I appeal to you pickup experts who've done quite a bit of swapping.
I'm always in search, but don't have quite the knowledge, nor experience.

I'm looking for some pickups that will do well with some lead rock soloing, plenty of bridge power for riffs.
Less noise is always a plus.

BUT I still want them to be able to back off for some cool blues.

Right now I'm thinking Lace Sensors? But what combination? Or if there's something better than that for my situation...I've heard good things about the pickups that come in Suhr strats.

(playing through a carvin V3 head w/ JJ 6L6 tubes and a 4x12 cab with V 30's)
Any advice will be appreciated.

_________________
-Kc
"Payin' dues."

Your amp sounds pretty cool. I like 6L6s. JJs are what I use too. What guitar/pickups are you using?

Edit: I guess the question is, what's not cutting it for you now?

_________________
-Kirk

GUITARS
'12 Sonoran Acoustic - black (dated 10/31/12)
'13 Standard Strat
AMP
Vox ac4c1-bl
PEDALS
Compressor
Big Muff
Vox Stomplab 1G
Carbon Copy Delay

I have a classic 50's, I love the vintage feel but I want a more modern sound.

_________________
-Kc
"Payin' dues."

Check out this link. You might get a better reaction to your questions on pickups here as well. Good luck on your quest.

http://www.fender.com/community/forums/ ... hp?t=29996

_________________
-Kirk

GUITARS
'12 Sonoran Acoustic - black (dated 10/31/12)
'13 Standard Strat
AMP
Vox ac4c1-bl
PEDALS
Compressor
Big Muff
Vox Stomplab 1G
Carbon Copy Delay

Think out of the box!!!!
Rio Grande Pickups my be your piece of cake.
http://www.riograndepickups.com/scart/C ... R%20STRATS

_________________
The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.

Thomas Jefferson

Splurge and get some Kinman Traditional MK-III's or a Kinman Blues set. You won;t regret having spent the extra dough. Best Pups you'll ever hear.

http://www.kinman.com/Shop/strat.php

_________________
Blues with a feeling.

GUILD GUITARS: MADE TO BE PLAYED!

I'll see your out-box and raise you a Harmonic Design..

http://www.harmonicdesign.net/

I've only heard these pickups twice in my lifetime. Once was a Z-90s equipped Les Paul, the other was a Strat with Vintage Plus Strat pickups. Both were absolutely killer in the studio. I agree, sometimes you do need to step outside the box. I WILL have some Harmonic Designs in one of my guitars at some point next year. In fact, I'm making it my New Years resolution.

_________________

HaleAmano- House Of Sharks (Now On iTunes)
http://www.reverbnation.com/haleamano
http://www.haleamano.com

Man, they sure make those Mk-III pickups sound good in writing. Do I dare upgrade my stock MIA?

_________________
-Kirk

GUITARS
'12 Sonoran Acoustic - black (dated 10/31/12)
'13 Standard Strat
AMP
Vox ac4c1-bl
PEDALS
Compressor
Big Muff
Vox Stomplab 1G
Carbon Copy Delay

I changed the pickups in my MIA strat. I think it is only taboo to do electronics swaps in custom shop gear.
As for pickup suggestions, I think Lindy Fralin mixes a little magic in with his. I have his blues special set, which is a very versatile set suprisingly. I like how Kinmans sound as well, but I will always be a Fralin guy. The man is an artist. With that said, if a modern sound is what you are really after, I think emg is leading the way with active pickups.

Have you ever compared the Traditional Kinman MKIII's with the MkI or MKII's? If so, what difference did you find in sound?

I have the MKI's and they have a funny buzzing problem. Thinking of trying the MKIII's

Have you tried playing with the pickup height of the stock pickups? How about playing with your amp settings? Do you use FX?

Personally I would spend some time checking out pickup height and amp/fx settings before I even thought about changing them.

_________________
Chet Feathers

Authorized TonePros Dealer
Authorized WD Music Products Dealer
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.

I'm extremely biased on pickups but you hit a homerun on your choices...I would suggest a Lace sensor Hot gold in the bridge then standard golds for the mid and neck positions..

But and this is a huge one..If you want a extreme tone machine go with the John Suhr's ..I have a set in a Fat Strat ...I have V60's in the neck and mid (reverse wound) with a SSV+ in the bridge ..They turned a MIM strat into a pure tone monster very versatile if you roll back the volume on the bridge excellent hot blues tone if you use the neck pick up you got SRV all the way...

I also have a 73 American Standard that the bridge pup went out on so i replaced with the v60 out of the set i bought... I will happily tell you it did the same to that guitar..It took it from a nice vintage guitar to a jaw dropper..IMHO there is no better pickups one the market..If you have the coin go with the John Suhrs ..

Just so you know i have the two previously mentioned Strats and a 90 Strat Ultra with Red /silver/Blue Lace sensor single coils..I also have a 94 Floyd Rose with Lace sensors in but i do not like my pick up selection for that guitar it made it much hotter than i wanted..But anyway as far as tone the MIM with the John Suhr pups even beats my Strat ultra for tone..If you would know me you would know how much i love my ultra but fact is fact ..
I myself can hear the difference and so does other musicians in the audience..It never fails when im at a Jam session at an open mike night or playing on the road at least once a night someone will ask what do you have in that white strat..And i do mean every time i take that guitar on stage without exception...