I have a 1999 MIM Strocaster that is setup nicely - I really like the guitar. I put a D'Marzio Fast track 1 in the bridge already. Here's what it looks like now:



I'm wanting to get some Iron Maiden type sounds but I've been noticing more hum lately because I finally flipped that little switch away from the bridge position - LOL! (some seem like it is glued in that position). Anyway, the coils just hum or have some funky noise - I'm not used to it I guess. The D'Marzio doesn't do that but it is way more bright sounding too.

My ESP with EMGs of course don't have any hum or noise but they sound somewhat darker than the Strat. So ... should I go for a pre-wired pick guard with the pups or would you have a suggestion for a decent replacement set? I know Maiden typically has coils but some different setup - I'm not well versed on pups, so I come to you

EDIT: FYI, the pups heights are 4/64in pole to string per Fender Specs.

I'd like to be able to use the bridge setting for some Maiden melodic stuff but I can't stand the noise. Any suggestions for a Maiden setup?

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GUITARS: 2006 ESP LTD with Floyd Rose | 1999 MIM Fender Stratocaster w/Seymour Duncan
AMP: Fender Hot Rod Deluxe Limited Edition Python
PEDALS: Electro-Harmonix Metal Muff | MXR Distortion III | MXR Stereo Chorus | MXR Phase 90

If that's a '99 could we take the Retailer info sticker off the body ...please?

It's probably melded into the pickguard by now. Good Luck getting it off.

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Member #26797
My other guitar is a Strat.

LOL ... that was a Lenny Kravitz autograph - I swapped out pick guards so the sticker is long gone. Most of the sig got rubbed off and then I stored the guitar until about a year ago.

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GUITARS: 2006 ESP LTD with Floyd Rose | 1999 MIM Fender Stratocaster w/Seymour Duncan
AMP: Fender Hot Rod Deluxe Limited Edition Python
PEDALS: Electro-Harmonix Metal Muff | MXR Distortion III | MXR Stereo Chorus | MXR Phase 90

If you are wanting Iron Maiden Type sounds from your neck position you should put either a Seymour Duncan Hotrail or a Seymour Duncan JB Jr in the neck Position!

Dave Murray uses Hotrails in All Pick Up positions, Janick Gers has Jb Jrs in Neck and Bridge positions and Adrian Smith has a DiMarzio Super Distortion Humbucker in the Bridge Position and Tex Mex Special Pick ups in the Neck and Middle posion, but he only uses his Bridge positon!

You already have a DiMarzio in the Bridge, you could make it a mix between all 3 of their guitars by putting a hotrail in the Middle Position and a JB Jr in the Neck Position!

I hope this helps you a bit!

I've heard hotrails is the way to go for Maiden.

That's the direction I'm going ... I'm not sure how it will sound, but I'm going to give it a shot. I've got this for now:

Neck: Seymour Duncan® Little '59
Middle: Vintage Style Strat® Single-Coil
Bridge: DiMarzio® Fast Track 1

Here is what the Fender website has for the Dave Murray signature '57 Stratocaster:

Neck: Dimarzio® PAF DP-103,
Middle: Vintage Style Strat® Single-Coil,
Bridge: Dimarzio® Super Distortion® DP100

I thought they still used mostly Seymour Duncan.

I think I'm going to install the Little '59 tonight. I suppose for now, I should reverse the polarity according to the instructions based on having single coil in the Strat? I plan to upgrade the middle PU to Seymour Duncan JB JR and then possibally upgrade from the DiMarzio as well. Maybe I should keep the middle single coil and DiMarzio ... it's pretty close to the Artist Series listed above.

What do you guys think?

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GUITARS: 2006 ESP LTD with Floyd Rose | 1999 MIM Fender Stratocaster w/Seymour Duncan
AMP: Fender Hot Rod Deluxe Limited Edition Python
PEDALS: Electro-Harmonix Metal Muff | MXR Distortion III | MXR Stereo Chorus | MXR Phase 90

Well here is what it looks like now:

BEFORE -




AFTER:



I really like the tone from the neck Seymour Duncan Little '59 ... no more hum either. I doesn't have that "twang" sound that the single coils do, so I will leave the middle PU as a vintage single coil. I'm pretty good now I think (for a little while anyway).

New PU ... lemon oil on the fretboard ... waxed ... new strings ... intonated and set PU heights - good to go. "2 Minutes to Midnight" sounds pretty good on the Seymour Duncan - now I use that little 5-way toggle switch a bit more

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GUITARS: 2006 ESP LTD with Floyd Rose | 1999 MIM Fender Stratocaster w/Seymour Duncan
AMP: Fender Hot Rod Deluxe Limited Edition Python
PEDALS: Electro-Harmonix Metal Muff | MXR Distortion III | MXR Stereo Chorus | MXR Phase 90

Your Guitar looks really nice! Dave Murray doesn't use his 1957 Strat on stage anymore! The Strat's he currently uses, have a set of 3 Hotrails in them and a Floyd Rose! His 1957 Strat is his most famous one, which is why that is the signature model! Its the same with Adrian Smith, his signature model is his old Jackson San Dimas Strat, which he used on Somewhere In Time till and the Seventh Son of a Seventh Son albums, but now he uses a Fender Strat with the same set up as his Jackson, the Jackson is just more famous!

...very nice guitar J One...you might consider a Seymour Duncan Classic Stack for Strat in the middle position as an upgrade path for the stock pup.