about to go on a long anticipated tone hunt. need some input on trat pickups please

Hell, my favorite are the Alnico V's in my current Strat, but I'll be getting Texas Specials for my FSR Thin Skin when it arrives, if only to have some variety.

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American Standard Strat, Sienna Sunburst
Gibson Les Paul, Desert Burst
Gibson SG '61 Reissue, Heritage Cherry

Lace Sensor Golds. Because they sound as close as possible to what is described as a "bell-like" tone, while having very little 60-cycle noise, as well as have very little magnetic pull.

Overdriven, they are very balanced. Smooth high end, clear mids, and a very focused low end.

Plus they look cool! HAHA

HAPPY PLAYING!

Since I love the sound of "L"series Strats-'62-'65-I'd have to say '62s followed by Tex-Mex which are the closest to the 60's type sound.

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'65 Strat,65 Mustang,65 Jaguar,4 more Strats,3 vintage Vox guitars,5 Vox amps,'69 Bassman with a '68 2-15 Bassman cab,36 guitars total-15asst'd amps total,2 vintage '60s Hammond organs & a myriad of effects-with a few rare vintage ones.

I've had expirience with MIM Standard pickups, MIA Standard pickups, American Vintage '57/'62 pickups, Texas Specials, Tex-Mex, Vintage Noiseless, Seymour Duncan Antiquity I's and more........

For me personally, the Texas Specials are too hot. They're just too overwound or something. I got some good sounds out of them, but also had feedback issues on stage that I didn't have with other pickups. The same is true of my American Special Tele with Texas Special pickups.

American Standard pickups are quite good, but I'm more into the vintage sound. Of the pickups I've used, the Seymour Duncan Antiquity I's and the '57/'62's are my favorites. The Vintage Noiseless pickups aren't bad. They're stock in the Clapton signature Strat's. Tex-mex pickups were ok but I prefer the Antiquity's or '57/'62's.

Vintage Noiseless in my Clapton strat sound great. I can get so many diff sounds from them.

i have 57/62s in my 62 reissue and i think they are great and get the job done.

The 57/62 pups are good to my ears,and in some other Strats I have Van Zandts,Lindy Fralins,and Lollars.
The Van Zandts,and Lollars are the winners for me.

As of late...I'm ADDICTED to the DiMarzio AREA series of noiseless Strat replacement pickups!
They are quiet as death and 'Stratty' as all heck!! I lose NOTHING as far as 'quack' and those precious neck pickup timbers!
I have them in most of my guitars!
AND as of late...I've come to like the new DiMarzio INJECTOR neck pickup!
Since most of my Strats are of the HSS format.....I've got a combination of Gibson (498T, 490T, 57 Classic Plus, BurstBucker 3) and DiMarzio 36th Anniv. P.A.F.'s in there as well.
They ALL sound amazing!!

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I refuse to have a battle of the wits with an unarmed man!

My favorites are the Texas Specials. They have a great tone. I don't have a lot of experience with the others so there may be some I like better but I haven't found 'em yet. I have '57/'62s in one of my strats. They're ok. Nice tone but just don't seem hot enough.

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"Damn Right I Got the Blues"

I really like Texas Specials, too. The last strat I had was a Voodoo Strat and it had the '68 lefty pickups in it. The Texas Specials blow those out of the water.

I'm really liking what Fender has done with the N3 series pickups. I liked the Vintage Noiseless set as replacements in another Strat, but the N3s sound more like my idea of what a typical Strat should sound like. Please don't ask me for a better description, that's the best I can do

My vote is for the Fender '57/'62 pickups.

That is what I would buy if I had a Strat that had an empty pickguard.

Why? Because I believe that low-output pickups are the way to go.

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Member #26797
My other guitar is a Strat.

It really just depends on what you're looking for. I go for a vintage tone, but you may want a more high output pickup. What kind of music do you play and who are your favorite guitarists?

+1

I replaced the stock pups in my 2008 MIM standard and installed Area 58s in the neck and middle and an area 61 in the bridge. I love my strat but hated the hum (i know...some will argue that to truly love the strat, you HAVE to love the hum). Now, no hum and all tone !

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"I like the way he puts Yngwie J. Malmsteen on his album covers. You know,....so you don't confuse him with all the other Yngwie Malmsteens in the business"


2008 Fender MIM Stratocaster
2010 Epiphone Masterbilt
2009 Fender Super Champ XD