In case you haven't read my other thread. I have a MIM, a CV 60's and and CV 50's is one it's way.

The CV 60's has a punchy tone to it. I'd say SRV-ish. I know the CV 50's has alnico III's, so it'll have a more classic tone. I also have a 20th Anniv. Affinity with a set of GFS Jimi pups. Same punch as the CV 60's, but different bite. Dunno how to describe it, lol.

That leaves my 2006 MIM standard. Compared to the above guitars, it lacks punch, sound weak and even a bit muddy. They all have lower output pups on them, so those vintage tones I have covered.

I want something more modern sounding. I don't know what type of pickups American standards come with, so that's a good start I guess. I don't want to break the bank on these either, so any GFS/Tonerider/etc. suggestions are welcome.

I was thinking of a few different configs:
1) Leave it SSS
2) 3 single coil humbuckers
3) HSS
4) humbucker(b), single(m), single-coil humbucker (n)

I like the hot rails look but they are a bit expensive, so I was thinking something like GFS lil killers. Are they good? Would I still be able to get that lovely strat neck pup tone with a higher output neck pup?

What would you guys put in a MIM for modern strat tones?:?

Hello!

Bellow is a copy of my post from a similar thread:

My preferance for a good all round pup would be a set of Lace Sensors (red, silver and blue). There are as noiseless as pickups get, well designed and manufactured. They are also reasonably priced. To my ears they have a very contemporary tone.

I'd recommend trying out a set before you spend any money as they are, not to everyone's taste. You'll either lov'em or hate um!

Bridge – Red Lace Sensor - Resistance: 14.5k. Great for your Metal, Hard Rock duties etc. Loads of mid range power.

Middle – Silver Lace Sensor - Resistance: 7.1k. Good for funk and blues. Quite full sounding for a middle pup, very usable

Neck – Blue Lace Sensor - Resistance: 12.8k. Really nice deep soulful tone for blues. Quite close to a P90. Roll off the tone to get your jazz tone (though can be a bit bassy)

Use these pups in conjunction with a decent EQ pedal or active wiring (on-board pre-amp etc) and your in business! Everything covered!

http://www.lacemusic.com/electric_picku ... _specs.php

The above is based on my experiences. Yours and others may vary.

Hope this helps

Andy

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Pending Greatness

You seem to be looking a lot at GFS which makes me think cost is a strong consideration. I hate to be the resident Tex Mex pickup apologist, but I can't help it. At their price point, they are the best Strat pups going ... and they are Fender OEM. They are very lively, sustain very well, and offer tremendous tonal possibilities. I dropped a set in my MIM Std on a whim, and I have been in love with them ever since. There is a big difference in the Tex Mex compared to the stock ceramics (the ceramics are not bad pickups in their own right, regardless of what any one says). Based on what you are looking for, it sounds like a set of Tex Mex is screaming your name ...

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Laughing out loud with fear and hope, I have a desperate plan ...

01GT,

While I am looking for the best bang-per-buck deal, I have no problem going up to about $150 for a set.

I just mentioned GFS cuz I already have the Jimi set in a squier and their Classic II's in an Agile and I like them both.

I considered the tex-mex cuz it's mentioned so often, but from what I've read and heard (over youtube), they don't seem much different than the pickups in my 60's CV.

Not that there's anything wrong with that (I love my 60's CV), but I want my MIM to sound different and be more versatile.

Andybighair, that RSB Lace Sensors looks really interesting, but isn't 12k a lot for a single coil in the neck?

I just recently started playing and collecting strats, so I don't know much about the single coil pickups on the market. Everything for me was always humbuckers until I discovered the tone of the neck pup on my squier, lol.

I hardly need to add anything to that - it's one of my favorite pickup sets.

Only thing I do differently is reverse the silver and blue Sensors, so that they run in ascending output from neck to bridge. The silver sounds great in the neck position and so then the blue gives additional oomph in the middle. A very nice sound in its own right in that spot.

The red at bridge is then reserved strictly for out and out aggressive attack at those caution-to-the-wind solo moments. 14.5k is huge output in a Strat!

When Sensors first appeared in Strats I was initially bewildered that they put the lowest output in the middle. I soon worked out why they did it, and it makes sense. But perhaps have a think about my way as an alternative choice...

Options.

Cheers - C

In the UK the you can pick up a set for £105 which is a bargain in my mind. Happy days!



12.8k is not to much for me! In fact I have a set wiried up to an on-board pre-amp and it never gets too dark or muddy as one might expect from a pup with a higher resistance (usually cheaper/ poorly made).

I personally really like the tone (a lot!), and as a set they are very well balanced.

As i mentioned earlier, try a set out before you buy.

Hope this helps

Andy

Edit: Just seen Ceri's post above and I agree the Red bridge pups is a real beast! Great for those pinched harmonics (my cat hates it!)

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Pending Greatness

And the beat the hell out of Fender Noiseless IMO. These are my favorite pups!

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Live guitars: 2009 LTD Truckster, 1989 Strat Plus, 2001 Am Standard Strat, 1996 MIJ Jaguar, 2007 Gibson Explorer 76 reissue, 1999 Ibanez RG7621, LTD MH-301, LTD FM400, 1999 Jackson Kelly, Mystery Les Paul, Hamer Chaparel, Fender FM 62SCE A/E Mandolin

I would have to speak up for the Tex Max.
They are very versatile pups. Depending what caps you use, you can drastically change your tone. At low gain they have a crystal clean but at higher gain they become a tamable beast.

With my Mex I use Jimmie Vaughan wiring with a 0.022 cap on the neck & a 0.01 cap on the bridge. I love that set up.

Good luck in your search.


Craig

Hi there! I just put a set of r-s-b lace sensor pups on my American standard Stratocaster.
I've already known the red on the bridge as I tried it years ago.
The new ones were the silver and the blue.
I love the cleans on the silver on the middle, especially combined with the red;
the most particuar I've found is the blue on the neck.
1time I switched it I thought something was wrong as it is very loud, dark and bassy sounding, especially on lower strings, is it normal / wanted type of sound by lace?
And rolling off the neck tone it goes of course darker and darker.

Let's say it doesn't sounds like a common Stratocaster pick up, isn't it?

I guess it might be used mainly for solos but not for rhythm as it is too bass pronounced.
Am I wrong?

[/quote]

When Sensors first appeared in Strats I was initially bewildered that they put the lowest output in the middle. I soon worked out why they did it, and it makes sense.

Cheers - C[/quote]

why Lace did it in your opinion?