I have a 1987 American Series Strat. Except for occasional set-ups, I haven't done any tweaking to the guitar. It still has the stock pick ups, and I would like to replace and upgrade them.

I would like to try to achieve the Eric Clapton tone, during his Derek & The Dominos period. Since that was back in the days before readily available replacement pick-ups, I am wondering if he used the stock pick ups from that period.

I have SCXD and a Boss FBM pedal, so I can get close to his Fender Champ amp tone.

Any ideas on replacement pups which could help me get that tone would be appreciated.

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2008 American Standard Tele
1987 American Series Strat
198x G&L (for slide)
Super Champ XD
Roland Cube

Personally I would play with the pickup height. I have a 1986 Fender MIJ '68RI Strat with the stock pickups lowered almost level to the pickguard and it sounds fabulous!!!!

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Chet Feathers

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I didn't Lose my mind, I traded it for this guitar.

Thanks CAFeathers

Good suggestion. A few questions:

1) How do you adjust the height ? I would assume it is done by adjusting the screws on either side of the pup
2) Is this something that I can do, or should it be done by an experienced tech ?
3) WHen you lower the pups, do you loose much volume ?

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2008 American Standard Tele
1987 American Series Strat
198x G&L (for slide)
Super Champ XD
Roland Cube

1. Yes, pickup adjustment is done with the screws on either side of the pickup. Make sure you turn each screw the exact same number of turns.

2. Do it yourself.

3. You will loose some volume and distortion. You will gain some sustain and a sweeter tone.

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Chet Feathers

Authorized TonePros Dealer
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F/A Official Southpaw Compliance Certification Tester http://faamps.com/

http://www.facebook.com/cafeathers


I didn't Lose my mind, I traded it for this guitar.

Clapton mostly played Brownie on Derek and the Dominoes, which was a '56 strat. If you wanna go Fenders I'd check out the Fat '50s pickups or the CS54s.

People will give you all sorts of opinions on what pickups other than Fender to use but for my money Lindy Fralin makes the best strat pickups. I've never heard his version of the 54's, the "Real 54" model, but I would say that's pretty close to the Brownie tone.

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1992 MIJ 70s RI Stratocaster Natural w/CS69s
1996 CIJ Jazzmaster Sunburst w/Jason Lollars
2001 Hot Rod Deluxe
2008 Mustang Bass CIJ
2008 Precision Bass FSR Natural Ash w/DiMarzios
2009 Telecaster, Callaham bridge & Bare Knuckle Pickups

I don't think it's so much the pickups as the amp. In one of the '57 Champ® video Shane Nicholas plays a modern Road Worn Strat with a '57 Champ® http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mSt1HGyYj40&feature=related.

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Tony Houston

I would have to agree with Tony that finding settings on your amp is probably the way to go, as you have a nice strat to get you there and finding the right setting would be better than swapping out your pups.His playing on that for the most part is pretty clean and sweet and there is a Bible of great fills on those songs. One of my favorite albums.

This might help you, covers a lot

Pickup Adjustment with Jason Lollar
[url]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9JEyGuST9oc[/url]

bluesdog88

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Regards

bluesdog88

I think there is too much emphasis on pickup height here. There are so many more factors that contribute to Clapton's tone other than pickup height. The type of pickups, the amp( I read he used a tweed champ for this session), the tube in the amp, the strings, pedals, and even the way the amp was mic'd and the type of mic was used can effect the tone, not to mention clapton's playing technique.

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http://www.youtube.com/user/gmlasam

He did use a champ, I believe it was a blackface circuit. That would probably help a good deal but those are pretty expensive now, as it's vintage.

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1992 MIJ 70s RI Stratocaster Natural w/CS69s
1996 CIJ Jazzmaster Sunburst w/Jason Lollars
2001 Hot Rod Deluxe
2008 Mustang Bass CIJ
2008 Precision Bass FSR Natural Ash w/DiMarzios
2009 Telecaster, Callaham bridge & Bare Knuckle Pickups