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Post subject: Re: Best aftermarket Strat pickups
Posted: Thu May 12, 2011 3:02 am
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DiMarzio Area Pickups. Great tone!

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Post subject: Re: Best aftermarket Strat pickups
Posted: Thu May 12, 2011 3:30 am
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I just want to point out here that.. Well, you're always wise to just use your ears on whatever you might run across. I swear, one of my favorite pair of Hums came out of a stock $99 Squier Bullet HH that I bought around Christmas time. Literally sounds no different than Gibson top of the line Hums. Not to say that it's a consistent thing though. I have another pair from the exact same line that don't sound nearly the same.

I'm not really going to give any recommendations here that are brand specific. Purchase based on what you believe you want, listen, and like or don't. Repeat until you're happy.

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Post subject: Re: Best aftermarket Strat pickups
Posted: Thu May 12, 2011 6:23 am
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I'm a big fan of Chevalier pickups.


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Post subject: Re: Best aftermarket Strat pickups
Posted: Thu May 12, 2011 8:35 am
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Any of the pickups made by Bill Lawrence www.billlawrence.com

WCR SR's (These are so special they are only made once a year and are not on his website) www.crcoils.com

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Post subject: Re: Best aftermarket Strat pickups
Posted: Thu May 12, 2011 9:17 am
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Location: deep down in Florida...
My "best" pickups happen to be Don Mare :D

I have 2 sets in 2 different Strats and nothing I've heard so far comes close...


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Post subject: Re: Best aftermarket Strat pickups
Posted: Thu May 12, 2011 11:36 am
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Mares, O.C.Duff or D Allen. You won't go wrong between these guys. Another good one is Fezzters pickups, they're very good and not too expensive.


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Post subject: Re: Best aftermarket Strat pickups
Posted: Thu May 12, 2011 12:07 pm
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candycoke09 wrote:
I want to know opinions on what you consider the best aftermarket Strat pickups. Which maker nails the vintage sounds, who makes the best matched set, etc, etc. Any and all opinions welcome.


I think you can see that as many folks that answer, you'll have that many choices! :lol:

Try to listen to some sound files on the internet, understanding that what you hear is only a rough approximate of what they really sound like and make a choice. Most manufacturers have sound files of their gear. YouTube has lots but depending on how the poster recorded them, they will sound different + YouTube compresses the audio.

It's a tough nut to crack but I think all of us have been where you are, in the search.

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Post subject: Re: Best aftermarket Strat pickups
Posted: Thu May 12, 2011 12:25 pm
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in the last grand guitars mag was nice test of jim rolph 58 strat pu's, tested with a
tommy special guitars strat (karl verheyen). the tester was amased.

http://www.jmrolph.com/

cheers :D

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Post subject: Re: Best aftermarket Strat pickups
Posted: Thu May 12, 2011 6:03 pm
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I have a Fralin Blues Specials in one Strat, Klein 65's in my other Strat... they both sound good but to me the Kleins are just amazing...perfect for me, but who knows if they're perfect for anyone else :?:

It's all a matter of personal taste and I'd imagine that there are bunches of great pickups out there I just have never had a chance to try... but of all the Fenders (57/62's, Texas Specials, etc) and a few others I've tried (Fralin, DiMarzio, GFS)... I like the Kleins the best and they will go in my future Strat projects from here on out.


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Post subject: Re: Best aftermarket Strat pickups
Posted: Thu May 12, 2011 8:27 pm
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Location: Great White North, EH!
So many options posted here! And they're probably all pretty good.

there's probably a bunch more. There's so many boutique or cottage manufacturers. Best bet is to look for some youtube vids on a bunch. keep in mind amplification is a big factor in the final sound, so what you hear might be unattainable from your rig anyway.

One man's best is another's OK, and another's ok is someone else's best. All we can tell you is that the well known manufacturers mentioned here all have excellent reps for quality and reliability. The lesser known ones, well, you have to decide if you take the word of the guys who mentioned them, but I don't think anyone here would intentionally steer you down the wrong path.

Hehe good , luck. We're probably of no help to you.

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Post subject: Re: Best aftermarket Strat pickups
Posted: Fri May 13, 2011 3:12 am
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Twelvebar wrote:

One man's best is another's OK, and another's ok is someone else's best.


Right!! There are two distinctively different guitar players in our band. There have been quite a few times when I just couldn't stand the sound of certain pickups, and our other guitar player will play them and make them sound golden. It always amazes me.

Very well said Twelvebar.

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Post subject: Re: Best aftermarket Strat pickups
Posted: Fri May 13, 2011 9:39 am
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My faves:

I know that these aren't aftermarket on some strats... but the Fender Custom Texas Specials are AMAZING! I have looked for the Texas sound from other manufacturers and I still have not found anything close. The big wide open sounding middle pickup is perfect for Blues, Funk and Rock.

Duncan JB pickups are still very favorite for rock.

Also Duncan's Duckbucker is a great sounding pickup. It's not very high output, but it has a really cool character.


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Post subject: Re: Best aftermarket Strat pickups
Posted: Fri May 13, 2011 10:43 am
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Location: Richmond, VA
tyronne wrote:
DiMarzio Area Pickups. Great tone!

DiMarzio pickups are great! Back in the day, I used to have an old Ibanez "SG Copy" something or other, cheap POS guitar as a backup, and I tried in vain to upgrade it. I remember ripping out the stock, totally lame, Ibanez pickups and putting a PAF-Pro in the neck and a Super Distortion in the bridge. The guitar ROCKED (almost had a Barry Goudreau/Tom Scholz "old school" BOSTON sound) - but, it still was a POS and would never stay in tune. Plus no matter what you did to the bridge, the intonation was always a little off. I ended up selling it to one of my daughter's college friends for $50 bucks, so he could learn guitar.

Long story short - DiMarzio pickups can turn a mellow guitar into a fire breathing dragon!

Edit: Speaking of DiMarzio and since this is a Fender forum.... Have you all seen this?
http://www.dimarzio.com/pickups/pre-wired

Check out this "How To" video of a "solder-less" DiMarzio pickup & pickguard assembly! :?
http://www.dimarzio.com/videos/how+to+videos


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Post subject: Re: Best aftermarket Strat pickups
Posted: Fri May 13, 2011 11:56 am
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Out of all the single coils I've soldered in and out and taken through their paces I've found I like the Fender Custom 69's or 54's in my Strat the most. I guess this does not surprise me.


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Post subject: Re: Best aftermarket Strat pickups
Posted: Fri May 13, 2011 11:59 am
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The_Nutter wrote:
How long is a piece of string?

From one end to the other. :mrgreen:
just like the road goes on forever.

I like Lollar,and Van Zandt pickups....


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