I've been auditioning guitars for the last 3 weeks and am narrowing my choices down for my first Strat purchase. I would like opinions on two pup choices that I haven't been able to play but are on guitars being sold online. The first is the Jeff Beck strat with Dual-Coil Ceramic Noiseless.
I'd like to compare them to an HSS guitar with Single Coil Cobalt Noisless, Dual Coil Humbucker and an S1 switch, one tone control.
3rd choice: HSS guitar with Lindy Fralin Single Coil Blues Specials, 13.5 Humbucker and an S1 switch, one tone control.
Would I expect a large difference in the sound I could get from either of these or would they all be pretty acceptable to the masses.

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'10 American Deluxe HSS Sunset Metallic
'10 JA-90 Thinline Telecaster
'15 Music Man JP-15 Blueberry Burst
'07 Les Paul Standard Faded LCPG #82
'14 Carvin ST300
'12 Carvin CS424S
'66 Guild Starfire IV w/Bigsby
'14 Warmouth Partscaster Daphne Blue

I'm not a fan of the Samarium Cobalt pickups. I thought the pups they replaced (Vintage Noiseless) were better sounding. I am not very familiar with the other pickups you mentioned.

While the S1 switch does provide an alternate voice for the guitar, and versatility is always a bonus, if you look inside the control cavity the wiring is quite complex compared to standard Strat wiring. You might find that intimidating down the road.

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Just think of how awesome a guitar player you could have been by now if you had only spent the last 10 years practicing instead of obsessing over pickups and roasted maple necks.

I edited my original post because I forgot to add that both HSS guitars have only one tone control. Not sure how much that's going to affect things.

_________________
'10 American Deluxe HSS Sunset Metallic
'10 JA-90 Thinline Telecaster
'15 Music Man JP-15 Blueberry Burst
'07 Les Paul Standard Faded LCPG #82
'14 Carvin ST300
'12 Carvin CS424S
'66 Guild Starfire IV w/Bigsby
'14 Warmouth Partscaster Daphne Blue

Can anyone comment on the pups on the Jeff Beck Strat. Are they much different than what comes on an AD? Any reason to choose an HSS configuration over the JBS? I'm real close to pulling the trigger here and I don't want to shoot myself in the foot like so many times before. But that's a different song.

_________________
'10 American Deluxe HSS Sunset Metallic
'10 JA-90 Thinline Telecaster
'15 Music Man JP-15 Blueberry Burst
'07 Les Paul Standard Faded LCPG #82
'14 Carvin ST300
'12 Carvin CS424S
'66 Guild Starfire IV w/Bigsby
'14 Warmouth Partscaster Daphne Blue

The pickups on the JB have their own voice - they were fairly hot output versions of Fender's original "Noiseless" pickup design using ceramic magnets.

The real issue with the JB is the neck shape - granted they aren't as fat as they were when the guitars first came out in 1991 (back then they were really fat and had very little taper) but they are still fatter than the neck found on the American Deluxe Strats. You should try to find them both and try them out - let your ears and hands be your guide.

Thanks John, I was able to play a John Mayer strat which has a thick C neck and I kind of liked it so I figured the JB wouldn't be too different. They seem to be pretty rare and I haven't found one at a local store. I know I'm taking a chance thinking about ordering a guitar I haven't played, but none of the necks I've played really turned me off that much so I'm juggling the pups and looks part of the equation now.

_________________
'10 American Deluxe HSS Sunset Metallic
'10 JA-90 Thinline Telecaster
'15 Music Man JP-15 Blueberry Burst
'07 Les Paul Standard Faded LCPG #82
'14 Carvin ST300
'12 Carvin CS424S
'66 Guild Starfire IV w/Bigsby
'14 Warmouth Partscaster Daphne Blue