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Post subject: Fender Blacktop Strat 2012 HH
Posted: Wed May 22, 2019 6:10 am
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Hobbyist
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Hi guys, ive had my MIM Blacktop strat now for about 12 months but im finding it a little muddy sounding if you get me. My question is wouldsome new humbucker pickups give me the cleaner sound (more standard strat like) ?.


Secondly if it came to it, could i buy a loaded pickguard with the same pickups as an american strat an just slot it in and make it a regular strat ??.


All suggestions welcome.


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Post subject: Re: Fender Blacktop Strat 2012 HH
Posted: Sun May 26, 2019 1:04 am
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Rock Star
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Joined: Tue Jul 17, 2007 1:53 am
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Both ways would change the sound of the guitar.

I think I'd recommend getting a new pre-loaded pickguard. IMHO, the predictability of what the guitar will sound like is a bit better. Experimenting with humbuckers might be the longer road.
One note here, though: compare the costs of modding to selling the Blacktop and buying a Strat you like as it is.

And the Blacktop should have a swimming pool routing, so it accepts all pickup combos.


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Post subject: Re: Fender Blacktop Strat 2012 HH
Posted: Sun May 26, 2019 2:37 am
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Excellent input, tbh im after that strat sparkle so im leaning towards the loaded pick-guard route.
Im not going to sell my blacktop as i love the feel of the guitar along with the colour lol!.
Where wold fo9lks advise the best place to buy a loaded pick-guard with noiseless pups as i want the genuine things not some cheaper alternative


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Post subject: Re: Fender Blacktop Strat 2012 HH
Posted: Mon May 27, 2019 5:07 am
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Aspiring Musician
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Joined: Fri Apr 15, 2011 4:49 am
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Location: Cambridge UK
Yes, if you want the 'proper' Strat sound, 3 x SC is the only way to go. And a loaded pickguard means you can change back if you sell the guitar. For such a pickguard, it's just down to online searching, I think - Fleabay etc. Otherwise you could buy the all the necessary bits new; wouldn't be cheap, though. I wouldn't fixate on noiseless pups (although there ARE good ones); true SC's will be more 'authentic'. I like Lace Sensors but opinions vary!

But if you did decide to experiment with HB's, I've found the Pearly Gates set is very good, or at least a PG bridge and Jazz neck. They're not high output and can sound quite Stratty, especially when you knock the volume down a touch. You won't get that quack, of course, but you'll never get that with 2 x HB.

Cheers - Peter.


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Post subject: Re: Fender Blacktop Strat 2012 HH
Posted: Mon May 27, 2019 6:13 am
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Thank Peter S.Would you expand a bit on the (good) noiseless pups. I always had alot of noise issues with my single coil i first bought and then with my tele.
I think for me Noiseless pup will keep me sain!, just interested in the good ones people would recommend .
Vintage Noiseless seem to be cropping up alot in my searches


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Post subject: Re: Fender Blacktop Strat 2012 HH
Posted: Mon May 27, 2019 12:31 pm
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Aspiring Musician
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Joined: Fri Apr 15, 2011 4:49 am
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Location: Cambridge UK
kierc.0857 wrote:
Thank Peter S.Would you expand a bit on the (good) noiseless pups. I always had alot of noise issues with my single coil i first bought and then with my tele.
I think for me Noiseless pup will keep me sain!, just interested in the good ones people would recommend .
Vintage Noiseless seem to be cropping up alot in my searches


I've no experience of the VN's. I've used a few different noiseless pups in the past and always gone back to SC's, so my knowledge is not exactly what you'd call up-to-date! But as I recall...

Lace Sensors come in a variety of strengths, but I quite liked the Golds that were in my Strat Plus. Assuming you want the traditional look, I also found some of the DiMarzio Virtual Vintages (stacked HB) to be good. Didn't like the DP404 - that's too hot for me - but the DP402 was OK if a little harsh. The DP401 was my favourite - I still have one of these. Good in any position.

I've tried most of the Seymour Duncan side-by-side HB's (SC-sized). Firstly, they don't have the look (obviously!). Secondly, for me, they don't sound very Stratty.

That's off the top of my head. I think the VV's have been replaced by the 'Area' pups, and I expect others on this forum will have more knowledge. Certainly you could find other threads commenting on VN's - they quite often come up.

Sorry I can't be more helpful. The major point I'd make is that a particular pup (or set of pups) may sound great in one Strat. Move them to another apparently identical Strat and they don't. And that's before personal taste comes into the equation. Makes recommending anything a pretty hopeless task! Just got to suck it and see...

Cheers - Peter.


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