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Post subject: Looking for a Pickup Recommendation
Posted: Sat Feb 09, 2013 11:04 am
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Location: Marysville, WA
Hey guys. Quick question about pickups. I am looking for a new set in a favorite MIM Strat that I have.

I am looking for something with a traditional strat sound. I have some Texas Specials in another guitar, but I don't love the sound of these unless the guitar is overdriven, I'd like a pickup that sounds pretty good both clean and driven a bit, not for hard rock, but just bluesy drive tones.

Here are my hopes:

Not a shrill attack like some of the hotter pickups.
Nice round and pleasing sound on the lower strings.
Vintage blues tones out of the neck and middle pickups.
Maybe kind of a John Mayer "Slow dancing in a burning room" type of mushier tone.

Let me know if you have recommendations of Fender Pickups or any other manufacturer like GFS, or Seymour Duncan etc. Thanks in advance for your help.


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Post subject: Re: Looking for a Pickup Recommendation
Posted: Sat Feb 09, 2013 11:53 am
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Unequivocally, Fender's Fat '50s set.

If they don't put a smile on your face, nothing will.

:mrgreen:

Arjay

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"Here's why reliability is job one: A great sounding amp that breaks down goes from being a favorite piece of gear to a useless piece of crap in less time than it takes to read this sentence." -- BRUCE ZINKY


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Post subject: Re: Looking for a Pickup Recommendation
Posted: Sat Feb 09, 2013 12:05 pm
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Don't overlook the good old Seymour Duncan Alnico Pro II - still one of the nicest sounding Strat pickups you can buy in my opinion, particularly in the neck position. Cleans in particular are loooooooovely.


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Post subject: Re: Looking for a Pickup Recommendation
Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2013 7:44 am
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Texas Specials should be lower than Fender says. The Fender specs as the highest the pickup should be to the Strings. Take 2 nickles (4mm) as a measure of the height of the string over the Low E pickup polepiece while depressing the string at the last fret. Use a nickle and a dime (3mm) on the high side.

Then start lowering the pickups by 1/2 screw turn at a time till they sound really smooth and shimmering in your amp. Take a good 1/2 hour to do this and you'll be rewarded with great tone from those pickups.


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Post subject: Re: Looking for a Pickup Recommendation
Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2013 9:31 am
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SNick wrote:
Texas Specials should be lower than Fender says. The Fender specs as the highest the pickup should be to the Strings. Take 2 nickles (4mm) as a measure of the height of the string over the Low E pickup polepiece while depressing the string at the last fret. Use a nickle and a dime (3mm) on the high side.

Then start lowering the pickups by 1/2 screw turn at a time till they sound really smooth and shimmering in your amp. Take a good 1/2 hour to do this and you'll be rewarded with great tone from those pickups.


+1

A similar set-up technique should be used with the SCN's as well.

Arjay

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"Here's why reliability is job one: A great sounding amp that breaks down goes from being a favorite piece of gear to a useless piece of crap in less time than it takes to read this sentence." -- BRUCE ZINKY


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Post subject: Re: Looking for a Pickup Recommendation
Posted: Fri Feb 15, 2013 4:43 am
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+1 on the Fat 50's

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