Yes.
Recently a Blues Deluxe then a HRD III.

Blues Deluxe was ok, but only on 2nd input. To bright on 1st input, even with the treble backed off. Did get it sounding great with my TS9 infront driving the amp.
Only had 15min with the HRD becuase it caught fire but still very bright.

Also played through Vox vt and Peavey Classic 30 with same results, but that was a while ago.

To be honest mate the first thing i do when i plug into anything is back vol and tone off and go from there.

Mebbe it is time for a different set of pickups then.

I always try to exhaust all possibilities before spending $$$.

Arjay

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"Here's why reliability is job one: A great sounding amp that breaks down goes from being a favorite piece of gear to a useless piece of crap in less time than it takes to read this sentence." -- BRUCE ZINKY

Cheers Arjay, i think you maybe right.

Any other suggestions to either Tex specials or Fat 50s. Cant be voiced bright and preferably from the Fender stable. Looking for warm blues.

Not really. I know Fender's CS '54 set is pretty bright. Some of the specialty pickups might work if you have access to them (DiMarzio, Seymour-Duncan, Kinman, etc).

Arjay

_________________
"Here's why reliability is job one: A great sounding amp that breaks down goes from being a favorite piece of gear to a useless piece of crap in less time than it takes to read this sentence." -- BRUCE ZINKY

Got a couple of guitar shops quite near me, so will go a try a variety i think just to try and get a feel for them.
And Coda Music is only an hour away. Vast selection there.

Hi dc01,
I am npretty new to the changing pickups thing too, but maybe a little more down the road from yourself. I spent MONTHS trying to find the right sound for me in my strat and tried various different cs sets. I don't like it too trebly and I just tend to find the sets of cs pickups are good in a couple of positions but, for me, never quite cut it as a full set so I started looking at mixing and matching pickups. looked first at Seymour Duncan SSL-5 in bridge with fat 50s in mid and neck position, then checked out the 54s. They are all great and when you are just checking out the possibility of changing pickups it is a veritable toy shop of sounds!!!
I have plumped for one strat with a 57/62 in the bridge, fat 50 in the mid and 54 in the neck, another with ssl5 in bridge, ssl1 mid and fat 50s neck and the other with an ssl5 bridge, fat 50 mid and 54 neck.
It does mean farting about a helluva lot more and generally having to search e-bay and stuff to get individual pups rather than sets but in the end, to get 'your tone' you have to mix and match.
let us know what you go for in the end

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speak slowly I'm a drummer too!!

And I proudly lack a stick or a kazoo up my arse...........