the magnetic pull of the polepieces.

FWIW, I did not use a RW/RP middle pickup as I don't like a partially HB guitar; it has to be totally one or the other; this is just an idiosyncrasy of mine.

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Posted: Thu Aug 19, 2010 8:12 am
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I'm begrudgingly with you, Martian. I love the neck pickup on the CS69s, and really don't mind the neck p/u (They're set up very well) But I find the mid position to be lifeless, which is a problem since I like to play in the mid position. Also concur about the non RWRP-there is plenty of quack, and it is not that noisy of a set. My big beef is that the set does not cut through the thunder of the rhythm section as well as I would like, and I was really disappointed in them during a recording session. If I was to do it over I would go with SSL1s or 2s (prefer the flat poles) or Lindy Fralin Vintage Hots...also, the Strat in question is very trebly on its own. OTOH the 69s sound great with O/D and effects. Amp tweaks will help also. As always, scpa105, YMMV, and good luck...


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Posted: Thu Aug 19, 2010 9:25 am
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bobbya wrote:
I'm begrudgingly with you, Martian. I love the neck pickup on the CS69s, and really don't mind the neck p/u (They're set up very well) But I find the mid position to be lifeless, which is a problem since I like to play in the mid position. Also concur about the non RWRP-there is plenty of quack, and it is not that noisy of a set. My big beef is that the set does not cut through the thunder of the rhythm section as well as I would like, and I was really disappointed in them during a recording session. If I was to do it over I would go with SSL1s or 2s (prefer the flat poles) or Lindy Fralin Vintage Hots...also, the Strat in question is very trebly on its own. OTOH the 69s sound great with O/D and effects. Amp tweaks will help also. As always, scpa105, YMMV, and good luck...


Here's how I ultimately solved your (mine too) problem:

Eventually, I removed the SSL-1 set, replacing it with an SSL-2 in the neck, an SSL-6 in the middle and an SSL-3 in the bridge. Of course, no RW/RP middle involved. Try this combo as to this day, this is still it in my #1 Strat!

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Posted: Fri Sep 17, 2010 5:54 am
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I found also that string choice makes a difference with these pickups. I liked the 69s because of the piano-like tone I would get from the wound strings. I switched to Pure Nickel strings on all of my guitars, and I like them on an ES-335 and a Jazzmaster (never have liked flats, even for jazz) but on a Strat, that sound was lost-too compressed and mellow. I switched back to a standard set (GHS Boomers) and the sound I like was back. Also, I don't get that pull-The pup placement really matters with this set, and I don't have the problems that are usually stated (though the mid is a little clanky). SDs are hard to argue with, tho'...


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