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Post subject: 50's - 60's pickups
Posted: Sat Jul 29, 2017 9:07 pm
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I'm looking to replace the stock pickups in my MIM standard strat and I'm looking at either Seymour Duncan's or fenders. I'm going for that warm sound with a 'crunchy' low end that you hear from john Mayer, john frusciante, SRV etc., can anyone give any recommendations? I know that john frusciante uses ssl-1s on some of his 60s strats but I'm not sure if I can get a bluesy feel from them as well as that surf vibe if that makes sense. Any information would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks


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Post subject: Re: 50's - 60's pickups
Posted: Sun Jul 30, 2017 4:56 am
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Most of the sound is in your hands, quite literally.
The hardware obviously has some effect, but it's your hands that make the most difference.

I had a play on one of the AVRI '59s once, and these pickups are good http://shop.fender.com/en-GB/accessorie ... ml#start=1

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Post subject: Re: 50's - 60's pickups
Posted: Sun Jul 30, 2017 5:08 am
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stratmangler wrote:
Most of the sound is in your hands, quite literally.
The hardware obviously has some effect, but it's your hands that make the most difference.

Yes I'm aware of that which is why I usually practice without an amp, my pickups just feel like they lack low end and I just don't really like the sound of them. I'll make sure to check out the pickups you suggested and thanks!


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Post subject: Re: 50's - 60's pickups
Posted: Tue Aug 01, 2017 11:13 am
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Strat replacement pickups!!! :D

Now you're down the rabbit hole.

I too am a big fan of John Frusciante. One of my strats has Fender Fat 50s in it and it can get fairly close. I also have a strat with the American Vintage '65 and these are great pickups. A little cooler sounding than the 50s style but the mids are clearer and you can hear the bass better. Either way you go is a step up from the Mexican strat pickups.

Of course you can't go wrong getting Duncan SSL-1s. I've actually been thinking of getting them myself for my third strat. It has the N3 Noiseless currently. I've never heard the SSL-1s in person but if John uses them, they can't be bad.

Also be sure to check out John's instructional videos on YouTube. It's really cool that he made them.


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Post subject: Re: 50's - 60's pickups
Posted: Tue Aug 01, 2017 11:55 pm
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Wayne2 wrote:
Strat replacement pickups!!! :D

Now you're down the rabbit hole.

I too am a big fan of John Frusciante. One of my strats has Fender Fat 50s in it and it can get fairly close. I also have a strat with the American Vintage '65 and these are great pickups. A little cooler sounding than the 50s style but the mids are clearer and you can hear the bass better. Either way you go is a step up from the Mexican strat pickups.

Of course you can't go wrong getting Duncan SSL-1s. I've actually been thinking of getting them myself for my third strat. It has the N3 Noiseless currently. I've never heard the SSL-1s in person but if John uses them, they can't be bad.

Also be sure to check out John's instructional videos on YouTube. It's really cool that he made them.

Thanks! I've been the absolute biggest fan of frusciante since before I can remember, I'll make sure to check those pickups out too, thanks


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Post subject: Re: 50's - 60's pickups
Posted: Wed Aug 02, 2017 2:40 pm
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There's so much out there; I currently have Lollar Specials in my MIM.


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Post subject: Re: 50's - 60's pickups
Posted: Wed Aug 02, 2017 3:44 pm
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Not Fender or Duncan (and certainly not 50s or 60s spec) but may possibly be just the ticket, given what you said you want.

Dimarzio SDS-1 ... for the bridge

Dimarzio FS-1 ... middle

Dimarzio True Velvet ... neck


Scroll to the lower parts of each page to see the available colours.
The combination I have suggested here is quite "hot".
You will want high output pups if you are looking for both warm and crunchy.

FYI, you're not likely to get any improvement over your existing pups by going the vintage style route.
Not if you want warmth and crunch.
Vintage style winds are typically lower in output and usually leaning to the brighter side of things.

Hot pups, played through a semi-clean amp starting to break up, will push the amp a bit harder than 50s and 60s style pups when you dig in, assuming you are familiar with that term.
For the sounds you described I think this is the route you should consider taking.

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Post subject: Re: 50's - 60's pickups
Posted: Fri Aug 04, 2017 7:51 am
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Neither Mayer nor Frusciante use high output pickups. SRV, yes, but more of a moderate overwind (e.g. Texas Specials).

Frusc uses an MXR micro amp to boost his signal.


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Post subject: Re: 50's - 60's pickups
Posted: Fri Aug 04, 2017 12:42 pm
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I wasn't addressing the way to get any particular artist's tone.
The OP used the term etc. which indicates to me a more generalized and therefore less specific category of tone.
The words he used that were specific were warm and crunch.
The MXR micro amp may well boost the signal and create something similar to hot pups but it also adds brightness.
If the pedal thing is an option the better route would be the Xotic EP-Booster which is a clean boost but with accentuated lows rather than highs.
The OP did not ask about the amplifier, which I believe would have been a better (but more expensive) place to start in such a tone-search, so I kept my comments constrained to pickups.
I "get" why people think of pickup swaps first before amp swaps.
Pup swaps are less expensive.

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Post subject: Re: 50's - 60's pickups
Posted: Fri Aug 04, 2017 7:10 pm
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Another option is to keep vintage-spec pickups in the neck and middle positions, and go with something hotter in the bridge. e.g. ssl-1, ssl-1, ssl-5.

Much of what Frusciante plays that is warm and crunchy is done with the neck pickup anyway.

And don't even bother chasing SRVs tone exactly. He played with very thick strings.


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Post subject: Re: 50's - 60's pickups
Posted: Sat Aug 05, 2017 1:29 am
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I have a different opinion on the VINTAGE vs HOT pups description/conclusion in BMW-KTM's scripti above.

I feel it's easier to get rough with low output pickups than to get gentle with hi-gainers. There's a multitude of electronic devices for adding the crunch. Not so many to make the guitar sing softly like your momma's lullaby, if the pickups are in-your-face to start with.

Just saying there are different approaches to any issue.


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Post subject: Re: 50's - 60's pickups
Posted: Sat Aug 05, 2017 8:12 am
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Right you are jmattis.
There's always more than one way to skin a cat.
I usually go the low output way myself and find other ways to get my crunch.
Slash's gear proves you can get heavy sounds with low output pups.
The OP, however, asked about how to get there with pickups, so ....

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Post subject: Re: 50's - 60's pickups
Posted: Sat Aug 05, 2017 10:31 am
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So, if I read you between the lines right, we're actually both advicing the OP to keep the present pups and invest in stuff that really matters for crunch... :wink:

And if anyone's interested, that, IMHO, is a) practice, b) practice, c) practice (...), y&z) amp & pedals.
It's absolutely amazing what a really good guitar player can do with just volume settings of the guitar and amp - think Roy Buchanan with a Tele, Leslie West with a Les Paul Jr...
And since that popped up, (note the enchanting hostess):


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Post subject: Re: 50's - 60's pickups
Posted: Sun Aug 06, 2017 6:12 am
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James don't listen to these nitwits. Practice? Tone is in the fingers? Jeez. I know you're not here for condescending platitudes.

There are qualitative differences between pickups. The stock mexican strat pickups are very good but they are made to hit a price point. You have nothing to lose trying out new ones.


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Post subject: Re: 50's - 60's pickups
Posted: Sun Aug 06, 2017 11:03 am
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I won't argue the nitwit part, but I was not trying to be condescending.
The advice (albeit hidden in my meant-to-be-slightly-humorous style, which you obviously missed) is meant to be taken seriously.

But nice to see some people can skip practicing by spending more money on equipment. I'm sure you got something to back that statement up?


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