What Pickups Do You Have In Your #1 Strat?

01GT eibach · **Posted:** Tue Aug 11, 2009 5:29 am

Fender Tex Mex ... lotsa pickup for the money ...

rkreisher · **Posted:** Tue Aug 11, 2009 6:57 pm

Right now I have stock pups in my Highway 1(SSS). However, that is about to change to stock pups in the neck and middle positions plus a Dimarzio DP 100 for the bridge (HSS). I love the sound of the neck and middle pups, but I needed a little more umph in the bridge.

It's sad when my Squier CV 60 sounds better than my HWY 1 when it comes to Metal (just more of a hum) and Blues. The Squier is supposed to be my back-up guitar not my main.

RK

gadabout · **Posted:** Tue Aug 11, 2009 7:03 pm

I've never had anything other than stock pickups in any of my guitars. My #1 is a '62 AVRI strat.

lomitus · **Joined:** Sat Aug 23, 2008 2:01 pm **Posts:** 1598

DeadAhead wrote:

I'm curious to see how many people remove the stock pickups and replace them with an aftermarket pup. I put a set of Custom '59 Copperhead pups in my #1 after 11 years simply to inspire me to play more and also to check out a new set of pups in my Strat. Needless to say I was very happy! Cpperheads are not that expensive ($145US) and are made entirely by hand (except the winding machine) and sound wonderful. Plus the fellow who makes Copperheads has several more models plus he will work with you to build your own pickup from the ground up. He will also provide a full refund even if you cut the wires while installing them. Sorry I know this sounds like a commercial but I'm just very happy with his product. I'm even comptemplating changing out the SCNs in my Amer. Deluxe for a set of '67s although I dig the stock SCNs. Anyway, have any of you changed out your stock pups for an aftermarket set and been very happy with them. I'd like to hear about the pups and, if you can, compare them to a sound (or band) we'd be familiar with please. If you've made the change and are unhappy with them please advise us also.

Russ

Ok, I'm a little late getting in here on this one but I too tend to swap out pickups. Right now my "#1", a 1996 Fender MIM Standard has Duncan Scorcher Rails and I'm pretty happy with them. I've also replaced the pups in my '08 Squire Standard Special with VN's...as Ninja said much earlier on, not exactly my favorite pickups but they're not bad either. I also just replaced the pups in my home assembled "Vinto-Strat" with a set of Fender MIJ's...not real happy with those though. I think I'm leaning towards a set of EMG's for that one. And just for the record, my old Kramer has DiMazio's in it :-)

. Although I don't currently have a set in any thing, I'm also a big fan of the gold Lace Sensors for Strats too...if I ever replace the Duncans in my '96 it will either be with gold sensors or EMG's.

Interestingly enough, another really great sounding set of pickups are the stock pickups in my old Lotus Strat clone. Lotus was a cheaper brand from way back in the 70's and 80's so I don't know if I just got lucky or if it's just the age of the pickups or what but they really do have a very nice "vintage" sound to them.

It's kind of funny really...I was just thinking about this the other day. Considering how "modular" Strats are to begin with and considering that A LOT of people will swap out pickups in their strats...often as their first mod, I'm surprised that no one ever came up with some kind of quick connectors for pickups. Some sort of easy to deal with, reliable, snap plug or something to make it easier to change pickups. This way if you don't care for how a given Strat (or Tele) sounds, you buy your new pickups with the same standardized connector and in a matter of 15 minutes or so you can have them installed and hear what they sound like....it would have to beat the hell out of re-soldering everything every time you swap pickups!

Anyways, just my $.02 worth as usual...

Peace,
Jim

yellowv · **Joined:** Sun Jul 19, 2009 5:08 pm **Posts:** 42

Lindy Fralin Blues Specials. They sound fantastic.

texasguitarslinger · **Posted:** Tue Aug 11, 2009 8:05 pm

Texas Specials.

My MIM is stock. I'm still debating whether to get lipstick pickups or Tex-Mex pickup for it.

mondo500 · **Posted:** Tue Aug 11, 2009 8:22 pm

lomitus wrote:

It's kind of funny really...I was just thinking about this the other day. Considering how "modular" Strats are to begin with and considering that A LOT of people will swap out pickups in their strats...often as their first mod, I'm surprised that no one ever came up with some kind of quick connectors for pickups. Some sort of easy to deal with, reliable, snap plug or something to make it easier to change pickups. This way if you don't care for how a given Strat (or Tele) sounds, you buy your new pickups with the same standardized connector and in a matter of 15 minutes or so you can have them installed and hear what they sound like....it would have to beat the hell out of re-soldering everything every time you swap pickups!

It's not exactly the same idea, but I've often thought that the Kinman No-Solder Harness looks tempting...

Really, though, I should probably just buy a soldering iron and start poking around -- it can't be all that hard...

Oh, and my pickups are whatever flavour of '60s pickups the Custom Shop used in their '66 time machine Strats. Blue, gold and two red Fender-Lace sensors in the other guitar. I haven't felt the urge to mess with either of those setups yet...

muramasa674 · **Joined:** Sat Mar 22, 2008 9:07 pm **Posts:** 99

I just felt like snagging two HB's from a music store that was going out of business. So I got the PRS vintage bass and PRS mccarty treble. Both can be coil tapped so I guess I'm going to use those for my strat soon. All the music stores are swamped right now for back to school so I have to wait.

RicOkc · **Posted:** Wed Aug 12, 2009 10:26 am

'95 MIA Strat.: JB Jr. (bridge) Hot Noiseless (neck & mid)
'97 California Series Strat.: Hot Noiseless

hendrixfan99 · **Posted:** Wed Aug 12, 2009 12:34 pm

bradymoore wrote:

I use a set of Rumplestiltskin pickups. Called "Gypsy". Really a good sounding pickup.

+1! Except I have the Experience neck pickup and a CBS-style slightly over-wound bridge pickup.

Just like Copperheads, you can get custom tone for a lot less! Highly, highly recommended. Maybe if (and when) I'll get another strat, if it needs modding, I might go for a '54 set for variety!

-The Screamin' J

kk5fe · **Posted:** Wed Aug 12, 2009 12:53 pm

USA deluxe strat = Kinman (these things sound great!)

Korean lite ash strat = Texas Specials

DeadAhead · **Posted:** Wed Aug 12, 2009 3:05 pm

Thanks for the replies everyone. Lots of interesting pickup choices out there. I'm suprised there's not many people with Jason Lollar or Bill Lawrence pups. I know these guys are highly respected pup makers and I would think we would have just as many users of their products as Kimans and Fralins. All of these guys have got to be raking in the cash charging $250 and up for their pups. I can't imagine the materials used to make a set add up to much when bought in bulk. Of course there's the winding machine but those are easily made or purchased.
To all you UK guys: How are those BareKnuckle pups? They are hard to find here in the Southern USA but I see alot of ads for them in guitar mags.
I know many of yall don't like these pup threads but I find them very interesting and I'm starting to think about trying to wind my own. Not as a way to make money but just to do some experimentation with different sounds. Anyway, thanks again for the input.

Russ

nikininja · **Posted:** Wed Aug 12, 2009 3:16 pm

Ceri has the bareknuckle sultans set in his recently built strat. I've not heard their singles but did pay a good bit of attention to their greeny humbuckers. Great sound, yes really good. worth the wunga? Not to me. Hearing those HB's gives me the idea that their SC's will be very flavoursome.

Im happy with scn's which are in effect Bill Lawrence pickups.

DeadAhead · **Posted:** Wed Aug 12, 2009 3:27 pm

Nikininja,

I dig the SCNs too. Especially with the S1 switching system. Very versatile. I'm thinking I need a new guitar or two so I can try out some different pups.

Nick will you do me a favor and change the penguin getting shoved in the mud by the bully penguin to something else. I'm starting to feel sorry for the poor sap and want to see him get up and wallop that bastard for getting him all muddy. :lol:

Russ

all_thumbs09 · **Posted:** Wed Aug 12, 2009 9:14 pm

DeadAhead wrote:

Thanks for the replies everyone. Lots of interesting pickup choices out there. I'm suprised there's not many people with Jason Lollar or Bill Lawrence pups. I know these guys are highly respected pup makers and I would think we would have just as many users of their products as Kimans and Fralins. All of these guys have got to be raking in the cash charging $250 and up for their pups. I can't imagine the materials used to make a set add up to much when bought in bulk. Of course there's the winding machine but those are easily made or purchased.
To all you UK guys: How are those BareKnuckle pups? They are hard to find here in the Southern USA but I see alot of ads for them in guitar mags.
I know many of yall don't like these pup threads but I find them very interesting and I'm starting to think about trying to wind my own. Not as a way to make money but just to do some experimentation with different sounds. Anyway, thanks again for the input.

Russ

I am considering doing the same. Although, I thought I'd start small and wind my own for a cigar box guitar 1st rather than going whole hog and doing a set for a full sized guitar

	Page 4 of 6	[ 76 posts ]	Go to page Previous 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 Next
Go to page Previous 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 Next

	Page 4 of 6	[ 76 posts ]	Go to page Previous 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 Next
Go to page Previous 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 Next

Andorra	EN	ES	FR
Belgium	EN	DE	FR
Croatia	EN
Czech Republic	EN
Estonia	EN
France	EN	FR
Germany	EN	DE
Italy	EN	IT
Latvia	EN
Lithuania	EN
Malta	EN
Netherlands	EN
Poland	EN
Romania	EN
Slovakia	EN
Sweden	EN
United Kingdom	EN

Austria	EN	DE
Bulgaria	EN
Cyprus	EN
Denmark	EN
Finland	EN
Greece	EN
Hungary	EN
Ireland	EN
Liechtenstein	EN	DE
Luxembourg	EN	DE	FR
Monaco	EN	FR
Norway	EN
Portugal	EN
Slovenia	EN
Spain	EN	ES
Switzerland	EN	DE	FR	IT

Mod Shop

Custom Shop

What Pickups Do You Have In Your #1 Strat?

Who is online