Hello all, i currently have a Highway 1 strat (post 05') and want a little upgrade in the pickup department. I've kinda narrowed it down to the APS-1 or the SSL-5 in the bridge and probably SSL-1's in the neck and middle position. How do the APS-1 and the SSL-5 compare to each other in the bridge?

My tone is usually around 1 o'clock on the distortion and then i boost it some with a tube screamer for some overdrive. Its more a classic rock sound, definitely not metal. I'd say its pretty close to something like Candlebox. How would the APS-1 or SSL-5 handle tones like this? I know its a highly opinionated question...but just askin!

I like the pickups in the Highway 1 now as they have a good bottom end...but feel that they squash the sustain and is probably due to the "hotness" of the pickups which ive read measure in at around 14k resistance.

I'm thinking of the APS-1 cause it has Alnico II magnets and it seems to my ear that they smooth out the tone better than Alnico V magnets (Highway 1's have Alnico II pickups). As you can see im very undecided at the moment!

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Fender Highway 1 Strat, Fender Lonestar Stratocaster 25th Anniversary, Orange Rockerverb 50 w/ PPC212, Crate Vintage Club 30 Tube Amp, Digitech GNX3, Line6 pedals, Ibanez Tube Screamer (my fav), Crybaby Wah

You are in between two ends of the tonal spectrum here. The APS-1 is of vintage output and of the sweeter, more mellow Strat tonality whereas the SSL-5 is a powerful, "in your face" type Strat tonality. Per what you state is the sound you require, either pickup will serve quite well but again, two ends of the spectrum.

I'm too old for Candlebox and of the "Classic Rock" ilk when it was 'prime time' so I'm no help with this specific comparison. I will say this though, the SSL-5 would probably be a better voiced pickup for newer stuff.

FWIW, I'm also from the old, "Plug In Direct and Play School" where I use the natural overdrive of a tube amp to achieve my final tonality. Having said that, if you want an old geezer's advice who achieved and still achieves the (now) Classic Rock tones with a Strat, I use an SSL-2 in the neck, an SSL-5 in the middle and an SSL-3 in the bridge. Also, by using the guitar's volume and tone knobs (which appears to be a lost art nowadays), I can easily dial down to the tonality of an APS-1 with this combination but the opposite results with an APS-1 would not be possible.

As always, this is merely IMO where YMMV.

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I guess the only reason i say the APS-1's is cause they have the alnico II magnets...when i played the highway 1 it seemed alot smoother...all the other guitars with alnico V magnets seemed a lot more piercing in the upper register. I liked that about the alnico II's...so thats just kinda why im torn between the two at the moment

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Fender Highway 1 Strat, Fender Lonestar Stratocaster 25th Anniversary, Orange Rockerverb 50 w/ PPC212, Crate Vintage Club 30 Tube Amp, Digitech GNX3, Line6 pedals, Ibanez Tube Screamer (my fav), Crybaby Wah

Well, let's put it this way: The Alnico IIs are a very nice "one trick pony" where you'll get plenty of sweetness and a spongy bass; a very smooth, and soft sounding tonality. As for any serious percussiveness, that's the Alnico V's thing where again, the tone control(s) must be factored into the equation. Like I said, you can mimic the Alnico IIs with Alnico Vs but you can't do the opposite. As a matter of fact, if you have Alnico V pickups and set them low to the top of the pickguard, you will literally be getting a weakened magnetic pull akin to Alnico IIs or IIIs so this is something you might want to consider too. Lastly, if you buy one and come to realize that you'd indeed rather have the other, remember, Duncan has that 21 day exchange policy.

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That 21 day thing is great i didn't know that! I understand what your saying and what the highway 1 has that most guitars dont is the grease bucket circuit which rolls off the highs without affecting the output...but even as it is right now with my highway 1 i roll back the tone knob on the bridge maybe a few dials as it is...so maybe alnico V's would just be to much?

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Fender Highway 1 Strat, Fender Lonestar Stratocaster 25th Anniversary, Orange Rockerverb 50 w/ PPC212, Crate Vintage Club 30 Tube Amp, Digitech GNX3, Line6 pedals, Ibanez Tube Screamer (my fav), Crybaby Wah

Yea, that 21 day thing has been around for decades but they obviously don't broadcast it as exchanges don't make them money (IMO).

The drift I catch is that you are indeed siding toward the Alnico IIs. Give them a shot and again, remember the 21 day exchange.

Good luck and let us know how things turn out.

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yea i think all the stars are aligning theres an ebay listing for a full set of APS-1's with a RW/RP middle pickup for less than $100...is this my calling card? haha

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Fender Highway 1 Strat, Fender Lonestar Stratocaster 25th Anniversary, Orange Rockerverb 50 w/ PPC212, Crate Vintage Club 30 Tube Amp, Digitech GNX3, Line6 pedals, Ibanez Tube Screamer (my fav), Crybaby Wah

Good luck!!

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