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Post subject: Upgrading Pickups
Posted: Mon Jun 18, 2007 12:54 pm
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So in about a month or so I should be upgrading my Strat's pickups (currently using stock) but, I need some help on what to get. The current pickup configuration is S.S.S. and I'd also like to change it to S.S.H. but, I also need to know if there are any risks to that. Alright so when it comes to pickups I like to play Rock, Classic rock, Blues, A bit of metal, Punk Rock, Country, Funk, and a bit of Jazz so I really need help on finding pickups that would be versatile enough to cover that many styles :S. Also it's a Standard Strat.


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Posted: Mon Jun 18, 2007 1:18 pm
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Well, Fender's SCN pickups are really nice (at least I think so) for higher gain levels as they are extremely quiet and sound excellent. Also, before you go and switch to a humbucker, have you considered alternative single coil pickups like a DiMarzio Fast Track 2?


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Posted: Mon Jun 18, 2007 1:31 pm
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Take a listen to the NEW Highway 1 Strat pups they sound killer.


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Post subject:
Posted: Mon Jun 18, 2007 1:31 pm
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Alright I looked up that DiMarzio Fast Track 2, it looks cool but, how's the versatility and what's this about a 500K Volume pot also I still need to know what kind of pickups to use for neck and middle posititions.


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Posted: Mon Jun 18, 2007 4:06 pm
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The best way to decide what pickups to use is to listen to all you can, and then get what sounds best to you. Before you buy a normal sized humbucker, make sure your guitar is routed to accept one wherever you want to put it. A lot of the guitars Fender is making now have the HSH routing even if they have three single coil pickups, so you're probably safe, but make sure before you buy anything. Routing can change the sound of your guitar and decreases its value.


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Post subject:
Posted: Tue Jun 19, 2007 1:58 pm
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I see, I believe I have a 2005 Standard Strat. Also how much do pickups cost ? and how much would it cost to get them installed because I don't have the know-how to do it myself. Also has anybody here used the DiMarzio Fast Track 2, if so what are your thoughts on it? How's the versatility? and one last thing what other humbucking alternatives are there?


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Posted: Wed Jun 20, 2007 10:56 am
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Lots of advice here.
Everyone has an opinion. All of my strats are different. 2 things I can say.

One: stay with fender if you plan on keeping it. I have spare parts in my collection from a numbskull who put a dimarzio stacked pickup in his 56 strat years ago. Now which is worth more???

two: change the whole assembly, keep the old one intact. That way you can always return to original.

I kind of like my kids ssh set-up. Factory done better than I could. If I had one axe that would be it. But I got 20 so I did each one different for tone reasons.
Mine are 3 old jackson j-100 pickups in 1 strat,( warm 60's sound);
1 j-100 and 2 new vintage in another ( sounds just like the real blackie) and 3 stock squier early 80's pups in another. All have their own sound. I keep all the original parts intact and customize a new pickguard.


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Posted: Wed Jun 20, 2007 11:32 am
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Good advice there I will keep the original assembly but, I have a limited amount of money. One question how much do volume and tone pots cost? Also what's this about a 500K or 250K Pot? I don't get it.


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Posted: Wed Jun 20, 2007 12:56 pm
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the higher value of the pot, the brighter the sound. humbuckers are naturally darker and will sound rather nasty with a 250k pot. Pots are cheap and easy to replace. But if you don't have access to a router, you should buy a single-coil sized humbucker. there are plenty of 'em out there. just follow a wiring diagram and get a soldering iron. it's pretty easy to change pickups. if you need any help, just ask me. i've done it many times.

and don't listen to that guy about keeping your guitar original. it's a standard strat, they're a dime a dozen. it'll never be worth the same as a '56 strat. just do something that's gonna make you happy.

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Posted: Wed Jun 20, 2007 2:33 pm
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Years ago I took the original pickups out of my Sunburst 89 American Standard strat and put 3 DiMarzio stacked humbuckers in it. I don't know what I was thinking. Came to my senses earlier this year and put Fender's Vintage Noiseless Pickups in it and changed the pickgaurd and knobs to parchment. I also upgraded the pots. So now it looks and sounds like a older strat, I love it. :)


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Posted: Wed Jun 20, 2007 2:51 pm
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I use a DiMarzio Fast Track2 in the bridge position and it sounds pretty well (too much power to balance with my texas special, but it sounds great for hard blues to heavy rock)


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Post subject:
Posted: Thu Jun 21, 2007 10:41 am
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tonas wrote:
Years ago I took the original pickups out of my Sunburst 89 American Standard strat and put 3 DiMarzio stacked humbuckers in it. I don't know what I was thinking. Came to my senses earlier this year and put Fender's Vintage Noiseless Pickups in it and changed the pickgaurd and knobs to parchment. I also upgraded the pots. So now it looks and sounds like a older strat, I love it. :)


Well I don't know too much about pickups but, I do know that it's generally not a good idea to put in three stacked humbuckers regardless. Anyway thanks for your help guys I'm going to keep looking around however, I few days ago I saw a guy who put a DiMarzio Chopper into the bridge poss. an HS3 in the neck poss. and a HS2 in the middle poss. Any opinions?


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Post subject:
Posted: Thu Jun 21, 2007 12:20 pm
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Since I have 2 Strats, I decided to Hotrod 1 of them. My 2color sunburst 50's Classic Player Strat is stock. I like the sound from it. However I modded a 2006 MIM black/maple neck Strat with Seymour Duncan Rails pick-ups. I put a Cool Rail in the neck position, a Vintage Rail in the middle and a Hot Rail in the bridge position. I then put a blue moto pick guard on it to make it look completely different from other Strats out there. The Rails style pick-ups are obviously hotter then the standard MIM single coils but absolutely keep the signature Strat sound. I can have so many variable tones from this set-up. Played through my Vibrolux or my AC30 or my little Champ 600. I can simply use either the pick-up selector switch or my volume control to change tone in mid-song. The look of the Rials and the blue moto pick guard on a black body Strat has gotten alot of admiring attention, as has the tones I able to achieve with the set-up. I think I may buy another Strat and go for the Vintage Noiseless pick-ups next, along with the Clapton Mid-Boost preamp. I know it would be easier to just buy a Clapton Strat but I like to be different and I will do it myself as I want the Strat to be a 3color sunburst, 3 ply pick guard (white) and black pick-up covers and knobs. Can't have enough Strats to play with, can we!!


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